Seattle's own Archie McPhee's makes a great Jell-o brain mold. Another
great source Bucky's Boneyard. If you place an order with them, please
be sure and tell Marilyn you found it at Goblinville.com!
- 6 small or 3 large boxes of watermelon (works best) or peach Jell-o
- 1 can light or non-fat evaporated milk
- 2-1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup cold water
- Green food color
Spray inside of the mold with a non-flavored cooking spray (like Pam). Dissolve Jell-o in 2-1/2 cups of boiling water. Add 1 cup cold water and evaporated milk. Add food color to desired color (about 5 drops). Pour in mold and chill until set. To remove the brain, shake the mold gently until the gelatin loosens. Place a flat plate upside down over the open side of the mold, then flip the mold and the plate together. Lift the mold off, leaving the brain on the plate.
Note - Don't use regular milk in place of the non-fat evaporated milk - it's won't be as cloudy and has a tendency to curdle or separate in this type of recipe. Don't use whole evaporated milk, either, since it may also curdle.
Variation 1 - about 15 drops each of red, green, and blue will make a realistic brain color of gray.
Variation 2 - use blueberry Jell-o, adding red & green food coloring to get the color you want.
Variation 3 - fill the mold about 1/2 full and chill until set. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, make a baseball-sized hole in the center of the Jell-o, being careful to leave at least 1/2-1" of Jell-o between the hole & the mold. Fill the hole with pureed & strained raspberries or strawberries. Spoon in enough Jell-o to barely cover & seal the pureed fruit and chill until set. Add another thin layer of Jell-o and again chill until set. Then add the remaining Jell-o and chill until set. When you cut into the brain, the fruit "blood" will come oozing out.