Soy-kefir almond jelly with jasmine syrup

By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026

Almond jelly is a cool, pale dessert of Chinese origin, eaten cold and loved as a refreshing summer sweet. Here it sits in a strong jasmine tea syrup with honey, lemon and a few goji berries. Agar gives it a clean, springy bite, and soy kefir adds a gentle tang.

No beans in the tofu, no almonds in the almond

In Chinese the dessert is called almond tofu, but the name describes only its smooth, white, tofu-like look; the traditional version contains no soybeans, though this version adds soy milk and soy kefir. Its flavour comes from apricot kernels, the seed inside the apricot stone, which come from a different plant than the almonds used in Western baking. A Qing-dynasty version ground soaked kernels with water as if making tofu, then strained the milk and boiled it with sugar.

Why the agar boils first and the sugar waits

Agar, a seaweed extract, does not dissolve in cold water, so it has to boil before it can set anything. Agar that is not fully dissolved leaves the jelly gritty and weakly set, and sugar added too early makes it harder to dissolve. The lemon goes into the separate syrup, since strongly acidic juice boiled with agar weakens the set. The reward is the firm, clean bite of agar, quite different from a soft gelatin pudding.

Goji berries, mandarins and star-cut fruit

A few goji berries are the classic finish. In Japan, almond jelly is a standard dessert at Chinese restaurants, served chilled with syrup and fruit. Mandarin segments, pineapple or peaches all suit it, and osmanthus syrup is a traditional alternative to jasmine tea. In Taiwan it is often served in a syrup made with evaporated milk, with canned mixed fruit or fresh fruit. For a summer table, cut kiwi, peach or watermelon into small stars to serve alongside.