Mr NQN is notorious for getting bored in his hobbies and work. He starts off a task perkily with great enthusiasm and then becomes disillusioned and bored and off each interest falls to the wayside. He has dabbled in more hobbies than I can count whereas I’ll quite happily perform repetitive tasks until the night falls and then wake up to do them all again. He however leaves a trail of abandoned hobbies, half done tasks and neglected sporting equipment citing a lack of challenge and boredom as the reason. Of course you know what this means to the slightly neurotic like me.
“Do you think you’ll ever get bored with me?” I asked him one evening when I saw his abandoned glider peeking out from a darkened opened cupboard door.
He thought about it. “Naahh, you’re way too much hard work” he answered seriously.
“Oh thanks…I think” I replied.
I decided to take it as a compliment. I think that perhaps he didn’t mean it as one.
One item that looked complicated to his eye but was in fact completely easy to create was the stained glass jelly cubes. All it required was the setting of some packets of jelly, the cutting up of this jelly and the addition of some more sweetened condensed milk jelly, my favourite comfort food of all. I saw this on Wizzy’s wonderful site and knew that he would love it (and perhaps making it for him would mean that he wouldn’t get bored with me! 
) As Wizzy points out it can also be made for events where you could use a team’s sporting colours or flag colours.
Like many of you I’ve watched in horror at the awful events of the past few weeks in Japan. I have witnessed the country I used to live in shake and crumble and watched it with such horror unable to speak or write about it. I know that people that I have met throughout the years have probably perished and the very thought terrifies and saddens me. I remembered at once the kind hearted landlady that invited me over, spoke softly and sweetly and helped me whenever I was challenged with Japanese protocols. There was the teacher that vouched for us putting his very own line of credit and house on the line for us. There was the friend who brought us around to the secret local’s areas of Tokyo where we would have O-den soup in a wooden shack that has stood since WWII. There were the thousands of flight attendants whom I taught English to and who cried when I left and bought me gifts and cards-I still have those gifts and cards. Some of my best memories have been made in Japan and some of the most remarkable people I have ever met were encountered in my time living there and holidaying there.
I like many, haven’t known the best way to help and of course my first instinct is to bake or cook to help anyone in need. When I heard about the online bake sale on Sabrina’s site from Manu and Fiona I knew that this was one small way that I could start to help in a public way. I sifted through my cloudy brain for days trying to figure out what to make and in the end, at the urging of friends and Mr NQN chose cupcakes. Those lovely little morsels that cannot fail to put a smile on the face of others like those special people did to me. So if any of you have ever wanted to try any of the cupcakes I’ve made here without having to bake them yourselves, my contribution is a dozen freshly baked cupcakes by yours truly in whichever design you want from the following: Tattoo Cupcakes, Linzer Heart Cupcakes, Springtime Cupcakes, Koala Cupcakes, Jam Donut Cupcakes or Baby Bootie Cupcakes.
I decided to let the winner choose what type of decoration they wanted in case they had someone in mind to share them with or a gathering with a theme that they wanted to bring them to. Because they are cupcakes, they don’t keep very well so I can deliver these within 30kms of the city centre or we can arrange for a pick up in an inner city location of Sydney. I really wish teleporting was invented so that I could send these anywhere around the world! 
Sabrina’s aim is modest, she is trying to raise $2,500 with over 90 bakers in 8 countries and I secretly hope that we can meet it and then exceed that aim. All proceeds go to The Second Harvest charity, a food bank in Japan. If any bloggers would like to join, email Sabrina quickly as the auction starts tomorrow on the 30th of March, 2011. I’ll let you all know where to bid when the time comes. And if you would like to support it another way, please bid away for any of the lovely baked creations on offer from my fellow bakers and I.
So tell me Dear Reader, what is a cause close to your heart?
Stained Glass Jelly
Adapted from Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- 4-6 packets of coloured jelly-I say 4 to 6 as I like more colours but if you choose 6 colours, you will not use all of the jelly
- 1 x 395g tin of sweetened condensed milk
- Non stick oil spray
- 3.5 titanium gelatine leaves (or in the U.S. you can get packets of unflavoured gelatine, you will need 2 packets)
- 1.5 cups water
- A metal or plastic square or rectangle mold. I used a 21x21cms square baking tin
1. Spray the inside of plastic containers-use as many containers as you have packets of coloured jelly. In a cup, measure 250mls/1 cup of boiling water with each packet of jelly and stir briskly until smooth and all jelly crystals are dissolved. You could do this with fresh fruit juice which is probably what Bompas and Parr would advise but I was lacking in time. Cool the jelly mix and then place lids on top of these containers and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight until firm (this will set firmer than normal as you are only using 1 cup of water instead of 2).
2a). If using gelatine leaves, soften the leaves in cold water and squeeze out the excess water. Place the sweetened condensed milk and 1.5 cups of water in a small saucepan on the stovetop and heat gently and once warm, add the softened gelatine leaves and stir until melted and combined. Do not boil. Cool this mixture. I was in a hurry so I cooled in in a bowl set on top of a bowl of ice cubes below.
2b) If using powdered gelatine, sprinkle 2 envelopes unflavoured gelatin into 1/2 cup cold water. After the gelatin blooms, add 1 cup boiling water and dissolve. Add the can of condensed milk. Stir and cool.
3. As the milk mixture is cooling, spray a metal or plastic square or rectangular mold with non stick spray. Run a knife through the coloured jellies to create small squares. Gently place the squares in the larger mold tossing them gently with hands to distribute the colours. Once the milk mixture is completely cool but still liquid, pour this over the coloured jelly pieces and refrigerate overnight. I didn’t quite wait long enough so some of mine didn’t come out exactly perfectly and it just needed more time in the fridge. When you unmold the jelly onto a surface, be sure to oil the surface so that the jelly doesn’t stick to it. Slice into squares and serve.
Once poured, ready for the fridge
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74 Comments | Add your own
I wish there was such a thing as teleporting also..those cupcakes look amazing!
The cause closest to my heart is the National Ability Center here in Park City. They help children with physical and mental challenges to enjoy sports. I especially love their equine program. It puts a smile on my face every single time I visit there.
My niece taught English in Japan for several years and has such great stories of the kindness and elegance of the Japanese people. My heart aches for them….
Wow, these are gorgeous, I am going to have to borrow this idea for my daughters birthday party and use pink and the white, so cute!
I admire what you are doing to help Japan, we have friends that we communicate regular with living in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagasaki and Hokkaido and they have been terrified throughout this huge ordeal. First the earth quake, follows by two weeks of continuing land tremors followed by the nuclear threat! Just so much for a country to endure.
wow – talk about taking the humble jelly to a whole new and colourful level! Love it!
The jelly is so pretty.
Lorraine, what a generous competition you’re running in aid of Japan!
SSG xxx
This jelly looks so cool and condensed milk jelly rocks. Love it.
Your post made me cry. I had not heard about the bake sale as I have been offline for a while I might pop on over and see if I can contribute in any way.
A cause close to my heart is the Royal Flying Doctor service, and the great work they do for rural Australians.
As I have always marvelled at your cupcakes, and never had the dexterity to make them as perfectly as you, where do I sign up to bid!
Will keep an eye out for the link, thanks NQN!
Ooh this is pretty! They remind me of church windows!
Beautiful photos as always, this looks so amazing. I think I shall try it and serve it at the garden parties at my university.
And by the way, you’re ‘hard work’ is a good thing! Keep them on their toes
Good luck with the bake sale, it’s a great cause and all the best with it!
Crazy jelly – bet the kids love it!
Great stuff with the bake sale too
This jello looks so fun, Lorraine! I’m signed up for the bake sale too:) Wish I was in Australia so that I could bid on your cupcakes(and win, of course)!
The stained glass jelly is incredible!!
Oh, yum Lorraine. Is there any left? x
The jelly looks fantastic! Am def going to give this a go over easter!
Also great idea with the bake sale for japan!
Would Mr NQN be a Gemini like me – the behavioral pattern re interests hits a nerve?
Wish you the very best with the cupcake idea for Japan! I’ve been there over 30 times on business, love the country and its refined culture! In my day it was considered impossible to get to know the Japanese privately – totally untrue as long as both sides were open and tried! Such warmth and kindness! Such a huge tragedy now!
Your jellies look like fab artworks!
The cause closest to my heart is MSF – Doctors without Borders – partly because of my own background, partly because I have many friends amongst those who give of themselves and their life in oft impossible circumstances without compensation!
These are fantastic! My niece & nephew would love these jellies might make some to add to their birthday suprise in the next couple weeks.
Great cause NQN! I will await the link so that I can bid.
love the colors!
Great cause. My favourite is Anglicare – $ for average Aussie families who are doing it tough and Compassion – a great place to sponsor children in other places.
The Jelly looks amazing!
I’ve always wanted to make stain glass Jello. It really does look impressive. I never realized you lived in Japan. It must be especially hard for you to watch their pain. So glad you’re helping. Good luck! xoxo Mum
I felt the same way about Japan…too horrifying to express in any words.
I lived on jelly when I had my tonsils out over Christmas – I would have loooooved this.
Very pretty!
I love these, so pretty. i’ll add them to my list for birthday the kidlets birthday parties
What an amazing plan to bake for japan, very inspiring at such a heartbreaking time. I’ll definitely be bidding.
I am so happy you are on board Lorraine! Your cupcakes are fantastic! I had no idea you had lived in Japan… it must be even more heartbreaking to watch what had happened there.
I too hope we can exceed the $2,500 aim! Fingers crossed! 
BTW, the jelly looks sooo pretty!
I’ve been meaning to try this jelly since a saw it a while ago. Great idea for a kids party too!
Hi Lorraine they look fantastic but I wondered if you had used or could recommend a vegetarian alternative to the gelatine?
Cause closest to my heart – Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society and Amnesty
Hi Laura- Would agar agar work at all? My in laws are vegetarian and they usually use agar although I must admit I don’t have much experience using it
Lorraine – don’t ‘draw and quarter’ me, please! Couldn’t resist going ‘outside the square’! You have charmed Tony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson, amongst others – any leads to the ‘naughty boy’ Gordon? Would give my eyeteeth to get the recipe for chicken/green papaya curry from the NE provinces of India, which he cooked on the streets of Calcutta (ok already: Kolgota!)on his ‘India’ series last night! What a change from Tetsuya’s, Singapore, but what huge fun of a show! Nope, no ‘f’ word in sight yet. Given certain circumstances I use the ‘s’ and ‘b’ words myself!!
What gorgeous jellies! They are so pretty with their many colours. And the online bake sale is a grand idea to help the people of Japan.
Thank you, Lorraine, for doing this. The cause dearest to my heart at the moment is the same with you, saving and helping Japan. I live in Tokyo, therefore there is no particular drama going on and though I lost a very big mirror and a few favorite glassware to the March 11 quake, overall we are left relatively unscathed.
Japan is facing extremely dire recovering challenge, and my heart goes out to the people in Tohoku area and any help, however little or big will be appreciated by those most affected by the calamities.
I may not be a Japanese person, but I am a very proud resident of the country and will do anything to help.
The online bake sale is a wonderful idea! As my brother lived in Japan for three years and my family and I all visited him, watching the Japanese tragedy has been very upsetting. Your gorgeous jellies make me smile though
So darling! What a gorgeous idea…*note to self!
In the Philippines I think they call this dessert as cathedral jelly or stained glass jelly.
You had me at sweetened condensed milk jelly – I’ve never heard of that, but I think I would LOVE it
The online bake sale looks like a fantastic fundraiser – well done to everyone involved!
I am exactly like Mr NQN with the large trail of hobbies behind me! But I also won’t get bored of Frank because he is hard work.
What a wonderful auction, I wish I could have joined in. I hope you all manage to beat the target by miles.
x
~L,
I love how you combine world events, pop culture & your own personal life with your food.
I remember a comment after the earthquake that really moved me….Somebody tweeted –”Today, We Are All Japanese.”
What a great idea to give back. The stained glass jelly looks like minature Monets… xx
Beautiful Jelly! I love all of the colors and the way they show up in the white jelly.
The bake sale is a great idea- I hope your cupcakes bring top dollar! My students are collecting money at school for the same cause.
They are the cutest jellies ever and they look so tasty!
For causes, I always donate to animal charities and them only as I think that humans create all the problems for animals and yet they don’t have a voice to speak for themselves. So only we can help them.
Oh so pretty I feel pretty like that jelly! Oh so pretty!
I have sorted out the link issue. Sorry about that and thank you for letting me know Lorraine!
Great cause. So close to so many hearts. Streetsmart is mine.
Close to my heart is animal cruelty and the disaster in Japan happening now.
I donate as often as I can to these issues, it might not be much. But it’s something.
What a great idea to auction the cupcakes. I hope they bring HEAPS of money to help Japan. littlej’s Japanese class have made paper cranes and taken them to the Japanese embassy as a show of support.
littlej is also fascinated with the stained glass jelly, and has just discovered her yummy weekend project!
An online bake sale! What a great idea! And great contribution Not Nigella
The cause closest to my ow heart is Melanoma Cancer as I was diagnosed when I was 28. Sucky. But I am currently cancer clear at 31 and all looks well… I am a patient of Peter Mac in Melbourne and it’s scary how many people are there every appointment I have – and I only visit the skin clinic! Tere are so many forms of cancer and I was just so naive. Anyway. Love your work!
Those jellies look amazing and I am sad I live more than 30kn away – but I think it is a great way to raise some money for Japan in a way that makes sense to bloggers
Wow, this jelly would have to be one of your best! It looks amazing
What a touching post. I’m lucky enough to have my friends who were in Japan on their OE all back by my side and we are praying some of my family members who are there along with everyone else there who has shown immense courage.
Your stained glass jelly looks really wonderful too, looks like a wonderful addition to any party!~
That actually seems quite simple but looks stunning!
who ever thought jelly could be so pretty or fashionable! haha i always think of jelly as kinda daggy because my grandma use to make a really retro dessert of grapes in jelly – but this! this is gorgeous! im intrigured by this condensed milk jelly business in particular! my weakness…
I am excited and honored to be participating in this bakesale with you and so many talented foodbloggers and really hope we manage to raise more than targeted to help Japan in this hour of need. Your Jello and cupcakes are such a wonderful sight to the eyes that they will be irrestistible to bidders.
LOVE that jelly! My hubby LOVES jelly and so do some of the young kids in the family, they “OOed” and “Ahhed” when I made rainbow jelly (multiple layers of different jelly) They will FLIP over this one
Thank you so much for the info. Love your amazing pictures and good luck with the online bake sale. I’m off to research agar
Dear Lorraine, I don’t think anyone could get tired of you (and I mean that as a compliment!)
I love this jelly, it’s so bedazzling. And just checked out the bake sale, such a great idea.
The stained glass jelly is very neat, just gorgeous! And helping Japan via an online bake sale is a wonderful idea.
That’s such a wonderful cause!
I love this! It’s wayyy too pretty
And brightens my day so much more, NICE~
I’d take the Mr. comment as a compliment – we like the things that require work.
The jelly looks delicious, and so pretty too…
a wonderful idea, online bake sale..I am sure you will get great bids, good luck
I love these stained glass jelly, so pretty almost too pretty to eat, alomost..lol
sweetlife
What a great cause, well done. This jelly is stunning! You never cease to impress me
I feel very close to the kid’s home in rural Thailand, where I volunteer. We do a lot of work with them. Good luck with this cause!
Heidi xo
Love the colours in the jelly. It’s such a great thing to do taking part in the online bake sale. I would have if I’d heard about it earlier. I wish I lived in Sydney so I could bid for your cupcakes but I’ll settle for something local instead.
I will be definitely making these jelly cubes. I also think i’ve been hiding under a rock, as i’d never heard of sweetened condensed milk jelly!!
The cause closest to my heart is the prevention of animal cruelty…
What a wonderful idea Lorraine, helping through baked goods is always a good thing!
Love it Lorraine, I’ll be attempting to whip up a batch for my nieces birthday in 2 weeks!
Something easy and fun to make. Reminds me of the jelly cubes my mom used to make…she covers her’s in dessicated coconut.
I never thought it’ll be this easy!
Looks so colourful and special!
Big hugs for doing this
I am sure the cupcakes will be a hit.
They look amazing, even though I don’t even like jelly that much, I would probably give these a try.
Oh so cute! I’ve been seeing a resurgence of this treat on blogs and curious to try it myself even.
I am definitely trying this at my son’s next birthday party! They love alien jelly cubes (a packet set to 1 cup water) but this will make them squeal! Thanks
Oh no I wish I’d seen this earlier, I would have totally taken part! The jello looks awesome
wow I love it its looks DELICIOUS I like anything rainbow even if it it childish.
I remember going to a friends 16th many years ago and here mum made something similar but it was layered thin layers of jelly between milk jelly.
i’ve said it before, and i’ll no doubt say it again–this is the most awesome foodstuff i can imagine. it’s fun, it’s fabulous, nicely done.
Ack! I absolutely CANNOT believe that I missed this post! Thank you so much for the lovely mention and I guess now you have proof that I do not read posts in any kind of logical order. I do like going back and randomly browsing on your blog which is how I finally happened upon it.
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[...] what they are up to and suddenly I’m back in the game. This post is no different. I went to NQN (Not Quite Nigella) for the uninitiated, and found this colourful and cheeky dessert. She in turn had found a similar [...]
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