How to Make Aloe Vera Jelly
Healthy, good-for-your-skin jelly that is perfect for adding to iced teas or lattes! It is chewy, not too sweet, and will definitely make your favorite drinks more exciting!
Ingredients
- 1 large aloe vera leaf
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp sugar or maple syrup
Instructions
- Clean the aloe vera. Start by washing the leaf under cold water to remove any dirt.
- Slice it. Using a large and sharp knife, cut off the top and bottom of each leaf and discard them. Slice the aloe vera in four parts crosswise.
- Cut off the skin. Next, cut off the green skin by running a sharp knife between the aloe vera gel (the transparent flesh) and the skin. Discard the green skin.
- Cut into cubes. Cut the aloe vera gel into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes. Note: Try to make the cubes small enough to pass through a boba straw. The aloe vera gel will be very slimy. It is completely normal. Repeat with the remaining aloe vera and transfer the cubes to a large bowl.
- Soak in cold water. Once that is done, cover the aloe vera cubes with cold water and let them sit for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse. Drain the aloe vera cubes and rinse them 10-12 times under cold water or until they are no longer slimy. At first, they will be very slimy but as you keep rinsing them, the sliminess will decrease.
- Boil. Transfer the aloe vera cubes to a large saucepan and cover them with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and let the aloe vera simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse. After 10 minutes, drain the aloe vera cubes and rinse for 3-4 times under cold water.
- Sweeten it. Transfer the aloe vera cubes back to the saucepan or to a small bowl and add the sugar. Stir to combine and let the aloe vera rest for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, before using. The aloe vera cubes will absorb the sugar. After that, your aloe vera jelly is ready to use!
- You can store aloe vera jelly for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Rinse thoroughly. The flesh of aloe vera is very slimy, so once you have diced it, it's essential to rinse it very well under cold water. You might need to rinse it up to 15 times until it is no longer slimy.
- Allow it to rest for a few hours. For the best flavor, I highly recommend preparing this jelly at least one day before using it. Letting the aloe vera jelly rest overnight in the refrigerator allows it to absorb the sugar.
- Scoop out the cubes. Once the sugar has melted, the jelly will have some juice that may be slightly slimy. Only use the cubed jelly and discard the juice.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5 cup | Calories: 19 kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.8 g | Sodium: 30 mg | Sugar: 2.8 g | Calcium: 70 mg