By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
170 cal · 135 min
Coffee Gelée Dessert
Recipe GLPR4615b56bc03f10
A sophisticated and elegant three-ingredient dessert featuring a silky coffee gelée topped with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. This light, refreshing treat is made with strong brewed coffee set with agar agar, delivering a delicate coffee flavor in every spoonful. Perfect as a pick-me-up after dinner.
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Ingredients
50 g Granulated sugar
4 g Agar agar powder
pinch Kosher salt
4¼ cups Strong brewed coffee, cooled slightly
⅓ cup Heavy cream, divided for serving
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, agar agar powder, and kosher salt. Whisk together until well blended and no lumps remain.
Pour the cooled strong coffee into the saucepan with the dry ingredients. Whisk constantly over medium heat, stirring until the mixture comes to a gentle boil, approximately 3–4 minutes. Maintain the boil for 1–2 minutes while stirring to fully activate the agar agar.
Remove from heat and carefully pour the hot coffee mixture into serving glasses or shallow bowls, dividing evenly among 4 portions. Set aside to cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Once cooled, refrigerate the gelée for at least 2 hours until the agar agar has fully set and the mixture has a custard-like, jiggly texture.
Just before serving, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Top each serving of chilled coffee gelée with a dollop of whipped cream and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Comments
This elegant coffee gelée costs around $8 to $10 total—roughly $2 to $2.50 per serving—with heavy cream and quality vanilla ice cream driving the expense. The stated 135 minutes is honest but misleading: most of that is chill time in the refrigerator, so active hands-on work is closer to 15 minutes, making it genuinely friendly for a weeknight dessert. The real catch is agar agar, a gelling agent you will not find at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, or Walmart; you'll need to stop at ALDI (which stocks it reliably) or order online, adding friction to a weeknight plan. Once set and plated, it does not reheat—it's a same-service dessert that must be eaten cold and fresh, so plan accordingly.
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