Simple and delicious homemade Asian shaved ice, Hawaiian shaved ice, Korean strawberry milk, and honeydew popsicle —perfect treats for hot summer days! Bao bing (刨冰), a traditional Chinese shaved ice dessert, is a refreshing treat that's popular in many Asian countries, each offering its unique twist. Let’s learn how to make Asian shaved ice with step-by-step photo instructions and a video guide for this recipe!
Do you love Asian desserts? Check out this almond jello, white rabbit candy ice cream, red bean mochi, taro sago dessert, Thai mango sticky rice, taro boba drink, red bean ice drink, and ginger milk curd recipes.
What is Asian shaved ice?
Asian shaved ice is called bao bing (刨冰) in Chinese, and different areas have different names. It is a dessert that is very popular during hot summers. The ice is shaved very finely and thinly. Asian shaved ice desserts have a wide variety of toppings, such as sweet adzuki beans, sweet mung beans, grass jelly, tapioca balls, and in-season fruits like mangoes and strawberries.
Besides, baobing (刨冰) normally uses condensed milk, sugar water, or honey instead of food coloring syrups for shaved ice. Chinese baobing, or Asian shaved ice, is a healthier dessert with fruit and toppings of sweetened condensed milk instead of food coloring syrups.
What are the most popular types of Asian shaved ice?
Asian shaved ice has a variety of forms. Each culture, flavor, and name is slightly different, but they are very similar. Here are some of the most popular types:
- Bingsu (빙수) is a Korean shaved ice. It is often made with milk and topped with red beans, fruits, and ice cream.
- Kakigori (かき氷) is a Japanese shaved ice. Its syrups are often flavored with matcha, strawberry, or melon.
- Bao Bing (刨冰) is a type of Chinese/Taiwanese shaved ice. It is often served with toppings like taro, grass jelly, and sweet beans. I feature this type of shaved ice in this Asian shaved ice recipe.
- Halo-Halo is a type of Filipino shaved ice. It features a mix of fruits, leche flan, ube, and evaporated milk.
- Ais Kacang is a Malaysian and Singaporean shaved ice with colorful syrups, jelly, and corn.
How is Asian shaved ice different from regular shaved ice?
Asian shaved ice is generally softer and fluffier than traditional snow cones. Some people freeze the ice with flavored syrup and then shave it, but most use condensed milk, sweet red beans, and fruit syrup toppings rather than coloring syrups.
Is Hawaiian shaved ice the same thing?
Hawaiian shaved ice is similar to Asian shaved ice but has some differences. Both desserts feature finely shaved ice, but Hawaiian shaved ice is typically flavored with fruit syrups, ice cream, and sweet red beans. Asian shaved ice often has toppings like red beans, condensed milk, grass jelly, and seasonal fruit.
What is the best way to get fluffy shaved ice?
A high-quality ice shave machine can help create a light, snow-like texture rather than crushed ice.
Which shaved ice machine do you recommend?
Any shaved ice machine will work. However, if you like delicate, fluffy shaved ice, I recommend getting a Snowie machine. It produces fluffy, delicate shaved ice, like snow. Although it is a little pricey, it’s worth it when you use it often at home.
I used to have a decent shaved ice machine for around $30 before. But, when we tried our friends, Snowie shaved ice. My kids asked for one. We love our Snowie machine; the difference is in the pictures.
Is Asian shaved ice dairy-free?
You can make a dairy-free version of Asian shave ice using honey or fruit syrups. As a vegan option, you can use coconut milk condensed milk.
What are the best toppings for Asian shaved ice?
Here are the popular toppings:
- Fresh fruits such as mango, strawberries, lychee, berries, kiwi
- Sweetened red bean
- Condensed milk
- Ice cream with matcha, vanilla, and ube flavor
- Grass jelly or coconut jelly
- Mochi, taro balls, or boba pearls
What are the ingredients for Chinese Asian shaved ice desserts?
In this bao bing, or Asian shaved ice recipe, I like to use sweet adzuki beans, grass jelly, canned lychee, mango, and strawberries topped with sweet condensed milk. However, you can use other fruits like kiwi, blackberry, and blueberry. Some even like to add ice cream.
Substitution:
Sweetener substitutes:
You can replace condensed milk with coconut condensed milk for a dairy-free option. You can use honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup as a different sweetener for sugar syrup.
Storage:
It is recommended to store the leftover topping, syrup, or condensed milk in the fridge. Only make the shaved ice when you are ready to serve.
Cooking tips for how to make bao bing Chinese shaved ice:
- Making the sweet adzuki beans in an instant pot pressure cooker the night before is better because you can refrigerate and keep it cold.
- If not, you can buy a can of sweet red bean paste.
- Also, you can make your own grass jelly or use a can of grass jelly.
- Diced mangoes and strawberries. You can always use other fruits that you like.
- Put 2 cups of ice into the shaved ice machine, and press the lid to make shaved ice.
- Add fruits, sweet red beans, grass jelly, and top with sweet condensed milk.
FAQs:
You can also serve it with ice cream, tapioca boba balls, jelly, pineapple, kiwi, and raspberry. Topping with sweet condensed milk or honey.
Any brand of canned lychee will work. I use this Aroy-D branded lychee. If you can find fresh lychee around, it is best to use fresh ones.
In an instant pot, you can make sweet red beans like red bean soups or red bean paste. However, I used 1 cup of adzuki beans and 4 cups of water this time. Cooking at high pressure at 45 minutes and natural release. Then, add 1 ¼ cups of sugar and sauté for around 25 minutes or sauté until your desired thickness. See details for how to make sweet red bean soups or sweet red bean paste.
Instructions for how to make bao bing Chinese Asian shaved ice dessert:
Preparation:
1. Put 1 cup of adzuki beans and 4 cups of water into the instant pot. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes and natural release. Then, add 1 ¼ cups of sugar and sauté for around 25 minutes or sauté until your desired thickness. Let it cool off. (It's best to make it the night before and refrigerate it.) Or, use a can of sweet red bean paste.
2. Wash and dice 10 strawberries.
3. Then, wash and dice 1 mango.
4. Drain a can of lychee or use fresh lychee.
5. Cut a cup of grass jelly into cubes. You can use a can of grass jelly or homemade grass jelly.
Making Shaved Ice:
6. Next, put 4 cups of ice into the shaved ice machine.
7. Press the lid and let the machine run. Shaved ice will come out.
8. You can put shaved ice in the bowl or on the plate.
Combin
9. After that, put ¼ cup of diced strawberries, ¼ cup of diced mango, ¼ cup of sweet red beans, ¼ cup of diced grass jelly, and ¼ cup of canned lychee around the shaved ice.
10. Lastly, pour ¼ cup of sweet condensed milk over the shaved ice. (Remember to add sweet condensed milk to your sweetness.)
Enjoy this simple, delicious, and cold baobing Asian shaved ice recipe! Also, check out these fresh strawberry pie, tang yuan, red bean paste sticky rice cake, mango juicy popsicles, and sugar donuts recipes.
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Asian Shaved Ice
Equipment
- 1 Shaved ice machine
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups Ice (Can use more if you like more shaved ice)
- 10 pieces Strawberries
- 1 Mango
- 1 cup Sweet red beans or paste
- 1 cup Grass jelly (Homemade or from a can around 540g)
- 1 can Lychee (20 oz, 1 lb 4 oz)
- 1 cup Sweet condensed milk (or more depends your sweetness)
Instructions
- Put 1 cup of adzuki beans and 4 cups of water into the instant pot. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes and natural release. Then, add 1 ¼ cups of sugar and sauté for around 25 minutes or sauté until your desired thickness. Let it cool off. (It's best to make it the night before and refrigerate it.) Or, use a can of sweet red bean paste.
- Wash and dice 10 strawberries.
- Then, wash and dice 1 mango.
- Drain a can of lychee or use fresh lychee.
- Cut a cup of grass jelly into cubes. You can use a can of grass jelly or homemade grass jelly.
- Next, put 4 cups of ice into the shaved ice machine.
- Press the lid and let the machine run. Shaved ice will come out.
- You can put shaved ice in the bowl or on the plate.
- After that, put ¼ cup of diced strawberries, ¼ cup of diced mango, ¼ cup of sweet red beans, ¼ cup of diced grass jelly, and ¼ cup of canned lychee around the shaved ice.
- Lastly, pour ¼ cup of sweet condensed milk over the shaved ice. (Remember to add sweet condensed milk to your sweetness.)
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make bao bing Chinese shaved ice:
- Making the sweet adzuki beans in an instant pot pressure cooker the night before is better because you can refrigerate and keep it cold.
- If not, you can buy a can of sweet red bean paste.
- Also, you can make your own grass jelly or use a can of grass jelly.
- Diced mangoes and strawberries. You can always use other fruits that you like.
- Put 2 cups of ice into the shaved ice machine, and press the lid to make shaved ice.
- Add fruits, sweet red beans, grass jelly, and top with sweet condensed milk.
Sophia Zhong says
this was a really simple, helpful recipe. Thanks. 🙂