Coffee Jelly is a delicious coffee-based dessert made of coffee-flavored jelly cubes in a thick and delightful coffee-infused cream.
Gathered around in the living room, we sat casually with glasses of coffee jelly in our hands, engaged in a relaxed atmosphere after dinner one evening.
Nothing beats conversations made at the dining table, or over coffee with friends and family. For me, enjoying this creamy and delightful drink, and savoring the soft cubes of jelly after each gulp with my family is one of my best coffee jelly memories.
And it is one that I still cherish up to this day.
Love coffee flavored desserts? Try Coffee Cake Banana Bread
Coffee Jelly Drink
So, what is Coffee Jelly? And what makes it so special? While I am not a coffee drinker at all, I just love all the components that go into this luxurious drink.
- First, the coffee-flavored jelly cubes. They are soft and jiggly with a bite of bitterness, and slightly sweet. I love catching them randomly as I gulp on the thick coffee cream.
- The thick coffee cream is made of heavy cream, condensed milk and coffee. For ease, I used instant coffee granules that I dissolved in a little amount of hot water.
Let’s Make It!
First, we make the jelly.
You can use Knox unflavored gelatin, or if you are in the Philippines, the ones sold in Asian groceries, called gulaman powder.
Dissolve the powder in room temperature water, add the coffee granules and sugar and stir to dissolve as well.
Next, over medium heat, bring the mixture to almost boiling while stirring constantly. Carefully transfer the mixture into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.
Allow the mixture to cool completely, then let it set. I refrigerate mine for 1-2 hours. Note that Knox gelatin needs more time to set.
Once set, draw a knife to form vertical lines that are about 1/4 inch apart, then repeat the motion across, to form cubes.
Now it’s time to mix the coffee jelly.
In a large bowl, add the cubes of jelly. Pour the cream, condensed milk and water. Gently stir everything until combined.
Chill the coffee jelly for at least 2 hours, then ladle into bowls or glasses to enjoy.
Tips and Pointers
- If using Knox gelatin, use 4 sachets which is equal to 4 tablespoons, and use 4 cups of water. If you are using gulaman powder from the Philippines, they are usually packed in 24 grams per sachet. Use 1 sachet and 6 cups of water.
- You can also make the coffee cream to be stronger in flavor by adding more coffee granules. Dissolve the coffee granules in hot water first before adding it to the rest of the mixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
When I make coffee jelly cubes for this drink, I intentionally reduce the amount of liquid to yield firmer jelly cubes. Try to reduce the amount of liquid that is called for in the gelatin pack instructions to yield firmer coffee jelly cubes.
I do not recommend using colored or flavored gelatin in this recipe because the color will seep into the liquid and will give the finished dessert a weird color.
Yes, you can. You may yield a much thicker drink and/ or you may need to add more or less condensed milk to adjust the sweetness to your preference.
You see, making Coffee Jelly is not at all complicated. It has simple ingredients and is very simple to make.
This is an easy-to-make-dessert that you can serve next time you have friends coming over, or even as a special dessert at home, to elevate your normal coffee routine.
And dare I say, move over Boba, make way for coffee jelly! (kidding, we are big Boba drinkers too!).
Enjoy!
Need more coffee desserts? Also, try:
- Coffee Swiss Roll
- Mini Cinnamon Rolls with Coffee Icing
- Mocha Cake Roll
- Mocha Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Coffee Jelly
Ingredients
- 1 sachet 24 grams clear gulaman powder *
- 6 cups water at room temperature
- 2 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 cups cream heavy, 35 % or 10 % is fine
- 1 can 300 ml condensed milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsp hot water
- 2 tbsp instant coffee granules
Instructions
- Add water to a medium saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and stir to dissolve. Add 2 tablespoons of instant coffee powder and 1/2 cup of sugar and stir. Continuously stir the mixture over medium heat until it comes to almost a boil. Turn off the heat.
- Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Allow it to cool and set completely. To fasten things up, put the baking dish in the fridge. This will take 1-3 hours. Once the gelatin has set, cut it into small cubes.
- Dissolve 2 tablespoons of instant coffee powder in 3 tablespoons of hot water. In a deep container (a beverage jar is ideal), or a bowl, add the jelly cubes. Pour the cream, the coffee mixture, water and the condensed milk. Stir gently but thoroughly. Chill until ready to serve.
- Optional: Top each serving with whipped cream.
Video
Notes
- If using Knox gelatin, use 4 sachets which is equal to 4 tablespoons, and use 4 cups of water.
- You can also make the coffee cream to be stronger in flavor by adding more coffee granules. Dissolve the coffee granules in hot water first before adding it to the rest of the mixture.
What an awesome recipe. I don’t like coffee but all my teens do and they all share my love of boba boy are they going to have a shock when I make it for them. Thank you what a great website I’ve been drooling ever since I arrived.
Hi Esther! Thank you so much! I hope yout family loves the coffee jelly!
Can I use agar-agar instead of gelatin?
Hello, Prema! Sorry, I have not tested agar- agar on this.
can you use brewed coffee vs the powdered instant?
Yes you can:) Just adjust the flavor as you prefer by adding more milk or sweetener.