Mango Coconut Jelly. Naturally sweetened, refreshing, delicious, and vegan. Made with fresh mangos, this light dessert is simple to make.
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What is Mango Coconut Jelly?
Mango Coconut Jelly is a jello-like dessert made of mangos, mango juice, coconut milk, agar agar powder, lime juice and a sweetener. This dessert is packed with mango flavor. The mango base is complimented with a delicious top layer of coconut milk jelly. The best part is this dessert is completely vegan as we are using agar agar jelly.
Mango Coconut Jelly is a popular dessert at many Asian dessert shops. Each Asian country has their own version of this popular dessert but I will show you the Thai version. The Thai version has a layer of coconut jelly. I love making this dessert for parties as you can prepare it in advance the night before, store it in the fridge and on the day of, slice and serve at room temperature. It's made with simple ingredients and beautiful to look at.
Ingredients
Please scroll down to bottom Recipe card for full details.
Mango Layer
- Mango purée: fresh mango puree is highly recommend for this recipe. Please make sure to use ripe mangoes as they are sweeter and more softer in texture making it easier to puree for your mango mixture. You can tell a mango is ripe when the flesh is soft and you can press your thumb into it, and it should make an indentation. When cut, they also smell much sweeter than a hard mango.
- Mango sliced into cubes: To give this dessert some additional texture, we will be slicing the mango flesh into 1 x 1-cm mango cubes.
- Mango juice: feel free to use store bought mango juice.
- Cold Water: We will need 1 ¼ cup of water for the mango layer to help loosen the mango puree and to create a delicious mango bottom layer.
- Agar agar powder: When this is boiled with water and left to cool, this solidifies the mango and coconut mixture to create a jelly like consistency that holds shape. Many Asian grocers or select online retailers like Amazon will carry this item.
- Maple Syrup or honey: This makes our dessert sweet. Feel free to use any liquid sweetener of your choice.
- Lime juice or lemon juice: This adds acidity to our dessert to balance out the sweet flavors.
Coconut Layer
- Cold water: We will need a ⅔ cup water for the coconut layer to create our coconut mixture and jelly.
- Agar agar powder
- Maple syrup or honey
- Salt
- Coconut milk: canned coconut milk with whole fat and mix thoroughly works best for this recipe for that true white coconut layer.
How to make Mango Coconut Jelly
- Blend 1 cup of mango flesh with mango juice. Pour into a small pot. Add water, agar agar powder, maple syrup and lime juice. Whisk until well combined.
- Then place over medium high heat and bring to a boil for 60 seconds while whisking. Immediately remove off heat.
- Pour mango jelly into an approximate 5 x 7 inch glass square dish. Quickly add mango cubes into the jelly. Press them down into the jelly so the jelly is smooth on the top. Allow this to set (about 5-10 minutes) as you work on the next layer.
- In a small pot, add water, coconut milk, agar agar powder, maple syrup, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Bring to a boil for 60 seconds while whisking. Reduce heat to low to keep warm and keep covered.
- Check your mango jelly to see if it’s firm to a touch. You should be able to press it down with your thumb without any breakage. Once the mango layer is firm, pour coconut jelly liquid on the back of a spoon over your mango jelly. This ensures the hot liquid does not break the mango jelly layer as it hits the spoon first.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm or overnight.
- When ready to serve, use a knife to cut around the edge of the jelly to release it from the side. Tip: Insert halved toothpicks between the mold and the sides of the jelly (2 per each side) to allow air into the mold. Place a flat plate over your jelly dish. Flip upside down and the jelly should eventually slide out with gravity.
- Slice into 9 squares. Optional: serve with fresh fruit and mint leaves.
Storage
This dessert will last up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Expert Tips
- Make sure the mango jelly liquid and coconut jelly liquid reach boiling point. This is important to help activate the agar agar powder so the jelly can set.
- Be quick in adding the mango pieces into your mango jelly. The jello will set quickly.
- Allow the mango layer to set before pouring the coconut layer.
- Pour the coconut jelly liquid over the back of a spoon. This prevents the first layer from breaking.
- To release the set jello, run a knife around the edges and insert toothpicks between the mold and the sides of the jelly and flip it onto a flat plate. Allow gravity to do its job.
FAQ
Where can I buy Agar Agar Powder?
The easiest place to find this powder is online. I purchased mine from Amazon. Click the recipe card below where I share a direct Amazon link to the powder I use.
Why is my jello mushy?
Agar agar powder was not activated with enough heat. After whisking the agar agar powder into your cold mango or coconut liquid, bring the liquid to boiling point for at least 45 seconds while whisking. If you don’t reach boiling point, the agar agar will not activate creating a jelly like consistency. In fact, it’ll stay liquidy.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes! I would suggest making it the night before for best taste. Any more in advance and the jelly will begin to melt even while stored in the fridge.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Mango Coconut Jelly
Ingredients
Mango Layer
- 1 cup mango peeled and chopped
- 1 cup mango diced into cubes, 1 x 1 cm thick
- ½ cup mango juice
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 2 tsp agar agar powder
- ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon lime juice or lemon juice
Coconut Layer
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 tsp agar agar powder
- 4 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup coconut milk (whole fat or light canned coconut milk)
Instructions
Mango Layer
- Blend 1 cup of mango flesh with mango juice. Pour into a small pot. Add water, agar agar powder, maple syrup and lime juice. Whisk until well combined.
- Then place over medium high heat and bring to a boil for 60 seconds while whisking. Immediately remove off heat.
- Pour mango jelly into an approximate 5 x 7 inch glass container. Quickly add mango cubes into the jelly. Press them down into the jelly so the jelly is smooth on the top. Allow this to set (about 5-10 minutes) as you work on the next layer.
Coconut Layer
- In a small pot, add water, coconut milk, agar agar powder, maple syrup, and salt. Whisk until well combined. Bring to a boil for 60 seconds while whisking. Reduce heat to low to keep warm and keep covered.
- Check your mango jelly to see if it’s firm to a touch. You should be able to press it down with your thumb without any breakage. Once the mango layer is firm, pour coconut jelly liquid on the back of a spoon over your mango jelly. This ensures the hot liquid does not break the mango jelly layer as it hits the spoon first.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm or overnight.
- When ready to serve, use a knife to cut around the edge of the jelly to release it from the side. Tip: Insert halved toothpicks between the mold and the sides of the jelly (2 per each side) to allow air into the mold. Place a flat plate over your jelly dish. Flip upside down and the jelly should eventually slide out with gravity.
- Slice into 9 squares. Optional: serve with fresh fruit and mint leaves.
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Ck
This looks absolutely divine! I bet it tastes amazing too.
Rosemary Squires
One of these days I will make one of your beautiful jelly recipes and when someone asks "wow where is that from" I will say my genius friend up in Canada!!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your mango coconut jelly is the perfect party finger food idea. I simply adore anything with mango!!