Coffee Jelly is a very popular dessert in Japan. It's particularly refreshing in the summertime and you cannot pass by any café without seeing patrons enjoying coffee jelly in all forms. It's a very versatile dessert that you can use in bubble teas, iced lattes, or just as a bowl of coffee jelly topped with sweet cream.

Some recipes call for using gelatin, but agar (seaweed gel agent) produces a more authentic texture. Because there is no gelatin, this recipe is also vegan. Another favorite preparation is to add milk into cubes of coffee jelly for a delightful coffee milk drink. You can easily substitute soymilk, almond milk, or whatever you enjoy drinking your coffee with!

Ingredients

Coffee Jelly Recipe

• 450 grams water (~2 cups)
• 5 grams agar agar (2 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon high-quality instant coffee
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional

Coffee Jelly Drink

• 6-8 coffee jelly cubes
• 1 cup of milk

Equipment

Method

Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes. It should be between 176°F and 185°F (80°C - 85°C) for an ideal instant coffee brew. Whisk in the instant coffee and make sure there are no clumps. Both the agar and the coffee should be fully dissolved. If you want a sweetened coffee jelly, stir the sugar in now and make sure it is fully dissolved. Taste test to see if you want to add more sugar.

Once the coffee jelly reaches room temperature, it should already be a bit firm. Continue to set the jelly in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours until cold and very firm.

The jelly will not melt in cold milk, but the outermost bits will slowly dissolve and begin to flavor the milk.

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