Easy Jelly Slice Recipe

Easy Jelly Slice Recipe

This is a classic Australian no-bake slice that we all grew up with.  Three layers of deliciousness, it starts with a simple buttery biscuit base, a creamy and slightly lemony condensed milk filling and topped with a gorgeous layer of red raspberry jelly.  A retro dessert recipe that is a favourite for so many of us!

If you grew up in the 70’s and 80’s in Australia, chances are you have wonderful memories of eating this delicious Jelly Slice!  It was a staple at children’s birthday parties and a family favourite of ours when we were kids, as my Nanna Annie would make a killer Jelly Slice.  Those little wobbly squares of deliciousness bring back so many wonderful memories!  I hope you enjoy this classic Jelly Slice recipe and make it time and time again.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• It’s a simple, no-bake recipe
• 6 basic ingredients
• No fancy equipment:  you can quickly make it using a food processor to crush the biscuits, or do it the old fashioned way (how we did when we were kids!) with a rolling pin
• With it’s 3 clear layers, it’s super pretty!
• It comes with a lifetime of wonderful memories

Ingredients

• Marie biscuits:  you will need one packet for this recipe
• Melted unsalted butter:  to mix with the crushed biscuits and form the biscuit base
• Condensed milk:  you will need one can of sweetened condensed milk
• Lemon juice:  fresh lemon juice to add a light lemon flavour to the middle layer
• Gelatine:  to set the middle layer
• Jelly:  I use the raspberry flavour Aeroplane jelly for the top layer -I love the raspberry flavour against the lemony condensed milk

Substitutions and Additions

While this is a classic recipe and I wouldn’t stray too far from it, there are a few things you can add or substitute:

• Marie biscuits:  swap for another plain, sweet biscuit or use Malt O Milk biscuits for a different taste
• Jelly:  Or Jell-O in the USA.  I think most people grew up with raspberry jelly on their Jelly Slice, but you can also use strawberry jelly or port wine flavour.  Or go wild and try lime for a green jelly slice!

Step by Step Instructions

1. Grease and line a 20cm square cake or slice pan.  You can also use a rectangle slice pan, but I just like the straight sides on my 20cm tin
2. Crush the Marie biscuits with a rolling pin, then place the biscuit crumbs into a small mixing bowl.  Alternatively you could crush them in a food processor.
3. To the mixing bowl (or food processor) add the melted butter and mix to combine
4. Press biscuit mixture into your prepared tin, pushing it down to the base of the tin and smoothing down with a metal spoon
5. Now prepare your creamy layer by placing the condensed milk into a small bowl, then adding the lemon juice
6. In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin powder in boiling water.  Add that to the condensed milk mixture and whisk it all together

1. Pour the mixture onto the biscuit base, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set
2. While the second layer is setting, prepare your Jelly, as per instructions (I dissolve the jelly crystals in 1 cup of boiling water, then add 200ml of cold water.  Leave it at room temperature, so that when the middle layer is set, the jelly has cooled, but is not set
3. Pour on the top layer.  I pour the jelly onto the back of a metal spoon, held just above the middle layer, so as to not disturb that second layer.  It should be pretty well set, but you don’t want a heavy stream of jelly messing with that beautiful, even layer!
4. Allow the slice to set for 3-4 hours before cutting into squares

Tips and Tricks

• The biscuit crumbs don’t need to be too fine -some little chunks are ok
• Pouring the jelly over the back of a spoon disperses the jelly and prevents divots in your condensed milk layer
• I always make the jelly as per instructions and it works beautifully.  If you want the jelly top a little firmer though, just use less water.  Use 150ml of cold water, instead of 200ml
• If you would like the condensed milk layer a little firmer, add an extra teaspoon of gelatine powder to the second layer
• I use a small sharp knife to cut along the set jelly, where it meets the baking paper, for a clean edge
• Use a large sharp knife to cut the Jelly Slice into squares (you can use a ruler to mark every 5cm, to create even squares)

Serving Suggestions

• This is best served straight from the fridge
• Afternoon tea:  perfect with a cup of tea, especially if it’s with your Nanna!
• Dessert:  always a favourite dessert, that’s not too heavy
• Kids parties:  an absolute staple!  If you’re making it for a children’s party, serve them with our other favourite nostalgic sweets:  Jelly Cakes, Butterfly Cakes, Mars Bar Slice….

Storage

• Room temperature: don’t leave this slice at room temperature as it will start to go runny
• Refrigerate:  store your Jelly Slice in the fridge for 3-4 days
• Freeze:  I don’t recommend freezing this slice

Did you try this recipe?  I’d love it if you could  take a minute to leave a review or share your photos on Instagram, tagging @apple.cake.annie

I hope you love this easy Jelly Slice recipe as much as we do!

Easy Jelly Slice

Sandra

This nostalgic Aussie slice is so simple, with 3 gorgeous no-bake layers. Perfect for afternoon tea, dessert and a stunning birthday party staple! Follow my step by step instructions to make this easy Jelly Slice

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Course Afternoon Tea, Christmas, Dessert, party food, Snack

Cuisine Australian

Servings 16 squares

Equipment

• 1 20cm square tin or equivalent size slice tin

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Biscuit base

• 250 g Marie biscuits (1 packet) or other plain, sweet biscuits
• 185 g Unsalted butter melted

Middle layer

• 1 can condensed milk
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste 1-2 lemons
• 2 tsp gelatine powder
• ¾ cup boiling water

Jelly layer

• 1 packet aeroplane jelly, raspberry or preferred flavour, made as per packet instructions

Instructions

 

• Grease and line a 20cm square cake or slice pan.  You can also use a rectangle slice pan, but I just like the straight sides on my 20cm tin

Biscuit base

• Crush the Marie biscuits with a rolling pin, then place the biscuit crumbs into a small mixing bowl.  Alternatively you could crush them in a food processor.
• To the mixing bowl (or food processor) add the melted butter and mix to combine
• Press biscuit mixture into your prepared tin, pushing it down to the base of the tin and smoothing down with a metal spoon

Middle layer

• Now prepare your creamy layer by placing the condensed milk into a small bowl, then adding the lemon juice
• In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin powder in boiling water.  Add that to the condensed milk mixture and whisk it all together
• Pour the mixture onto the biscuit base, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set

Jelly layer

• While the second layer is setting, prepare your Jelly, as per instructions (I dissolve the jelly crystals in 1 cup of boiling water, then add 200ml of cold water.  Leave it at room temperature, so that when the middle layer is set, the jelly has cooled, but is not set
• Pour on the top layer.  I pour the jelly onto the back of a metal spoon, held just above the middle layer, so as to not disturb that second layer.  It should be pretty well set, but you don't want a heavy stream of jelly messing with that beautiful, even layer!
• Allow the slice to set for 3-4 hours before cutting into squares

Notes

• The biscuit crumbs don't need to be too fine -some little chunks are ok
• Pouring the jelly over the back of a spoon disperses the jelly and prevents divots in your condensed milk layer
• I always make the jelly as per instructions and it works beautifully.  If you want the jelly top a little firmer though, just use less water.  Use 150ml of cold water, instead of 200ml
• If you would like the condensed milk layer a little firmer, add an extra teaspoon of gelatine powder to the second layer
• I use a small sharp knife to cut along the set jelly, where it meets the baking paper, for a clean edge
• Use a large sharp knife to cut the Jelly Slice into squares (you can use a ruler to mark every 5cm, to create even squares)

More Nostalgic Treats:

• Jelly cakes
• No Bake Lemon Slice
• Yo Yo Biscuits
• Mars Bar Slice

Keyword jelly slice, no-bake slice

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