“This coffee jelly recipe is made with coffee, jelly powder, sugar, cream and sweetened condensed milk. A lovely combination of bitter and sweet dessert, and it’s a great way to end a meal.”

Are you a coffee lover like me? I’m sure you will love this coffee jelly recipe.

What I love about this coffee jelly recipe is that it’s so tasty and simple to make using few ingredients. What’s more is that it is elegant enough to offer to guests for any occasion. It will surely be a crowd-pleaser especially for those coffee lovers.

Coffee jelly is an excellent choice if you enjoy coffee-flavored treats but prefer something lighter than coffee ice cream. It’s usually served chilled, cubed, and combined with cream, making it a great summertime treat when you’re searching for something sweet to cool off with. But it is also good any time of the year.

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WHAT IS COFFEE JELLY

Coffee jelly is a simple yet stunning treat made with strong black coffee that has been sweetened with sugar and then solidified with gelatin, or jelly powder (gulaman or agar agar). It is then lavishly sprinkled or soaked with sweetened cream.

Since this is a coffee recipe, coffee takes the predominant taste. But the addition of cream mellows the bitterness of the coffee. It has a gelatinous texture due to the gelatin or jelly powder used. The simplistic approach hides the wonderful feeling of eating rather than drinking your coffee.

Coffee jelly is actually a Japanese delicacy. Jellies are a major component of Japanese culinary culture in general, so the popularity of coffee-infused gelatin shouldn’t be surprising.

Once abundant in British and American cookbooks, it acquired popularity in Japan in the 1960s after a Japanese chain coffee shop branch first prepared the dish. It came with a great marketing phrase “coffee you can eat.” Coffee jelly became – and still is – a popular summertime delicacy in Japan, thanks to the country’s appreciation of jelly-like or jiggly consistency. It is currently available in most eateries and convenience stores around the country under the name kohi zeri.

This coffee jelly recipe is a Filipino variation that is somehow similar to buko pandan. It is also made with jelly powder or gulaman and sweetened cream. But it uses green color powder (to mimic the pandan leaf color), coconut sport and pandan flavoring.

COFFEE JELLY RECIPE INGREDIENTS

Coffee. It is the key ingredient in coffee jelly. I used instant coffee in this recipe but you can use espresso if so desired. Just make sure you enjoy the flavor of whichever coffee you use because there aren’t many other things that will alter it.

Water. Liquid used for dissolving the jelly or gelatin powder. You may lessen the amount if you want a firmer jelly or when you use an espresso coffee (which already contains water).

Jelly powder or gelatin powder. I use a local jelly powder brand and one pouch (25g) makes 6 glasses of water, but I only used 5 cups because I want it to be firmer. You can also use gelatin powder (read below for more information).

Sugar. Although we will be using a sweetened condensed milk, you need to add sugar to the coffee jelly so the blocks of jelly would not taste boring. I wanted the jelly to be as translucent as possible, so I used granulated sugar, but you can use whichever sweetener of your choice.

All-purpose cream. I usually drink my coffee black, but cream is required for this dish. This, in my opinion, is what turns solidified coffee into a dessert. You can substitute heavy cream or coconut cream to make this vegan.

Sweetened condensed milk. Most recipes just call for sugar to be added to the cream, but Filipinos love sweet treats. This adds a beautiful milky flavor that elevates this dessert to a new level. If you want to make this vegan-friendly, simply use sugar.

GELATIN POWDER VS. JELLY POWDER

Is there any difference? Apparently, yes.

Traditionally, animal-based gelatin was utilized in coffee jelly.

Gelatin is a collagen-based substance derived from animal parts. It usually comes in sheets, granules, or powder form.  It’s colorless, odorless and flavorless, making it ideal for setting sweets like jelly, cheesecake, and gummy candy.

Gelatin should be dissolved in a hot or warm liquid (35 degrees Celsius) and placed at low temperatures while preparing coffee jelly. It usually requires refrigeration to set, which might take several hours depending on the other ingredients.

On the other hand, jelly powder is a powdery substance made from plants, generally seaweeds. It’s also known as Kanten, gulaman, or agar agar, depending on the dialect. This is the perfect choice if you are on a plant-based diet.

It must be cooked to set, however it can also set at room temperature and considerably more quickly than gelatin.

WHAT COFFEE SHOULD I USE IN COFFEE JELLY?

You can use any coffee you like, but we prefer stronger coffee than we normally consume. When coffee is mixed with the other ingredients and iced, part of its power and flavor is lost.

Because coffee is such a key component of this recipe, it’s critical that you use one that you enjoy.

INSTANT COFFEE

Instant coffee is the most accessible, simple, and cost-effective choice. It will also save you a lot of time, and if it’s of good quality, you won’t be able to tell the difference. I highly recommend using instant coffee.

Choose your favorite brand and combine 2-3 tablespoons with the water in the recipe. I used Nescafe Gold granules in this recipe.

ESPRESSO

You may make a thick and tasty jelly at home if you know how to brew espresso. A coffee machine or a stovetop moka pot can be used to produce espresso.

We recommend starting with 1.5 times the amount of coffee you normally use and increasing as required. You’ll need to change the amount of water in this recipe to yield 5 cups of water.

HOW TO MAKE

Making coffee jelly is simple.

In a medium saucepan, pour water and gradually sprinkle jelly powder while stirring until it dissolves.

Turn on the heat to low. Cook while stirring constantly. Bring to a low boil, then turn off the heat. Stir in the sugar and instant coffee until they are completely dissolved.

Pour jelly mixture into a square or rectangle mold and set aside to chill and set. Tip: To speed up the cooling process, you can put it in the fridge.

After the jelly has set, cut jelly into ½ inch cubes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk and all-purpose cream. Mix in the coffee jelly cubes into the sweetened cream.

Cover and chill before serving.

TIPS

• Use your favorite brand of strong coffee and adjust according to taste. Bear in mind that coffee loses its power when mixed with other ingredients and chilled.
• You can slice the jelly into any size you want, but it is recommended to cut it into ½ inch (2 cm) cubes for uniformity and depth of flavor.
• Make sure that the jelly powder, coffee and sugar mixture has completely dissolve before cooling it. This will ensure the smoothness of the coffee jelly.

HOW TO SERVE

This coffee jelly is best served when chilled. Serve it as an after meal dessert or as a midday snack.

HOW TO STORE

Leftover coffee jelly should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Coffee jelly tends to become a little watery after a day but it’s still good to eat.

Make ahead: You can prepare the coffee jelly a day ahead so it will be firm and ready to blend with the sweetened cream on the next day you need it.

We hope you loved this coffee jelly recipe and will try it yourself! It’s a basic recipe, but it yields a delicious dessert with little effort. Coffee jelly is light and sweet, and it creates a terrific nutritious coffee-flavored treat that is cool in the summer but delicious all year.

If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and tell me how you liked it in the comments section below; I love hearing from you! Happy tummy!

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