Spicy Chai Coconut Jelly

Dessert Perks

1. Perfect dessert any time of the year. As it is served chilled, it is cooling like our Easy Coconut Iced Chai Tea Latte. However, it is also nice in the autumn and winter because of the warming spices.  You first experience the cool temperature of the jelly on your tongue. After the first bite, you will the feel the heat of the warming spices and feel cozy. Best of both worlds.
2. You can make this chai spiced pudding up to 2 days in advance so you can enjoy your dinner party guests.
3. Unlike a traditional cake or pudding, this coconut milk dessert is light, so it won’t weigh you down.
4. Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free
5. Only 110 calories and 8 grams net carbohydrates per 4 ounce serving.
6. Uses only a few pantry ingredients.
7. Favorite Cantonese dim sum treat.
8. Only lightly sweet! You can also exchange with a sugar alternative of choice to keep it low carb. Perfect sweet ending to Asian Keto Recipes for Chinese Thanksgiving.
9. Unflavored grass-fed gelatin is rich in collagen from the skin, bones, tissues, and tendons of cattle. Collagen is a protein that may help treat bone and joint disorders according to study by Alfonso E. Bello and Steffen Oesser.

What is Gelatin?

We used unflavored grass-fed non-GMO beef gelatin to make our Spicy Chai Coconut Jelly. Unflavored gelatin is an odorless, tasteless, and a colorless thickening agent. When dissolved in cold water, heated, and then cooled, it forms a jelly. We ordered ours online, but you could also just use the Knox unflavored gelatin down the baking isle at your grocery store.

Ingredients

Coconut Milk – Full fat for that luxurious silky smooth mouth feel. This is “canned” coconut milk and NOT “drinkable” coconut milk in a carton like we used for our Spicy Chocolate Chai Pu-erh Chia Pudding.   We have not tested this recipe with canned low fat coconut milk.

Unflavored Gelatin – Pasture – raised, grass Fed unflavored beef gelatin is the best. However, you can also use Knox gelatin. We have used the NuNatural brand for this recipe and our Valentine Day Jello Jigglers with good results.

Chai Spices – Either whole or dried ground cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise. You can use Chinese five spice powder as a replacement for star anise in this recipe and is a delicious addition to Asian spiced baked pears. We like to sprinkle in a little extra dried ground cinnamon at the end to give the coconut jelly a little pop of color specks and flavor.

Sugar or Sugar Alternative of Choice – We used just regular granulated because we only like our desserts lightly sweet and to preserve the white color of the coconut. However, you can use brown sugar, sugar alternatives of choice or even date paste to sweeten. Please note: If you use brown sugar or date paste the color of the coconut will turn a tan, brown color.

Vanilla – to balance the flavors.

Variations and Toppings

• Top your Spicy Chai Coconut Jelly with an in-season fruit of choice. Fresh berries are delicious when in season. However, canned mandarin oranges are always in season (smiling) and great pantry ingredient to have on hand. More importantly, we like to keep the texture of the dessert ingredients soft and supple.
• The warming spices also pair well with fresh figs, dried dates, or even rum marinated raisins. Yes, that is certainly a must try - especially around the holidays.
• Dark chocolate paired with oranges and chai spices are a match made in heaven.  Delicious topping for festive fall or winter dessert.
• Stir in fresh fruit like mangoes, dragon fruit or berries BEFORE the jello sets.
• Tongue numbing Anise seed spice is a fabulous addition but if you can find that, exchange with a little Chinese five spiced powder as anise is one of the main ingredients.
• Want to make this coconut dessert vegan? Use 2 teaspoons of agar agar which is made from seaweed instead of gelatin that is made from cattle skin, bones, and cartilage.
• Make coconut jelly cubes!

How to make Coconut Jelly Cubes?

1. Spray a little oil into the bottom of an 8-inch x 8-inch non-stick cake pan.
2. Then, line the pan both ways with plastic wrap.  Allow a little plastic wrap to hang over both sides so it is easier to lift out of the cake pan.
3. Pour the strained coconut chai mixture into the pan.
4. Allow to cool and then place in the refrigerator to cool and set – about 4 hours or overnight.
5. Then, using the plastic wrap overhang, carefully remove spicy chai coconut jelly.
6. Cut into cubes or diamond shapes and serve. Dip in shredded coconut flakes, if desired.

Recipe Tips

• Bloom the gelatin first in cold water. This makes sure that the gelatin gets dissolved completely. If you dump the dry gelatin powder directly into the heated coconut chai milk, it will clump up.
• Cook the spiced coconut mixture over medium heat. You will first notice little bubbles forming on the side. Keep your eye on it and keep stirring. Once the mixture starts a gentle boil, immediately remove off the heat.
• Make sure you continue stirring until all the gelatin is dissolved and none is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Don’t take your eyes off the pan. If you have ever had to clean up the stove top burners after a milk overflow, you will never do that again.
• Be sure to strain the hot coconut chai mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any of the gelatin that may have not melted and/or whole spices.
• Cover and place in the refrigerator so a skin does not form.
• Best kept in refrigerator until ready to eat as it gets softer when at room temperature.

Homemade Vegan Chocolate Topping

Have you ever been in an out of chocolate situation? It’s serious – we know! Have no fear as you probably have everything you need to make a delicious chocolate grating or twirls for your Spiced Chai Coconut Jelly in your pantry.

Do you remember our recipe for chocolate covered frozen fruit? Guess what if you add these 3 ingredients in a 1 to 1 ratio in a bowl, mix and refrigerate covered overnight, you will wake up to a delicious decadent chocolate bar in the morning.

1. Coconut oil
2. Unsweetened cocoa powder
3. Maple syrup