Monday, July 02, 2007

coffee azuki gelatin

There was a dessert, coffee azuki gelatin, that I used to make in Hawaii for office parties and kind of forgot about. Then, last month, when we were going to entertain Satoshi's friends and I was trying to plan a menu, I remembered about the dessert. I asked my mom for the recipe since the books that I have, didn't have it.

By the time I got everything together it was too late for the dinner party, but I still wanted to try it. The recipe called for gelatin, but I wanted to try it with kanten (agar). The only thing with kanten is that it has to be heated for it to start to congeal and once it sets, you can't re-heat it again to get it soft.

I used the kanten, koshian (smooth sweet bean paste), condensed milk and instant espresso and regular coffee. I cut the recipe drastically, because I didn't have much koshian, I also don't have a 9x9 inch pan and it was only for Satoshi and I.

It came out so hard that the spoon could barely pierce it! Plus, there wasn't that nice layered look that it is supposed to have. See, when you mix everything together, the an (sweet bean paste), sinks to the bottom and the milk and coffee tend to make layers too. Oh, well, so much for trying to use kanten...guess I'll have to tweak the recipe more if I want to use kanten.

I hated the fact that I failed, so I decided to try it again with gelatin and cut the recipe in half....success! I used a coffee that is made on Miyako Island (Okinawa)--Banbo(previously Ruka Coffee), they have interesting flavors, like Pineapple, Hibiscus and Sugar cane flavors, and they also have a very nice flavored coffee called U-ji Caramel. If I remember correctly, u-ji means sugar cane. The aroma of this flavored coffee is very sweet and paired nicely with the condensed milk and tsubuan (chunky sweet bean paste).

This is what the coffee azuki gelatin is supposed to look like--a nice gradation of colors.

The consistency came out nicely too--not hard as rock! This dessert reminds me of the times I used to ask my father to drink some of his coffee. Of course, he would say that coffee is only for adults and then he would save the last sip of his coffee, pour in LOTS of milk and sugar in it and then give it to me.

Here's the recipe if you'd like to give it a try yourself.
Coffee Azuki Gelatin from Favorite Island Cookery Book IV (Hongwanji)
3 packages unflavored gelatin (1 packet of gelatin that is about 7g)
1/2 cup cool coffee
2 cups hot strong coffee
1 (14 oz) can condensed milk (about 414 ml)
1 (12 oz) can tsubu or koshi an (chunky or smooth sweet bean paste) (about 355 ml)

Dissolve the gelatin in cool coffee. Add hot coffee and stir well. Add milk, an and stir well. Pour into a 9 x 9 inch pan. Chill.

NOTES: Follow the directions for your gelatin, the one I had said to dissolve it into hot water, so dissolved the gelatin in the hot coffee instead of the cooled coffee. Also, I didn't have enough condensed milk so I poured out what I had and added regular milk to it to make up the rest. I mixed the milk and an together to soften up the an, then added the coffee with gelatin and then poured into different dessert cups.

Enjoy!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ohh..I will totally like this :) One question, you cooked the gelatin first, then mix that with "cold" coffee, and milk right ? Pour the sweet bean paste onto the cup, and mix in the gelatin-coffee-milk solution ?

K and S said...

I combined the measurements for the cold and hot coffee and melted the gelatin into the hot coffee. I mixed the milk and sweet bean paste together and added the coffee gelatin mixture. It will look like a soup.

Hope this helps, Melting wok!
Take care.
Kat

Rowena said...

First of all, I give you credit for trying to work with kanten. I wouldn't know where to start! Still, I'm glad that you persisted and went with the gelatin. That second attempt looks WAY GOOD! I think I'll give it a try but use the gelatine sheets that I can only find here. Will let you know if they turn out ok and not hard like a rock!

Monkey Wrangler said...

Wow, this sounds great! And I love that you shared how your dad used to save you a bit. That is just too sweet (Pun intended.)

K and S said...

Thanks. I still want to make something with all the kanten I have Rowena, will have to figure something else out. I hope your version will turn out nicely and not hard as rock :)

Thanks MonkeyWrangler!

Thanks for stopping by and take care you two!
Kat

Jann said...

This looks like it turned out pretty good~and didn't it make a great story about the "good ole days" with dad!

K and S said...

The second one came out way better than the first try, Jann!

Take care!
Kat

Thistlemoon said...

Wow, that sounds great! I love coffee anything!

K and S said...

Thanks Jenndz, this dessert is really easy to make, I hope you give it a try.

Take care.
Kat

Anonymous said...

OMG! Okay, I MUST make this for my parents - it has all of their favourite flavours!

K and S said...

I hope your family like this Ellie, it is really easy to make!

Take care.
Kat

Anonymous said...

I am going to make this! What a great recipe.

Anonymous said...

This is the best blog I've ever read. I love it. History + foods + life in Japan! Great Job!!!!

Anonymous said...

p.s. I'm a grad student at Cambridge University!

K and S said...

Glad you are enjoying this blog, Anon! Hope to see you around here more often.

Take care.
Kat