Lychee - Coconut milk & Mango Jelly Fruit Cake

Lichee, coconut milk and Mango chilled fruit jelly dessert.

This is an perfect for cooling down from a hot day with this colorful treat...

Lychee - Coconut milk & Mango Jelly Fruit Cake

Fruit Layer:

1 ⅓ cups water,2/3 cup juice from canned lychee, (and keep the fruit for the cake itself),¼ cup sugar,1¾ tsp agar agar powder,2 cups small fruit pieces of your choice(I used mango, pineapple, red papaya, lychee, kiwi and blueberries)

Coconut Layer:

¾ cup coconut milk,¼ cup water,¾ tsp + ⅛ tsp agar agar powder,3 Tbsp sugar, A pinch of salt,4 inches pandan leaf, optional

Bottom Juice Layer:

¾ cup juice of your choice (I used mango juice to match the colour and flavour of my fruit pieces. If your juice isn’t thick, you can use 1 cup of juice and

Instructions: Before you start, make sure you have all your fruit cut and ready to go.

Make the fruit layer:

In a small pot add COLD water, lychee juice, agar agar powder, and whisk until there are no more lumps. Once mixed, turn on the heat and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, let it boil for a minute or so, or until agar agar powder is completely dissolved. To check, scoop some liquid into a spoon, pour it off, then closely inspect the spoon to see if there are any specks of agar agar stuck to the spoon or not. If not, you’re good to move on. Add sugar and stir until dissolved, then remove from heat and immediately pour about 1/4-inch of the agar agar into your mold. Working quickly, place fruit pieces in the mold, making sure you evenly distribute all the different colours. Once you’ve added all the fruits, pour the rest of the liquid gently over them. Let this layer sit for several minutes or until the top is firm enough to pour on the second layer.

While you wait for the fruit layer to set, make the coconut layer:

In a small pot, combined coconut milk, water, agar agar powder, and stir to dissolve the powder. Add the pandan leaf, if using, then turn on the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, let it boil for a minute or so, or just until the agar agar is completely dissolved (do the same check as before). Add sugar and a pinch of salt and stir to dissolve. Remove the pandan leaf. Your bottom layer should be firm enough by this point, but check by gently touching it and see if the top is set and dry; it is okay if it is still soft in the centre. If it is ready, GENTLY pour the hot coconut layer on top of it. If the bottom layer is still quite soft, pour the coconut layer onto the back of a spoon and let it drizzle gently onto the bottom layer.

While you wait for the coconut layer to set, make the bottom juice layer:

Combine all ingredients in a small pot and stir to mix the powder. Turn the heat on to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, just until the powder has completely dissolved. DO NOT OVER COOK THIS MIXTURE, SEE NOTE BELOW. Make sure the coconut layer has set enough, and pour the hot juice layer over it. Refrigerate for a couple of hours until cold. If you want to unmold the whole thing in one piece, it can be a bit of a challenge, but use the technique, run a thin spatula around the edge of the mold, you can dribble in a few drops of water around the edges while you do this as well to help it slide out more. Flip onto a serving platter or cutting board, and wiggle it a bit and it should come out. If using a silicone mold you can just flip it and push the bottom of the mold inward to release it. For little individual molds you can use a toothpick to run along the sides and “flick” it out pretty easily.

Notes

When working with acidic liquids such as fruit juices, DO NOT simmer the liquid any longer than necessary. Simmering agar agar in an acidic liquid for a long time will break it down and it will not set. Simmer it just long enough to dissolve the powder and use it immediately. Trust me, I learned the hard way!

Pan choice:

The recipe fits an 8-inch x 2-inch round pan perfectly. However, you can use whatever mold you like, even small cups, bowls, square pans, etc. Flexible silicone molds and small, individual molds will make it easier to unmold the jelly.

Tips:

1. I put a fan to the pan to help each layer cool faster. If making a large mold like mine, the first layer took about 5 minutes to set enough, subsequent layers took longer and longer, and the last layer took about 15 minutes. For small molds, it will take a very short time.

2. Pour the white layer through a fine sieve to catch any milk skin that has formed.

3. Again, do not let the layer set cold and solid before pouring on another layer or the layers may separate.

4. If you’re concerned with the layers being the same thickness, make sure you measure how much liquid you use for each layer. FYI: There are about 3 cups of liquid total for each colour.

5. Always whisk your agar agar powder into the liquid before you heat it. This allows for the agar agar powder to mix in with the ingredients well to prevent any clumps.

6. Make sure to monitor your jelly liquid and do not over boil. Once it hits a boil, lower it to a very low simmer. Keep your jelly liquid over low heat before pouring into the mold. This ensures your jelly stays as a liquid. If you remove it off the heat source, it will solidify very quickly.