Help! jelly not set!

Chumana

I thought I'd be really good earlier and make a jelly for desert tonight after reading black-saturn's menu thread but I think something's gone wrong

I chopped up a fresh pineapple and put it in an orange jelly (Tesco sugar free sachet one) and left it to set in the fridge but that was 4 hours ago and it's still like water and hasn;'t set at all! I followed the instructions adding half pint of boiling water to granules till they dissolve then adding half pint cold water and poured it over the fruit an put in fridge.

What have I done wrong???

BTW, I made tghe weetabix cake today and it was brilliant, all gone now thanks to my dd, sister and her kids lol, thanks black-saturn

susank

Pineapple fresh causes jelly not to set I think - think I read this somewhere - its to do with an enzyme in the pineapple - sorry so dont know what you can do now - Maybe turn it into a smoothie with ice cream and blitz it

Chumana

Thanks, I didn't know that about pineapple but think I've read somewhere that kiwi fruit does that too? Is there anything I can do with it? I don't have any ice cream at mo but have some elmlea double cream, but I guess it wouldn't even make a mousse if it won't set?

twink

blend it altogether to make ice lollys for the little ones

Chumana

twink wrote:

blend it altogether to make ice lollys for the little ones

Brilliant idea, esp this time of year as I look after my sister's little ones a lot and they're always dragging me down the shop for lollies and ice creams, thanks

recovering_spendaholic

It's definitely the pineapple - its enzymes break down the gelatine - kiwi fruit does the same thing. Tinned pineapple is okay though, for some reason!! - you could blend it with some ice cream or yoghurt and ice cubes and make smoothies!!

Chumana

Just a thought, but I have 2 tubs of Elmlea double cream in the fridge, could I whisk these together with the pineapple jelly and freeze them to make ice cream? Would it wirk you think?

thriftlady_2

Yep,it's definitely the pineapple.Never use fresh pineapple for jelly.Tinned has been heated and so the enzyme which breaks down the gelatine has been destroyed and it is OK for jelly.

As has already been said kiwi has the same effect on jelly.

I'd give the ice cream idea a go.