Lychee and Summer Berry Jellies - vegan, gluten-free, plant-based

 

This is the ultimate summer dessert. Cool and refreshing. Beautiful to look at and it's  healthy too!


This is one of those ridiculously easy but super impressive looking desserts. What a winner!

It’s so pretty to look at - ruby red raspberries and sapphire blueberries encased in crystal, like little jewels on the plate... it’s almost too pretty to eat. Almost.  

 

The great thing about this dessert is that it’s packed with fruit. Really refreshing and light on a hot summers night or after a heavy meal. It’s so easy to just keep on eating one after another.


This jelly uses agar agar as the plant based setting agent. Agar agar is really common in asian desserts. Made from algae, so completely vegan, it sets more firmly than gelatin giving the jelly a more “crisp” texture if that makes sense. You need to add it to cold liquid first before heating it up otherwise it clumps up and doesn’t dissolve. Look for it at Asian grocers in packets, usually in powder form.


The recipe is adapted from one my mum makes - thanks for the inspo mum ♥️.

 

 

Lychee and summer berry jellies

1 can of lychees in juice 565g
Cold water
~ 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (do not thaw) or fresh
~ 1/2 cup frozen raspberries (do not thaw) or fresh
2-4 TBSP sweetener (equivalent to 4 TBSP sugar)
2 scant tsp agar agar powder


1. Decant the lychee juice into a 2 cup capacity measuring jug. Top up with cold water to make up 2 cups of liquid total. Add agar agar and sweetener to the cold liquid and whisk to mix. (Don’t add to hot water otherwise the agar agar will clump).


2. Put syrup into a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil stirring often and boil for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the agar.


3. In the meantime, chop the lychees up into roughly 1 cm bits, and put into the 2 cup capacity measuring jug. Top up with frozen raspberries and blueberries. Lightly oil a loaf tin.


4. Once agar agar is dissolved take off the heat. Add the fruit and mix. Pour into the loaf tin. Allow to cool at room temperature (will be mostly set). Put in refrigerator for around 1 hour to set completely. Will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To serve, loosen the sides of the jelly cake with a sharp knife or dip the bottom of the tin into hot water before tipping upside down on a plate/chopping board. Cut into cubes with a large sharp knife.