Coffee Jelly

A no-cook, no-bake dessert. Mix, chill and serve, yup, that easy!

before chilling

Ingredients:

• jelly (gulaman) powder
• coffee
• condense milk
• all-purpose cream
• sugar, optional
  
• water (for the jelly mix)
  

close-up shot

Procedures:

• Cook the jelly (gulaman) powder according to package instructions. Be sure to add a liberal amount of coffee but not too much, as you don't want your jelly to become super bitter. If and when you went overboard, a sprinkle of sugar will do the trick *wink*. Cool and cut it into cubes.
• In a deep bowl, preferably one with a lid, mix the jelly with the rest of the ingredients (condense milk, all-purpose cream).
  
• Here's the deal - if and when you made the jelly a little bland, mix a little amount of coffee on the condense milk and all-purpose cream mixture like what you usually do in a tiramisu mix to reinforce the coffee taste in the cream and cover the lack thereof in the jelly.
• Taste test, tweak until you're satisfied and then, chill.
  

chilled coffee jelly

An ambrosia for the coffee lovers :)

Buko Pandan

Note: I know it's not the yummiest picture you've ever seen but I just snapped that as we were preparing our Christmas feast, so please bear with it.



Ingredients:

• buko (young coconut), cut into strips
  
• all-purpose cream
• condensed milk
• tiny tapioca balls (optional)

*** for the gelatin:

• gelatin powder (if you can find a green-colored one, better)
  
• pandan leaves
• water
• green food color
• sugar (optional)

Procedures:

• Ratio of ingredients - In a mixture of 6 young coconuts and 1 big tray of green gelatin, I used 2 tetra packs of all-purpose cream and 2 cans of condensed milk, the quantity of tapioca balls depends on you, you can put as much or as little as you want.

*** for the gelatin:

• In a cooking pot, mix 7 cups of water and gelatin powder, when it completely dissolves, add a few pandan leaves (be sure to clean the leaves thoroughly) and then cook in medium heat. Add the green food color if you happen to buy a clear gelatin but if you have it in green, just let it be. If you want to add some sugar, you can do so. Simmer for a few minutes and then bring it to a boil, remember to stir from time to time as it might stick in the pot if you don't.
• Pour the gelatin mixture in a shallow tray or baking dish and let it cool. Cut into cubes and set aside.

*** for the actual buko pandan:

• Mix all the ingredients (preferably in a big plastic canister with cover so you can freeze it), buko strips, gelatin cubes, tapioca balls, all-purpose cream, condensed milk.
  
• Taste test and do the necessary alterations if there's any.
• Chill and serve cold.
  

Tip: If you're going to serve your buko pandan frozen, I suggest you leave the tapioca balls out, it is fun to eat when it's gummy but when it's hard, it's kinda unappetizing.


An entry to:

&

Gelatin

Another Noche Buena treat...


Ingredients:

• gelatin powder
  
• condensed milk
• sugar
• egg, beaten
• water

Procedures:

• Ratio of ingredients - 1 sachet of gelatin powder, 7 cups of water, 1 beaten egg, 1 can of condensed milk and as much sugar as you prefer.
• In a cooking pot, mix the gelatin powder, water and beaten egg. Put it on medium heat to cook but remember to stir constantly until it reach to a boil.
  
• Add the condensed milk and sugar, mix until the sugar dissolves completely and the milk is completely part of the liquid gelatin.
  
• Change to low heat as you transfer the gelatin to your preferred container.
• Garnish it with cheese or any toppings that you like. On the second photo, you'll notice that I add some green jelly cubes, I had that handy as I was making some buco pandan, too.
  
• Let it cool and then refrigerate for an hour or so. Serve cold (or not *grins*).

I doubled the ingredient ratio that I had mentioned above and I was able to make 12 small ones and the big one that I served at our Noche Buena. The small ones I gave to aunts and uncles who visited us last Christmas aside from their gifts, of course *chuckles*.