Make a Tub of Edible Wriggly Worms

If you're looking for a fun, yucky, and delicious dish to serve at your Halloween party, how about a tub of wriggly worms? These gelatin worms are easy to make and will be the hit of the party--if you can stomach eating them, that is!

Ingredients

• 2 packs of raspberry or strawberry gelatin dessert mix
• 3/4oz unflavored gelatin (3 envelopes) or powdered Agar Agar
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
• 3 cups boiling water
• 15 drops green food coloring
• 1 box chocolate wafer cookies, or chocolate sandwich cookies with the cream removed

Steps

Making the Gelatin

1. Prepare the gelatin. Boil three cups of water in a pan. As you wait for the water to boil, mix the flavored gelatin and the packets of unflavored gelatin (or Agar) together in a heat-safe bowl.
   • Try to use a bowl or pitcher that has a pourable edge and can hold at least 4 cups of liquid.
   • The flavored gelatin alone won't be firm enough to keep your worms intact. The addition of the unflavored gelatin will ensure your worms keep their shape and don't melt or fall apart.
2. Pour the boiling water into the bowl and stir the gelatin until dissolved. Make sure the powdered gelatin and flavoring is completely incorporated into the water--there should be no lumps or granules on the bottom of the bowl.
   • Set the bowl aside and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes.
   • Do not allow the mixture to set. It doesn't need to cool completely--it should still be warm after 15 minutes.
3. Add 3/4 cup cream and green food coloring. These ingredients give your worms their realistic look. The cream will make it so the worms aren't see-through. The addition of the green food coloring will turn your worms a more realistic brown color. Stir the mixture thoroughly.
   • Add the food coloring gradually to achieve the color you want. You will likely end up using about 15 drops, but feel free to experiment with the shade.
   • If the mixture becomes too green, balance it out by adding a few drops of red food coloring.

Molding the Worms

1. Extend the straws and place them upright in a tall, narrow container. The straws should fit tight in the container--if there is too much room, they will slump over and the gelatin mix won't stay put. Try a tall vase or drinking glass or an empty milk carton. If you don't have anything big enough to fit all the straws, try packing them in a few drinking glasses.
   • If the container is too big or the straws won't stand upright, use a rubber band to hold them tightly together.
   • You can also use a piece of bread to "plug" the straws and keep them upright. Tear a slice of bread to the size of your container and put it in the bottom, setting the straws on top.
   • The bottom of the straw should be flat on the bottom of the container.
   • Make sure the flexible part of the straw is extended and is the end that is facing down.
2. Pour the gelatin mix into the straws. Pour the mix from the bowl over the tops of the straw ends. You don't need to fill them completely, just enough to make decent worm lengths. Some of the mixture will escape from the bottom of the straws, but if they are packed tightly and standing upright, there will still be plenty in the straws.
   • If your bowl doesn't have a pouring lip, it may be easier to transfer the mix to a pitcher that allows for more precise pouring.
   • You can even inject the mixture into the straws. Use a clean syringe with a thin rubber tube attached to it. Fill the syringe with the jello mix, attach the tube and squirt into each straw, refilling as needed.
3. Refrigerate straws to set firm. Your worms need to be chilled a minimum of 8 hours, preferably overnight. Do not place in the freezer or you'll get a mushy consistency and no worms.

Assembling the Dish

1. Make the dirt by crumbling the cookies. Place the cookies in a large freezer bag, taking care to squeeze out all the air before sealing. Pound the cookies with a rolling pin (or a glass bottle of wine or olive oil if you don't have one). Crush the cookies until they are fine crumbs and resemble dirt.
   • Place the crumbs in the container in which you plan to serve the worms. If you want to add "mud," alternate layers of chocolate crumbs with a layer of chocolate pudding. End with a layer of dirt on top.
   • If you decide to add pudding, you may want to wait until your worms are ready. That way you can layer worms throughout the container without messing up your alternating layers.
   • You can serve in a clear bowl, or try a clean flower pot or a plastic pail to add a little authenticity to your wormy dessert.
2. Remove the worms from the straws. There are a few different methods you can use to squeeze your worms out of the straws. You may end up damaging some of the worms, but you should have plenty to work with.
   • Squeeze them out with your thumb and forefinger. Pinch one end of the straw and apply pressure down the length of the straw, pushing the worm out the other side.
   • Force the worms out with the blunt blade of a knife or the flat end of a wooden spoon. Using a similar movement as you would to curl ribbon, running the flat end from the top of the straw to the bottom.
   • Run warm (not hot) water over each straw for a second or two and let the worm slip out. Do not get water into the tip of the straw or it can affect the worm inside.
   • Use the end of a bike pump's nozzle to "shoot" the worms out the other end with the force of the air being expelled.
   • Place half of another straw over the top of one end and blow (provided you're in healthy condition, nobody wants cold germs).
3. Assemble the tub of wriggly worms. Toss your worms in the dirt--some should be buried, and some should stick out of the top so your guests can see them.
   • If you don't plan to serve immediately, you may want to leave the worms in the refrigerator on a parchment-lined tray. This will keep them in top condition until it's time to serve.

Tips

• If you don't want reddish pinky worms, any flavor of jello is fine to use.
• You may need to adjust the amounts of water or cream for this to work for your local climate or to account for the brand of gelatin or cream used.

Things You'll Need

• Heatproof mixing bowl
• 100 flexible drinking straws
• A tall vase or drinking glass (or other container, like an empty 1 quart or liter milk carton), large enough to hold all the straws
• Rubber band
• 1 slice bread (optional)
• Container for serving the dish (a glass bowl, a clean dirt pail, or a flower pot)
• Rolling pin
• Large freezer bag

Related Articles

• Plan the Perfect Halloween Party
• Make Oreo Spiders
• Make Ghosts in a Dirt Graveyard
• Make Candy Corn Jello Shots
• Make a Halloween Pie

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Gummy Bears
• Make Candy Sushi
• Make Turkish Delight
• Celebrate National Jelly Bean Day
• Make Gum Drops