Coconut Coffee Gel Bites

This jelly-like, layered dessert, inspired by a Thai dessert, features a sweet coffee flavour balanced with lightly salted coconut. A streamlined treat that’s a great pick-me-up!

Ingredients:

  • 2.5 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
  • 2 tablespoons agar agar powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee (preferred over espresso for this recipe)
  • 3 cups water

Here’s what you do.

  1. Whisk together coconut milk and salt with one quarter of the sugar and half of the agar powder in a saucepan.
  2. Bring to a hard boil for 40 seconds, ensuring that mixture does not boil over, then remove from heat.
  3. Pour into square or rectangular tray and allow to cool.
  4. While coconut mixture is cooling, whisk together the remaining sugar and agar with the instant coffee and water, and bring to boil as in Step 2.
  5. Check on coconut mixture. In order to successful layer the coffee mixture on top, the coconut layer should have some resistance to the touch but not have completely solidified.
  6. Gently pour the coffee mixture over the coconut base.
  7. Allow to set for around 45 minutes at room temperature, or 20 minutes in the fridge.
  8. Cut into squares to serve.

Enjoy!