Almond Jelly with Lychees

Almond Jelly with Lychees

This dessert is served in many Chinese restaurants in Asia. It combines gelatin cubes flavored with milk and almond extract with lychees. Make sure this dessert is well chilled before serving.

500 ml (2 cups) fresh milk

60 g (¼ cup) sugar

1 x 500 g (18 oz) can lychees in heavy syrup

2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 Combine the milk and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil then lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

2 Drain the canned lychees into a bowl and reserve the syrup. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the reserved syrup and sprinkle the gelatin on top of it. Bring 2 more tablespoons of the reserved syrup to the boil, then pour over gelatin mixture . Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved then pour into the milk mixture. Stir in almond extract.

3 Pour milk mixture into a 20-cm (8-in) square cake tin and chill in a refrigerator for 2 hours, or until set. When the milk mixture is set, cut into cubes and add lychees. Pour in remaining syrup and chill before serving.

Almond extract or almond essence, is often used in cookies and cakes. If almond extract is not available, substitute with vanilla essence.

Serves 4–6

Preparation time: 15 mins + 1–2 hours for setting