Kitchen Recipe Collection
Osmanthus Jelly (Gui Hua Gao)
An elegant, translucent, wobbly dessert. Crystal clear agar or gelatin suspended with beautiful, fragrant yellow osmanthus flowers and sweet goji berries, offering a delicate floral flavor.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 8 servings
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup rock sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 2 tbsp dried osmanthus flowers
- 2 tbsp goji berries (wolfberries)
- 4 tsp agar-agar powder (or unflavored gelatin)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- 8x8 inch square glass dish or jelly molds
Instructions
- 1
Soak Goji Berries
Soak the goji berries in cold water for 5 minutes until they plump up. Drain and set aside.
- 2
Boil Water
In a saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water to a boil.
- 3
Add Sugar and Flowers
Add the rock sugar and dried osmanthus flowers. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the water turns a beautiful golden color and smells intensely floral.
- 4
Dissolve Agar
Sprinkle the agar-agar powder into the boiling liquid. Stir vigorously and continuously for 3 minutes to ensure it completely dissolves. (Agar needs to boil to activate; gelatin does not).
- 5
Add Goji Berries
Turn off the heat. Stir in the plumped goji berries.
- 6
Pour into Mold
Pour the hot liquid carefully into an 8x8 inch glass dish or individual silicone molds.
- 7
Suspend the Flowers
Here is the trick: Let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes. As it starts to slightly cool and thicken, stir it gently so the flowers and berries are suspended throughout the jelly rather than floating to the top or sinking to the bottom.
- 8
Chill
Once the flowers are suspended, carefully move the dish to the refrigerator.
- 9
Set
Chill for at least 2 hours until the jelly is completely firm and cold.
- 10
Unmold/Slice
Run a knife around the edges and invert the dish onto a cutting board, or simply cut it inside the dish.
- 11
Cut into Diamonds
Slice the clear, golden jelly into elegant diamond or square shapes.
- 12
Serve
Serve cold. It should be refreshing, floral, and slightly crunchy if using agar.
Cooking Tips
- Agar-agar yields a firmer, slightly crunchy jelly, which is traditional in Asia. Gelatin yields a softer, bouncier, melt-in-the-mouth texture. Use whichever you prefer.
- Do not over-boil the osmanthus flowers, or they will turn bitter.
Variations
- Coconut Osmanthus Jelly: Make a two-layered jelly. One layer of clear osmanthus, and a second opaque layer made with coconut milk and agar.
Nutrition Estimate
60 calories · 0g protein · 15g carbs · 0g fat · 1g fiber per serving
