Coconut Jelly

My favourite dessert at yum-cha (dim sum) when I was a child was coconut jelly, it has a delicious smooth flavour and texture. The best thing about this jelly is it is so easy to make. Coconut jelly is set with agar agar which is a seaweed that is used in East Asia as a setting agent like gelatin. Agar Agar comes in numerous form eg. Powder, flakes and sticks. You will need different amounts of agar agar according to the variety you are using: 1 tbsp agar agar powder 750ml, 3 tbsp agar agar flakes per 750ml and 3 sticks per 750ml;

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6 Portions

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Prep: 2 minutes plus setting time
Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Jelly

750ml water
150g caster sugar
1 tbsp agar agar powder or 3 tbsp agar agar flakes or 3 whole sticks (if using stick agar agar you will need to soak if in the water for 30 minutes before simmering)
100g coconut powder, dissolved in 50ml boiling water

Method

Jelly: Place the water in a saucepan with the caster sugar, sprinkle over the agar agar powder or flakes and stir them in. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a strong simmer for 5 minutes until the sugar and agar agar have dissolved. Whisk the syrup regularly allowing the agar agar to dissolve.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool briefly. Whisk in the coconut powder dissolved in the boiling water so that it and is well distributed.
To Set: Pour the syrup into a square or round dish (rinse the mould in cold water before filling) and place in the refrigerator to set. (To test that you have used the correct amount of agar agar place a spoonful of the mixture on a plate or bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. The mixture should be set and firm but if is soft you will need to use more agar agar).
To Serve: When the jelly is set remove it from the mould and cut into squares.