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For the past month I’ve been experimenting with agar agar. Agar agar, a gelatinous substance derived from red algae, is popular in Asian desserts. It’s also used as a vegan alternative to gelatin. (While often used as a gelatin substitute, agar agar has a different texture and cooking properties – see cooking tips below.) The alcohol-free agar agar seen here was made with a Hibiscus and Mint herbal tea from Austin-based Nile Valley Herbs. The Hibiscus creates a lovely floral taste with a vibrant, all-natural red. The touch of mint and sugar provide a cool sweetness.

A few tips for making agar agar desserts from scratch:

• Agar agar can be found at most Chinese grocery stores.
• In my experience, alcohol prevents agar agar from setting. If anyone knows how to make boozy agar agar molds – please let me know!
• Use 1-teaspoon agar agar for 2-cups liquid.
• Using the 1-teaspoon to 2-cups of liquid ratio creates a stiff jelly, often too stiff to work with gelatin molds. Instead pour into a shallow pan, let cool, and cut into squares. To create a softer substance, increase liquid.
• Agar agar sets faster than gelatin, and can set at room temperature.
• Check out my other agar agar recipes: Blood Orange Agar Agar and Blackberry and Tea Agar Agar.

Recipe for 4-cups

• 4 cups water
• 4 hibiscus mint tea bags
• ½ cup sugar (or to taste)
• 2 teaspoons agar agar

In a medium bowl, pour 2 cups of boiling water over 4 tea bags. Let steep for 15-minutes, remove tea bags. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the other 2 cups of water with sugar and agar agar. Boil for 15-minutes. Stir the boiling water with the tea. Pour into shallow pan to cool. Once set, cut into cubes.