Rau Cau Banh Flan (Layered Coffee and Cheese Jelly), Sweetened with Monk Fruit
Sweets and drinksPuddingsVietnamAbout 45 minutes cooking, 2 to 3 hours setting
This layered coffee and cheese jelly sets into a striped block, a clear brown coffee layer alternating with a creamy ivory egg and cheese layer. Each slice is cool and springy, and the light bitterness of the coffee carries the rich cheese so it never feels heavy.
The hardest part is timing the pours, since both pots of jelly have to stay hot while the surface in the mold is only just skinned over. The cheese and whipping cream mixture is heated only until warm, because boiling splits it and leaves a skin on top. When the hot mixture goes into the yolks, pour very slowly and stir without stopping, since tipping it all in at once cooks the eggs into grains.
This batch weighs about 2.6kg, at roughly 82 calories per 100g.
Method
Put 1 pack of soft agar jelly powder, 180 gram kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1.6 liters of water into a clean pot, stir to dissolve, then leave to soak for 15 to 20 minutes so the powder swells.
In a second pot, combine 120 gram soft cheese wedges, 250ml whipping cream, 51 gram kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 63ml oat milk, then heat over low heat and stir until the cheese has melted and the mixture is only warm.
Beat 5 chicken egg yolks in a large bowl, then pour in the hot cheese mixture slowly, stirring as you pour so it stays smooth and free of lumps.
Set the jelly pot on the stove and heat, stirring, until the powder has dissolved completely and the liquid boils.
Pour one third of the jelly liquid into the egg and cheese mixture and stir through. Add 150ml black coffee to the jelly left in the pot and stir through.
Pour a coffee jelly layer about 0.5cm thick into the mold and put it in the fridge so the surface skins over quickly.
Once the coffee layer has skinned over, pour on an egg and cheese jelly layer of the same thickness, then keep alternating until both mixtures are used up.
Put the mold in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours, then take it out and cut into pieces.
Tips
Keep both pots of jelly over a low flame and stir now and then, since jelly that sets in the pot ruins the whole batch.
The layer below only needs to skin over, because a fully hardened layer separates from the next one when cut.
Heat the cheese and whipping cream mixture only until warm, as boiling splits it.
Pour the hot mixture into the yolks very slowly and stir steadily, since a sudden hit of heat curdles the eggs.
Dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry before each cut for clean sharp edges.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.