For me, springtime officially marks the season when my love for green tea reawakens to full force. There’s something about the sprouting of fresh vegetation that makes me crave a clean and grassy cup, nature’s purest offering.
I think of gelatin based desserts the same way I think about green tea. They’re light, refreshing, and best of all…simple to put together. Coconut Milk Pudding is a favorite in my family. You’re most likely to spot it as it goes rolling by on windowed dim sum carts where it looks like an unassuming wobbly square of white jello, cut into huge cubes.
I love to enjoy Coconut Milk Pudding with Chinese green teas like Tai Ping Hou Kui Tea, an impressive, large leaf green tea (sometimes 4-5″ in length!) that’s mildly sweet and smooth. Tai Ping Hou Kui is low in caffeine and some liken its taste to sugarcane. Another complementary pairing to this pudding is hand-rolled Jasmine Pearl Tea. This tea gets its intoxicating scent from blending with jasmine flowers overnight. Its intensely aromatic quality highlights the tropical flavors in this light, creamy dessert.
Makes 4 small bowls of pudding.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp powdered gelatin
1 cup water or coconut water
1 can coconut milk
1 cup half & half
2/3 cup sugar
non-stick spray (if planning to unmold the pudding later)
Equipment:
medium pot
small bowl
cups, molds, or containers
Directions:
1.) In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin with the water.
2.) In a medium pot over low heat, stir together the coconut milk, half & half, and sugar until the mixture comes just under a boil and the sugar dissolves completely. Turn off the heat, then add in the bloomed gelatin, mixing to make sure the gelatin dissolves completely.
3.) Spoon the coconut mixture into cups, molds, or containers. Chill the pudding in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. If you plan on unmolding the puddings later, grease the cups, molds, or containers with non-stick spray before spooning the hot coconut mixture in. After chilling, immerse the bottom of the cups, molds, or containers under warm water before unmolding.
Thirsty for Tea 
