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Hi Bold Bakers!
If you’re a fan of coconut flavor, you have to try this recipe. This homemade Melo Melo coconut jelly is so incredibly fresh, lightly sweet, and the texture is so comforting. Think of it kind of like a panna cotta, but full of the taste of fresh coconuts and whatever fruit you choose — I like mango to give it a real tropical feel.
The texture isn’t quite like pudding or jello. It’s almost like soft tofu. It’s a little, only slightly firm and incredibly smooth.
This recipe is the perfect end to a big, fancy dinner party. Nothing speaks louder than a simple dessert with fresh fruit after a filling meal! Even if your guests aren’t big on coconut, I find that no one can turn this jelly down.
What Is Fresh Coconut Jelly?
Fresh coconut jelly is made with very simple ingredients, including, of course, fresh coconut water. Add that with a few other key staples in your house, plus some unflavored gelatin powder, and you have a dessert that is unique and delicious!
The flavor isn’t as strong as if you were chewing directly on some coconut, and the texture is quite possibly the silkiest thing you’ll ever have!
Melo Melo is a dessert business in Southern California that pioneered this treat, and I couldn’t wait to try to make my own.
What You Need To Make Fresh Coconut Jelly
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 6 (8-oz) cups or bowls
- Mixing bowls
- Medium saucepan
- Strainer
How To Make Fresh Coconut Jelly
This takes very minimum work, and the outcome is so delicious! Here’s how you make coconut jelly — and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements further down on the page.:
- First, set up your 6 (8-oz) cups or bowls on a small tray and set them aside.
- In a small bowl, add in your COLD milk and then sprinkle evenly with the gelatin. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to let it bloom.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the coconut water, coconut milk, and sugar and heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add in the bloomed gelatin and stir until it is fully melted, be sure the mixture is warm but not simmering.
- Once dissolved, pour the mixture through a strainer into a glass measuring cup with a pour spout.
- Divide the mixture evenly among your cups and then refrigerate until set, about 4-6 hours.
- Before serving, top with diced fresh fruit.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips for Making Fresh Coconut Jelly
- This recipe will become just lightly set, and it won’t unmold easily, so it’s best to stick to individual servings instead of one large one.
- When heating the gelatin in the coconut water mixture, take care to heat gently and not let the mixture boil, or the gelatin may not set properly.
- The straining step is important to ensure properly dissolved sugar and gelatin. If there are any solids left in the strainer, you can return everything to the pot and continue to heat until all is dissolved.
- I love topping this jelly with mango and kiwi, but you can use papaya, bananas, or other soft, tropical fruit.
- Try a drizzle of chocolate sauce in place of or in addition to the fresh fruit!
How Do I Store Coconut Jelly?
You can store leftovers by covering them with plastic wrap and refrigerating them for up to 3 days.
Now Make Pudding!
- Rice Pudding
- Brownie Bread Pudding
- Pumpkin Bread Pudding
- Irish Bread and Butter Pudding
- White Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Gemma’s Banana Bread Pudding
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
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Try These Recipes!
Fresh Coconut Jelly Recipe (Melo Melo)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (2floz/60ml) whole milk (COLD)
- 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder
- 2 cups (16floz/480ml) fresh coconut water
- 1 cup (8floz/240ml) full fat coconut milk
- ⅓ cup (2½oz/71g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (10oz/284g) diced mango (or fruit of your choice)
- 2 kiwis (diced)
Instructions
- Place 6 (8-oz) cups or bowls on a small tray and set aside.
- Add the COLD milk to a small bowl and sprinkle evenly with the gelatin. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to let bloom.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the coconut water, coconut milk, and sugar and heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until fully melted, making sure the mixture is warm but not simmering.
- Once dissolved, pour through a strainer into a glass measuring cup with a pour spout.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the cups on the tray and refrigerate until set, about 4-6 hours.
- Just before serving, top with diced fresh fruit. Cover leftovers and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Hi Gemma. I made this twice now and both times my mixture separated and I got that thick crust on top. It’s still tasty but I want to conquer this recipe! You recommended reading the gelatin box to make sure I was using enough gelatin but I got confused when I did that. Based on a Jelle-like recipe on the back of the box, I should be using 1 tablespoon of gelatin per 1 cup of liquid. That’s a lot different than the ratio in your recipe. I measured out 9.4 grams of gelatin. I made sure everything was dissolved… Read more »
I made it this weekend. Mine turn out okay but there was a hard crust on the top….
like a hard fat.
Hello Gemma
This is probably a daft question but I’ve never come across Coconut Water. Where would I be able to find it.
Many thanks😊
I give this 2 stars…does NOT taste or look like the real Melo Melo. Color and consistency is off. Also too sweet. Something is off with the proportions of ingredients. Back to the drawing board ☹️
Think can I sub out suger with spenda and it will still work?. Also Melo Melo seems to have a toasty coconut flavor is that taste also present in this recipe? Thank you
Hi Gemma, This recipe is irresistible. I bought all the ingredients today. I’m toying with the idea of adding a little coconut rum to the mixture – do you think that could work tastewise and/or would it interfere with the gelling?
Best regards,
Carol
Firstly, hi from Australia and a big thankyou for your recipes. I have baked/cooked many of them. I’m normally a gelatin scaredy cat but loved this recipe so thought ld give it a go. Turned out bloody fabulous, first time…Thankyou so much
I made this and it came out perfect. Great taste and perfectly silky texture. But, it’s tricky so be extra careful on each step. The second and third time mine completely separated. Just made it again and it worked. Don’t give up!
If we are lactose intolerant what alternative can we use for milk
I tried using the exact measurement ingredients in the recipe, but it only filled 3-8oz cups. Is this correct?