Thai Tea Jelly

Wun cha yen (Thai tea jelly) is a perfect summertime treat. The cubes of jelly are portable and perfect for picnics even in the sweltering heat. Add a dollop of freshly whipped cream and you have a dessert that feels dressed up enough for a ladies’ brunch.

It’s a very easy dessert that comes together quickly. If you omit the whipped cream, it’s only a five-ingredient dessert (including water). The hardest part is waiting for the jelly to set.

Notes:

Thai Tea Powder – I used Wangderm Brand Thai Tea Powder because that’s what I had available in the pantry. It has a loose-leaf tea feel. I also like ChaTraMue brand. Thai tea powder is available at local Asian markets or online.
Agar-Agar Powder – I used Telephone Brand agar-agar powder. when I started developing this recipe, I thought about using unflavored gelatine, but in the end decided on the telephone brand agar-agar powder to keep with the Southeast Asian ingredients. These are also available at local Asian markets or online.

Fabric Filter – use the finest mesh fabric filter or nut milk bag that you can find. Otherwise, some of the finer tea grounds may escape the filter and result in grainy jelly.
Optional Whipped Cream – if you’re making this dessert for an outdoor event or an event for it may sit for a while, omit the whipped cream. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the whipped cream with the jelly. It felt more like a composed dessert.

Thai Tea Jelly (Wun Cha Yen)

Time: 2.5 hours
Serves: 2 dozen

Jelly:
¾ cup (45g) Thai Tea Powder
¾ cup (175g) granulated sugar (or adjust to taste)
7 cups (1.75 qt) water
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons (15g) agar-agar powder

Optional Whipped Cream:
1 cup (237 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Special equipment: fine mesh fabric filter or nut milk bag

1. Add the Thai tea powder to the fabric filter and twist or tie to close. Set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the water starts to boil, add steep the tea in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Raise and dip the fabric filter a few times during this process to help the hot water penetrate into the tea powder that is in the middle of the filter. Remove the filter.
3. Next add the granulated sugar and agar-agar. Whisk to incorporate. Let it continue to boil for another 5-7 minutes. Optional: Ladle out about ½ cup of the mixture and aside for marbling.
4. Then whisk the sweetened condensed milk into the mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a ladle at this point.
5. Pour into a 9×13 baking dish and let it cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Drizzle the reserved jelly mixture at this point if you want marbling. Let the jelly set completely, about 2 hours or so.
6. Optional Whipped Cream: In a large bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until you get stiff peaks.
7. Cut the jelly and transfer into serving dishes. Top with whipped cream.
8. Enjoy!