Lychee Agar Jelly Cubes (Print Version)

Translucent lychee agar cubes bathed in sparkling yuzu water—light, vegan, and refreshingly citrus.

# What You Need:

→ Lychee Agar Jelly

01 - 400 ml lychee juice (from canned lychees, drained and reserved)
02 - 1 tbsp agar-agar powder
03 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
04 - 8 whole canned lychees (optional, to embed in jelly)

→ Sparkling Yuzu Water

05 - 500 ml sparkling water, chilled
06 - 60 ml yuzu juice (fresh or bottled)
07 - 2 tbsp simple syrup (adjust to taste)
08 - Ice cubes, as needed

→ Garnish

09 - Fresh mint leaves (optional)
10 - Thin slices of lime or yuzu (optional)

# How To Make:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine lychee juice, agar-agar powder, and sugar. Whisk until fully dissolved. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer for 2 minutes to activate agar. Pour the mixture into a square or rectangular mold. If desired, cut the reserved lychees in half and evenly distribute them throughout the liquid. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate for about 1–2 hours until fully set.
02 - Once set, remove the jelly from the mold and cut into 2 cm cubes. Place several jelly cubes into individual serving glasses.
03 - In a pitcher, combine chilled sparkling water, yuzu juice, and simple syrup. Stir gently.
04 - Add ice cubes to each glass with jelly cubes. Pour sparkling yuzu water over the jelly cubes. Garnish with mint leaves and citrus slices, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast of wobbly lychee jelly and effervescent yuzu is a texture lover’s secret fantasy.
  • It’s light, vegan, and impossibly refreshing—perfect for impressing guests with minimal stress.
02 -
  • If you undercook the agar, the jelly will not set, no matter how long it chills—trust me, I waited four hours before giving up once.
  • Tasting your yuzu water before serving means you can rescue it with extra syrup if it’s too tart or more juice if it’s too flat; adjust before it hits the glass.
03 -
  • Be patient while stirring and setting—rushing agar leads to heartbreakingly soft jelly.
  • The difference between good and great is using super-cold sparkling water so the fizz bursts against the tender jelly cubes.
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