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Zobo Jelly

Also known as Zobo Jelly (Hibiscus Fruit Jelly)

Zobo Jelly transforms Nigeria's most beloved drink — the deep crimson hibiscus Zobo — into a refreshing, beautifully coloured dessert jelly. The extraordinary deep red-purple colour of the hibiscus flowers makes this jelly visually stunning, and the tartly refreshing, slightly tangy flavour of the Zobo creates a dessert that is simultaneously familiar to Nigerian palates and genuinely elegant in presentation.

Zobo Jelly, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 3 big cups of freshly brewed, strained Zobo drink — very strongly brewed and slightly sweetened
  • 2 big big tablespoons of gelatin powder or agar agar powder
  • 3 big tablespoons of sugar — adjusted to the sweetness of your Zobo
  • Fresh fruit for layering inside the jelly — mango cubes, pineapple pieces, sliced banana
  • A small amount of evaporated milk or coconut cream — for a layered effect

Method

  1. 01

    Brewing the Strong Zobo. Brew a very strong batch of Zobo drink — use a generous quantity of dried hibiscus flowers with fresh ginger, cloves and pineapple peels in hot water for 20 minutes. Strain until very clear. Sweeten with sugar to taste — slightly more sweet than drinking Zobo as the setting process slightly mutes sweetness.

  2. 02

    Dissolving the Gelatin. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over 3 big tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Allow to bloom for 5 minutes. Then place the bowl in a pot of hot water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear.

  3. 03

    Combining. Stir the dissolved gelatin into the warm Zobo drink. Mix thoroughly.

  4. 04

    Setting with Fruit. Pour a thin layer of the Zobo jelly liquid into each serving glass or a large flat mould. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until just set. Arrange fresh fruit pieces on the set layer. Pour another layer of Zobo jelly over the fruit. Refrigerate again for 20 minutes. Continue layering until all the jelly and fruit is used. Refrigerate for a final 2 hours until completely set.

  5. 05

    Serving. Serve cold, directly from the refrigerator. The deep red jelly with the colourful fruit pieces visible inside is a genuinely beautiful dessert.

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