Super Easy Jelly Slice Recipe (2024)

Jelly slice is a sweet and stunning treat for parties and gatherings, guaranteed to disappear the instant it hits the table! This super easy Aussie recipe features the iconic three layers – biscuit base, condensed milk and red jelly – and only 7 ingredients.

Why We Love This

Jelly slice is a classic Australian dessert or sweet treat, especially at Christmas time. The bright red and white jelly layers havethat perfect jelly textureset on a crumbly biscuit base.

Itlooks so impressive, yet issuper easy to make. You can also customise your jelly slice recipe with your favourite flavours or colours to suit your celebration.

Each layer isset to perfectionforeasy slicing into perfect bite size piecesready for sharing.

Related: Coconut Ice / Lemon Weetbix Slice

What is Jelly Slice?

Jelly slice is a traditional Australian no bake dessert usually consisting of three layers:

• 1st Layer:Crushed biscuits blended with butter.
• 2nd Layer:Milk jelly made with sweetened condensed milk and gelatine.
• 3rd Layer:Regular jelly – usually bright red raspberry or green lime jelly.

Red or green jelly slice is most popular at Christmas and Easter celebrations, alongside recipes likepavlova roll,choc ripple logandtrifle.

That said, it really can be served for any celebration or get-together. It’s the old school recipe our mums and grandmas used to make (in Laura’s family, her Aunty Glenda is the jelly slice queen!)

While the traditional dessert is made with gelatin, you can make a vegetarian friendly version by using clear agar agar powder for the middle layer, and a colouredagar agar jellyfor the top layer.

How to Make Jelly Slice

First, gather your ingredients: See recipe card below for measurements.

For the first layer:

1. Crush thenice biscuitsusing a food processor, mortar and pestle or even a potato masher in a mixing bowl. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Melt thebutterin 30 second bursts in the microwave until melted (around 1½ minutes). Pour the melted butter over the crushed biscuits and stir until combined.
3. Line a square tin (9 inch / 24cm) with baking paper or cling wrap. Pour in the crushed biscuit base and press into a flat layer using the back of a spoon.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

For the second layer:

5. Dissolve thegelatin powderin theboiling water, stirring until there’s no lumps.
6. Mix the400 g condensed milkand3 tbsp lemon juicein a medium mixing bowl, then pour over thegelatin mix.
7. Beat together using a spoon or whisk, then pour over the biscuit base.
8. Refrigerate until firm, around 30 minutes to one hour.

For the third layer:

9. In a small bowl dissolve the85 g raspberry jellyin125 ml boiling water.85 g raspberry jelly,125 ml boiling water
10. Keep stirring until all the sugar crystals in the jelly have dissolved. Pour in the100 ml cold water, give it a quick stir, then carefully pour over the condensed milk layer.Note: If holes start to appear in the milk layer, it’s not set yet!100 ml cold water
11. Pop in the fridge to set for at least 3 hours.

To serve:

12. Gently pull the slice out of the tray using the edges of the baking paper and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into squares or fingers and serve!Note: Clean knife between each slice for neat and even squares.

Wandercook’s Tips

• Water –This recipe intentionally uses less water than usual when making the jelly layers. This helps set the jelly firmer, resulting in a better final structure for cutting. For a thicker jelly layer, double it and do two packets of jelly instead (still with the less water amount).
• Be Patient– Wait for each layer to fully set before pouring in the next, otherwise they will blend into each other and you won’t end up with those lovely, clearly defined layers. You can try pouring the liquid jelly over the back of a spoon to help disperse it softly over the surface and stop holes forming in the preceding layer.
• Handle Carefully– It can be easy to spill the white or red layers, so be careful transferring the tray back and forth from the fridge.

Storage and Freezing

Slice once set and store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Jelly slice will last up to 7 days in the fridge, but best eaten sooner rather than layer. Note: The longer you leave it, the more the jelly colour will start to leach into the condensed milk layer over time.

FAQs

Serving Ideas & Variations

• Extra Layer(s)– You can double or triple the jelly layers with different colours and flavours – just make sure to set it fully between each and pour very gently. Why not make it a festive Christmas jelly slice with an extra layer of green jelly?
• Extra Fun– Mix sprinkles through the white layer for afairy breadversion of jelly slice!
• Experiment with Flavours– Trycoffee jellyorpandan coconut jellyinstead.
• Biscuits– Swap the biscuits for chocolate Tim Tams or Anzac biscuits for extra decadence.
• Flummery – Make a flummery aka jelly whip for the third (or even a fourth) layer to your jelly slice!

Try these amazing recipes next:

• Matchsticks – Old school jam and cream matchsticks with puff pastry!
• Easy Japanese Coffee Jelly – What’s better than a coffee you can drink? Coffee you can eat!
• Agar Agar Jelly with Coconut and Pandan – Made with only 5 ingredients.
• Easy Vanilla Slice – “LOVE this recipe!!!!!!!!!!! I used SAO biscuits and they worked very well.”
• Super Easy Australian Trifle with Custard – A stunning dessert, ready for your table.

★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!