Disclaimer: If you somehow manage to start a fire with this dessert, don’t blame me. You used the wrong bulb.

This is a nice dessert to make for any special occasion such as New Year’s Eve. I know it looks like a sinister flaming cauldron in the photo, but it was really more Christmasy in person. The cauldron effect might be good for Halloween.

Ingredients-

big cardboard box

Exacto knife or box cutter

gooseneck lamp

compact flourescent bulb, Christmas lights (you can try LED’s, but don’t use incandescent– it will melt your Jello. Don’t break the bulb– flourescents have a powder inside with a tiny amount of mercury, so you would have to spend a while cleaning up the area and then take your friends to a restaurant.

Some packets of Jello, or the generic version. Light colors work best.  Don’t try red and green.  They melt together into brown, and on one will eat brown Jello even though it tastes fine. Don’t ask me how I know that.

Can of whipped cream

Directions–Leave a lot of time for your Jello to jell. It’s harder than you think to make Jello.

Cut a hole in the top of the box, stick the lamp inside with the bulb shining up through the hole. Again, an incandescent bulb will create a warm soup. Remember Easy Bake Ovens?

Put the Jello into a glass bowl and place over the hole, use duct tape if you need to keep it all from sliding around. Drape a scarf around the bowl to block the light and line with Christmas lights. Put a can of whipped cream next to it and your guests will love it.

Does anyone have some favorite recipes to share? A Rhode Island theme will get extra points.