Recipe: Vegan Osmanthus and Goji Berry Jelly
I’ve been thinking about jelly a lot recently. Specifically, why there isn’t more of a craze for it here in the UK, what with the ‘clean desserts’ and health trend sweeping the globe. Jelly has its own place in Asian cuisine, and has long been considered a delectable sweet option. From herbal jelly to shaved ice, tofu pudding to cendol, Asians covet the silky, wobbly and gelatinous mouthfeel of jelly, either as textural topping or the main event.
I previously waxed lyrical about Asian desserts; how they tend to be light, vegan friendly, and find ingenious ways to incorporate fruit and veg. On my last trip to Hong Kong, I treated myself to solo dim sum at Pure Veggie House, where I had this delicate osmanthus jelly. It inspired me to recreate it below!
What is osmanthus? The vibrant yellow flowers of the Osmanthus fragans plant have been dried and brewed in tea by the Chinese for millennia. It can be brewed in combination with green or black tea, or by itself. It’s high in melanin and antioxidants, and naturally caffeine free. Its floral, fragrant flavour lends nicely to infused desserts.
A note on agar agar: this, along with konnyaku powder, is your key to vegan jellies if you’re avoiding gelatin (which comes from animals). Its origin is interesting in that it’s a seaweed extract whose gelling properties were discovered by accident.
Let me know if you try this recipe and share your results on Instagram with #CelestialPeach.
Ingredients (makes 15-20 cubes)
2 tsp agar agar powder
30g sugar (more or less to taste)
2 cups water
1 tbsp dried osmanthus flowers
1 tbsp goji berries
Fresh fruit, such as physalis, blueberries, raspberries or sliced kiwi (optional)
Instructions
Combine the agar agar powder, sugar, water and osmanthus in a small saucepan.
Bring to the boil, stirring to fully dissolve the powder.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour into a mould, flat–bottomed Tupperware or baking pan.
Scatter over the goji berries and fruit.
Allow to set at room temperature (about 1 hour) and chill in fridge until serving.
Cut into cubes or more interesting shapes to serve.
