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5.0 from 123 votes

Agar Agar Jelly (2-ingredient)

Whether you're entertaining or relaxing, this recipe hits the spot.

Prep Time
1 min
Cook Time
1 min
Calories: 222 kcal
Course: Dessert , Snacks
Cuisine: Asian , Singaporean

Ingredients

  • 0.35 oz agar agar powder 10g. Substitute: agar agar flakes or agar agar strips. Soften in the water for 5-10 minutes before switching on the heat. You can also use konnyaku (but note it's a choking hazard) or gelatine (if not vegan.)
  • 4.2 Cups coconut water (1 litre/ 0.264 US gallons.) This can be either fresh or from the bottle. For this recipe, I used bottled coconut water to make the agar agar jelly before setting it in a real coconut husk. (Note: your brand of agar agar powder may require a different amount of liquid to set- check before starting!) You can substitute with water but it'll be super bland without a sweetener. If adding sugar, whisk the sugar with the agar powder before pouring into the liquid. (This prevents clumping.)
  • Cut-up fruits Optional. If you want to make the jelly sweeter without adding sugar, add some fruits into the agar agar before it sets.

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pour the cold/ room temperature coconut water into the pot, add the agar agar powder then stir to dissolve. The heat is not on yet.
  2. Switch on the fire to medium heat, bring the solution to the boil, whisking continuously.
  3. Stil till all the powder has dissolved, let it fullyboil for 5 minutes, then switch off the fire.
  4. Agar agar sets quickly at room temperature. Hence, if you are adding fruits, stir them into the agar agar now before it has set, making sure to stir such that the fruits are well-distributed. Note that the heat will make the fruits soften and affect their texture a little.
  5. Pour the jelly into the designated containers/ molds to set. Optional: cut out shapes with cookie cutters once hardened. (It sets at room tempeature but tastes nice cold, especially when the weather is hot out!)Tip: If you're entertaining, it's a nice touch to pour the jelly into coconut husks. (Leave the coconut flesh in the coconut for a nice contrast in texture.) Do make sure to choose smaller coconuts and not to pour all the way to the brim, or it will be too big of a portion for 1 person!

Notes

  • Never add agar agar directly to warm/ hot water as the powder will immediately form indissoluble clumps. Always use cold or room temperature water.
  • Other liquids: If you decide to experiment with the liquid used, be careful if using citrus fruits and acidic liquids as acidity impacts the ability of agar to set. For example, you will need more agar agar powder with orange juice and lemon. (Approximately 13g of agar agar powder to 1 litre of juice.)
  • Some raw fruit juices won't set and you'll need to cook them first. These include kiwi, pineapple, fresh figs, mango, papaya and peaches. (Canned fruits are pre-cooked and work OK.)
  • Changing the texture: You can add up to 20% more water for softer, wobblier jellies. (Personally, I like firmer jellies, like konnyaku, which is very bouncy!) If you add too much water, the agar jelly won't set. Don't fret. Just add more agar powder and bring the mixture to the boil again. (I had to do this the first time I made mango jelly!)
  • Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its accuracy. 
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Nutrition Information

Calories 222kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 2g (3%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.03g Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g Sodium 1069mg (45%) Potassium 2632mg (75%) Fiber 12g (48%) Sugar 27g (54%) Vitamin C 24mg (27%) Calcium 304mg (30%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 222

% Daily Value*

Calories 222kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.03g 0%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Sodium 1069mg 45%
Potassium 2632mg 56%
Fiber 12g 48%
Sugar 27g 54%
Vitamin C 24mg 27%
Calcium 304mg 30%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.