I didn't really experiment on this one before I made it. I have done Jell-O molds before, so I knew enough to alter this original Grasshopper Pie recipe from my 1960s Joys of Jell-O cookbook that I picked up at an antique store a few years ago. I looked for brain mold recipes online, but they were mostly made to look like real brain color and I really wanted to do a green one.
Grasshopper Pie for Brain Mold recipe:
This is the recipe with the alterations I made to the original to make it work for the mold. See the original Grasshopper Pie recipe at the end of the post.
This recipe did not quite fill the mold. If I make this again, I might add another 50% of everything to fill it better.
2 packages (3 oz) or 1 package (6 oz) Jell-O Lime Gelatin
1/2 tablespoon clear flavorless gelatin to help hold shape better
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup cold water
1/3 cup green creme de menthe
1/3 cup creme de cacao
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups of whipped topping from the spray can
Dissolve all of the Jell-O Gelatin, sugar and the salt in boiling water. Add cold water. liqueurs, and vanilla. Let cool in a bowl on the countertop for about an hour. Blend whipped topping into Jell-O. Add to brain mold and then chill in refrigerator overnight.
For chocolate (dirt floor) crumb crust:
2 cups chocolate graham crackers broken into crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Combine ingredients and mix well. Press firmly and evenly on the base of the serving dish.
To get the brain out of the mold:
Some people add a fine layer of Pam to Jell-O molds to make removing the mold later easier. I don't love doing this, because oil and water, as we know, don't mix. They separate. So sometimes you can get these weird particles at the surface of your Jell-O masterpiece.
I prefer this method. Fill a container with hot water that is large enough that you can dunk your entire mold up to the rim into it. When you dunk the cold mold into the hot water, it will melt the Jell-O that is attached to the mold just enough to loosen it.
Practice this part. The first time I did this with a mold, I let it sit in the warm water way too long and it made the final mold mushy looking. You also may need to run your finger along the outer edge of the mold to help it separate.
Flip it over the top of your Dirt Crumb base. If the the brain still doesn't loosen out, wet a washcloth with hot water and rub the cloth over the mold to heat it up until it separates.
Original Vintage 1960s Grasshopper Pie Recipe:
2 packages (3 oz) or 1 package (6 oz) Jell-O Lime Gelatin
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup cold water
1/3 cup green creme de menthe
1/3 cup creme de cacao
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg white
1 envelope Dream Whip Whipped Topping Mix or 1 cup whipping cream
9 or 10 inch chocolate crumb crust
Dissolve all of the Jell-O Gelatin, 2 tablespoons sugar and the salt in boiling water. Add cold water. liqueurs, and vanilla. Chill until slightly thickened. Beat egg white until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating after each until blended. Prepare whipped topping mix as directed on package, omitting vanilla, or whip the cream.
Then measure 1/2 cup gelatin and set aside. Blend meringue and prepared topping into remaining gelatin mixture. Chill until quite thick. Spoon into crust, using as much as possible. (Any remaining filling may be chilled in a sherbert glass for another meal.) Drizzle the reserved clear gelatin over the top of the pie; pull spoong through a zigzag course to marble. Chill until firm. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired.
