Coffee Flan Agar Jelly (Thach Flan Ca Phe)

This Coffee Flan Agar Jelly (Thach Flan Ca Phe) recipe combines creamy flan and bittersweet coffee with the fun, jiggly texture of jelly. This chilled sweet treat is a wonderful dessert to enjoy during the summertime when it’s hot outside. The Coffee Flan Agar Jelly is cool, refreshing and has just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy this jelly dessert right out of the small bowls or cut into bite-sized pieces and enjoy as finger-food. Give this wonderful recipe a try. It’s sure to become a favorite!

Notes on the Coffee Flan Agar Jelly (Thach Flan Ca Phe) Recipe, Tips and Tricks

Agar agar powder needs to be bloomed or hydrated. Combine with water and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Unlike gelatin, agar agar needs to be boiled to activate the gelling properties.

When cooking the agar agar powder, make sure it’s completely dissolved. Any undissolved powder will cause the jelly to not set properly and have a gritty texture.

You can substitute the agar agar powder with agar agar sticks or strands. Use .4 oz (10 grams) agar agar sticks or strands for the flan layer and about .10 oz (3 grams) for the coffee layer. Follow the package instructions for the blooming and cooking times. The sticks and strands typically require longer blooming and boiling times than the powder.

Allow the coffee jelly to become a soft set: the jelly is jiggly but does not ooze when the bowl is tilted. The surface should be tacky to the touch but not wet and stick to your finger. The timing may vary a bit depending on how hot the coffee mixture is. It should take about 3-4 minutes. If you let the coffee jelly become firm, the flan layer will not stick to it and the dessert will separate into 2 layers. If the coffee jelly is set firm, place the bowls in the microwave and heat on High for 10-15 seconds to return it to the liquid state and allow to set again. Also, use my trick of keeping the flan mixture warm to help the layers fuse together.

Recipe note for the kiddies: If you’re making this for the little ones and don’t want to use coffee, use brown sugar equal to the amount of white sugar and coffee in the recipe, so 1/4 cup + 1/2 Tbsp.

For a flan with a creamier texture, replace 2 Tbsp sugar with 2 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk. Give it a try, it’s really delicious!

Make the Coffee Flan Agar Jelly using decorative flower molds for more festive desserts. You can also use a muffin pan to make these desserts. Line them with cupcake liners to make it really easy to remove and serve. Optionally, keep it simple by making in an 8 inch x 8 inch dish. Then cut into bite-sized bars or chunks using a wavy knife and serve. Super easy!

Store any remaining portions in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can make the Coffee Flan Agar Jelly a day ahead and serve at your parties and get-togethers. The Coffee Flan Agar Jelly can be served at room temperature.

If you enjoy this Coffee Flan Agar Jelly (Thach Flan Ca Phe) recipe, you may also like:

Coffee and Cream Agar Jelly (Thach Ca Phe)

 Vietnamese Custard (Banh Flan)

Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Ca Phe Trung)

Coffee Flan Agar Jelly / Thach Flan Ca Phe

Ingredients

Flan Layer
1 cup water
2 tsp agar agar powder
1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 drops yellow food coloring

Coffee Layer
1 cup water
2/3 tsp agar agar powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 Tbsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp light cream

Directions

To Make the Flan Layer:

In a medium saucepan, add the water and the agar agar powder. Stir together. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Over Medium heat, bring the mixture to a gentle boil while stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until the powder is dissolved (approximately 3-4 minutes). Add the sugar and combine until dissolved. Skim off the foam or any large bubbles from the top. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

During the wait time, start the coffee layer. In a small saucepan, add the water and agar agar powder. Combine together and then let rest for 15 minutes.

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk together until combined. Transfer 1/3 cup hot agar agar mixture into the eggs and quickly whisk together. Strain the egg mixture into the remaining hot agar agar mixture. Stir the egg mixture to work it through the strainer. Combine everything together. Cook over Medium Low heat until the mixture comes to a gentle boil (approximately 3-4 minutes). Add the milk, vanilla extract and yellow food coloring. Combine well. Transfer the saucepan to the back burner and simmer over Low heat while continuing with the next steps.

To Make the Coffee Layer:

Heat the agar agar mixture in the small saucepan (prepared in the step above) over Medium heat. Stir to dissolve the powder. Bring to a gentle boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the instant coffee and combine well. Add the light cream and combine together. Transfer the coffee mixture into a measuring cup.

To Assemble the Coffee Flan Agar Jelly:

Gather 10 small bowls or cups. Spoon 1 1/2 Tbsp coffee jelly into each bowl. Remove any bubbles by popping with a toothpick or skimming with a spoon. Let the jelly set for 3 minutes.

Strain the flan mixture. Spoon 6 Tbsp flan mixture into each bowl. Avoid pouring the flan mixture directly into the bowl as this may break the coffee jelly. Pop any bubbles using a toothpick. Place the bowls into the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours or until set firm.

To serve the Coffee Flan Agar Jelly:

Run a spatula around the jelly to separate from the bowl. Invert the bowl onto a plate and unmold the jelly. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Yields: 10 servings

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Coffee Flan Agar Jelly / Thach Flan Ca Phe

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 125 kcal

Author: Trang

This Coffee Flan Agar Jelly recipe combines creamy flan and bittersweet coffee with the fun, jiggly texture of jelly. This chilled sweet treat is a wonderful dessert to enjoy during the summertime when it’s hot outside. The Coffee Flan Agar Jelly is cool, refreshing and has just the right amount of sweetness. Enjoy this jelly dessert right out of the small bowls or cut into bite-sized pieces and enjoy as finger-food. Give this wonderful recipe a try. It’s sure to become a favorite!

Ingredients

Flan Layer

• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp agar agar powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 drops yellow food coloring

Coffee Layer

• 1 cup water
• 2/3 tsp agar agar powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp instant coffee
• 1 Tbsp light cream

Instructions

To Make the Flan Layer:

1. In a medium saucepan, add the water and the agar agar powder. Stir together. Let rest for 15 minutes.

2. Over Medium heat, bring the mixture to a gentle boil while stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until the powder is dissolved (approximately 3-4 minutes). Add the sugar and combine until dissolved. Skim off the foam or any large bubbles from the top. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

3. During the wait time, start the coffee layer. In a small saucepan, add the water and agar agar powder. Combine together and then let rest for 15 minutes.

4. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Whisk together until combined. Transfer 1/3 cup hot agar agar mixture into the eggs and quickly whisk together. Strain the egg mixture into the remaining hot agar agar mixture. Stir the egg mixture to work it through the strainer. Combine everything together. Cook over Medium Low heat until the mixture comes to a gentle boil (approximately 3-4 minutes). Add the milk, vanilla extract and yellow food coloring. Combine well. Transfer the saucepan to the back burner and simmer over Low heat while continuing with the next steps.

To Make the Coffee Layer:

1. Heat the agar agar mixture in the small saucepan (prepared in the step above) over Medium heat. Stir to dissolve the powder. Bring to a gentle boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the instant coffee and combine well. Add the light cream and combine together. Transfer the coffee mixture into a measuring cup.

To Assemble the Coffee Flan Agar Jelly:

1. Gather 10 small bowls or cups. Spoon 1 1/2 Tbsp coffee jelly into each bowl. Remove any bubbles by popping with a toothpick or skimming with a spoon. Let the jelly set for 3 minutes.
2. Strain the flan mixture. Spoon 6 Tbsp flan mixture into each bowl. Avoid pouring the flan mixture directly into the bowl as this may break the coffee jelly. Pop any bubbles using a toothpick. Place the bowls into the refrigerator and chill for 2 hours or until set firm.

To serve the Coffee Flan Agar Jelly:

1. Run a spatula around the jelly to separate from the bowl. Invert the bowl onto a plate and unmold the jelly. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Recipe Video

Notes, Tips & Tricks

• Agar agar powder needs to be bloomed or hydrated. Combine with water and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Unlike gelatin, agar agar needs to be boiled to activate the gelling properties.
• When cooking the agar agar powder, make sure it’s completely dissolved. Any undissolved powder will cause the jelly to not set properly and have a gritty texture.
• You can substitute the agar agar powder with agar agar sticks or strands. Follow the package instructions for the blooming and cooking times.
• Allow the coffee jelly to become a soft set: the jelly is jiggly but does not ooze when the bowl is tilted. The surface should be tacky to the touch but not wet and stick to your finger.
• If the coffee jelly is set firm, place the bowls in the microwave and heat on High for 10-15 seconds to return it to the liquid state and allow to set again.