Bao Bing (Taiwanese Shaved Ice) | Recipe
As kids we always went to Taiwan in the dead of summer, July— the most hot & humid month. Since my dad worked in the restaurant industry, the only time he could take off was in July during the slow season (holidays don’t exist for restaurant kids). Even with melting make up, frizzy hair, and getting used to being damp all the time (no amount of showers can save you 😂), we loved being back in Taiwan for an entire month. Being able to spend time with our grandparents and family that we seldom saw, explore where my dad grew up, and eat all my favorite foods all month long are some of my fondest memories of childhood. Taipei is still my favorite city, no matter how much I travel.
Bao bing was our saving grace in that humidity, nothing is more refreshing than this dessert. Sweetened shaved ice, with tons of fresh fruit makes the hot wind feel like a cool breeze. And luckily, it’s easy to make at home! This NY summer has been feeling just like a Taiwanese summer this year, so this dessert is 100% necessary. You can top with whatever fruit and ice cream you like, just top it on the shaved ice and let the airy breeze (instead of stinky, trash heatwave if you’re in NY) cool over you.
What’s In OURS:
shaved ice
red bean paste
matcha powder
Lactaid vanilla ice cream or whatever flavor you like
Lactaid vanilla ice cream, melted in the microwave for 30 seconds (or sweetened condensed milk if you’re not lactose free!)
strawberries
blueberries
coconut shavings
mango
mochi
sage honey syrup
Pocky
taiyaki
How to do it:
Prepare your toppings, the ice can melt down quickly so it’s better to have everything ready to throw on top! You can mix up the toppings as you want, it’s totally up to you to top with what fruit / ice cream flavor you like.
I really like drizzling the ice with some melted ice cream so you have sweetened shaved ice already to mix in with everything.
Next, you’ll need to make shaved ice, we used this shaved ice machine. It’s super easy to use and honestly have used it so much already this summer.
Once you have your shaved ice, throw the melted ice cream on top and then all of the rest of your toppings. It’s the most refreshing summer treat to keep you cool, even if you feel like you’re melting.