Aiyu jelly, also sometimes spelled as ai yu jelly, is a refreshing jelly dessert popular in Asian countries like Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. With only 3 simple ingredients, this jelly is quick and easy to make.
This delicious and cooling dessert is almost similar to agar agar jelly or konnyaku jelly. The main difference is that is made using a special jelly powder known as ai yu jelly powder and is cooked in plain water without any sweeteners or flavoring. Once the jelly is set, it is typically scooped with spoon or cut into cubes and served with lime juice or lemon juice, and sugar syrup and ice cubes.
For more jelly recipes, you can check out my easy jelly recipes like this lychee jelly, nata de coco jelly, mango jelly, fruit jelly cups and this easy coffee jelly. They are equally quick and refreshing.
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❤️Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It is very easy to make and requires only 4 ingredients.
- The jelly is not overly sweet and is super refreshing.
- It makes a great dessert for hot summer days.
- Aiyu jelly is plant based and this dish makes a great dessert option for both vegetarians and vegans.
❓What is Aiyu?
Aiyu jelly is made from the seeds of a creeping fig plant known as awkeotsang. It is well known for its cooling properties and is a great dessert to ward off heat in hot summers. It is typically jelly that is cut into small pieces and added to lime syrup and served with ice cubes or shaved ice. The jelly, on its own, does not have any taste. But when added to the syrup, it is truly refreshing and delicious.
Traditionally, aiyu jelly is made by placing the aiyu seeds of the awkeotsang plant in a cloth bag or fine mesh bag. The bag is then submerged in water and pressed and rubbed to release a gel-like substance. The gel is then placed in a cool and dry place to set. Once set, it is cut into smaller pieces and placed in small serving bowl and added to sweetened fresh lime or fresh lemon juice before serving.
There is normally no sugar added to the jelly, and that is simply because traditionally, the gel substance derived by squeezing the seeds of the fig in a cloth bag will not set if there is any sugar added to it. Hence, the jelly is often added to a sweet juice, simple syrup or honey water for taste. On its own, the jelly has no taste.
Nowadays, aiyu jelly is a lot easier to make. The easiest way to make this refreshing dessert is by purchasing the jelly in powder form and making it into jelly, in a similar way as other jellies like agar agar jelly or even konnyaku jelly.
📋Ingredients
- Aiyu jelly powder - this looks similar to jelly or agar agar powder and is often sold in small packets.
- White sugar - used to sweeten the lime juice. Both coarse or granulated sugar will work for this recipe.
- Calamansi Lime juice (freshly squeezed) - these are small limes with thin green skin. They are small in size and you will need about 15 limes to make 50ml of lime juice required for the recipe. Strain the juice before using to remove all seeds.
- Water - used to cook the jelly as well as make the lime syrup. Use filtered water.
- Ice cubes or shaved ice - helps to keep the jelly cool when served.
*Refer to the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and exact quantities. For best results, use a digital kitchen scale where applicable*
🧾Substitution and Variations
- White sugar can be substituted with brown sugar. Do note however, that it will make your lime syrup brown in color.
- White sugar can also be substituted with honey. When making the lime syrup, add some honey into the water and stir until the honey dissolves. Add the strained lime juice to it and mix well. Do take note that the amount of honey used for the syrup will defer from the amount of sugar used. Hence, you would need to adjust the amount of honey you wish to use in place of the sugar.
- If you cannot find calamansi limes to make this aiyu jelly recipe, you can substitute them with regular lime juice or even lemon juice.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you do try, please let me know in the comments section below!
👩🍳How to Make
Step 1: Cook the jelly. Start by measuring water into a medium-sized pot.
Add the aiyu jelly powder into the pot of water. Sprinkle it into the water to prevent it from clumping (image 1).
Turn on the heat to medium low and cook until the jelly powder has completely dissolved. Stir constantly.
Note: The jelly powder can get lumpy when added to water, and it that happens, keep stirring the jelly solution until the lumps dissolve completely. Continue to cook the jelly until it reaches a rolling boil point.
Remove the cooked jelly solution from heat. Pour it into a shallow mold or tin (image 2).
Let the jelly cool down slightly at room temperate before putting it into the fridge to set completely. This can take about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the thickness of the jelly.
Step 2: Make the lime syrup. In a small pot, add the sugar and water and cook over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature (image 3). Cut the limes in half and squeeze the juice into a cup (image 4).
Strain the juice to remove the seeds and measure the juice (image 5).
Mix the fruit juice and sugar syrup to make the lime syrup. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble and serve the jelly (image 6).
Step 3: Assemble and serve the jelly.
Once the aiyu jelly is set, turn it out onto a plate and cut it into small pieces of approximately 1cm by 1cm cubes (image 7).
Note: If you find it difficult to unmold the jelly, you can cut it directly in the mold, or insert a few toothpicks (2 or 3) between the sides of the jelly and the mold. This will create air pockets and will help to release the jelly easily as you turn it over.
Scoop about 4 tablespoons of the cut jelly into small serving bowls. Top with 4 tablespoons of syrup into each bowl (image 8). Add ice cubes and serve.
💡Expert Tips
- Similar to agar agar powder, when cooking the aiyu jelly, add the jelly powder to cold water and then heat up the water. Adding the jelly to hot water can cause it to clump.
- Cook the jelly until it is completely dissolved, otherwise it will not set well. To ensure this, cook the jelly until it reaches a rolling boil point before turning off the flame.
- Allow sufficient time for the jelly to set before cutting it.
- Also, the jelly is best cut and served before serving. It tends to release water if cut and stored for more than a day.
💭FAQs
Calamansi limes are typically grown in South Asian countries and are small and soft. The skin is typically green and when ripe, turns slightly yellow. And because the skin is soft, the juice from these fruits can be easily squeezed by hand.
The aiyu jelly is tasteless on its own, just like water. Hence, it may not be the best way to enjoy the jelly.
Aiyu jelly is best served within a day or two it is made and should be kept refrigerated at all times. Cut and assemble it right before serving.
If left in the fridge for more than 2 days, the jelly may start to release water. this does not mean that the jelly has gone bad, it just means the jelly will continue to reduce as more water is released. You can still consume it.
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📖Recipe
Aiyu Jelly
For best results, use the metrics measurements. US customary measurements have not been tested and are only meant for guide.
Ingredients
Jelly
- 50 g aiyu jelly powder
- 1200 ml water
Calamansi Lime Syrup
- 50 ml lime juice (approximately 15 limes)
- 125 g white sugar
- 325 ml water
Optional
- ice cubes
- calamansi limes (cut into half for garnish)
Instructions
- To cook the jelly, add water into a medium-sized pot. Slowly add the aiyu jelly powder (see Note 1).
- Place the pot over medium heat and cook until the jelly is completely dissolved. Stir constantly. The jelly tends to get lumpy in the water, stir to help it dissolve quicker.
- Continue cooking the jelly until it reaches a rolling boil. The jelly powder should be completely dissolved (see Note 2). Remove the aiyu jelly solution from heat. Pour it into a shallow dish.
- Let the jelly cool down slightly before putting it in the fridge to set completely. This should take about 2 to 3 hours depending on the thickness of the jelly.
- To make the syrup, add the sugar and water into a saucepan and heat up the solution until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Cut each of the limes into 2 and squeeze the juice into a cup. Strain the juice and measure before mixing it into the cooled sugar syrup.
- Once the jelly is completely set, cut it into small 1cm cubes (see Note 3).
- Scoop 4 tablespoons of the cut aiyu jelly into a serving bowl. Top it with 4 tablespoons of the lime syrup.
- Add some ice cubes and one half of a sliced calamansi lime (optional) and serve (see Note 4).
Notes
- When cooking the aiyu jelly, add the jelly powder to cold water and then heat up the water. Adding the jelly to hot water can also cause it to clump.
- Cook the jelly until it is completely dissolved, otherwise it will not set well. To ensure this, cook the jelly until it reaches a rolling boil point before turning off the flame.
- Allow sufficient time for the jelly to set before cutting it. If you find it difficult to unmold the jelly, you can cut it directly in the mold, or insert a few toothpicks (2 or 3) between the sides of the jelly and the mold. This will create air pockets and will help to release the jelly easily as you turn it over.
- The jelly is best cut and served before serving. It tends to release water if cut and stored for more than a day.
Amy Liu Dong
Such an easy and quick dessert to make for this holiday. Delicious!
Audrey
This was so yummy
Michelle
Thank you for breaking down each step with photos. It made this recipe so easy to follow! I can't wait to try it!
Angela
This jelly sounds amazing! I've never heard of it before. I will definitely look out the for ingredients.