Chè Thái (Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail Dessert)
No Cook Tropical Bliss
Refreshing, light, fruity, and remarkably easy to put together, my Chè Thái is a vibrant Vietnamese fruit cocktail that is perfect for warm days or for finishing off a rich meal.The true beauty of this dessert lies in its versatility. Traditionally, I love to include tinned lychees and toddy palms, but depending on availability, longans and palm seeds are equally delightful. You can truly make this your own by adding grass jelly, tapioca pearls, or whatever textures you prefer.A crucial tip for the perfect broth: save the syrup from just one of the fruit tins to use as your sweetener. I highly recommend using the longan or lychee syrup, but avoid the jackfruit syrup, as its aroma is far too strong and will quickly overpower the dish. Stick to one syrup for a clean, balanced sweetness. Furthermore, while I occasionally make traditional 'red rubies' (diced water chestnuts coated in tapioca starch and red food colouring), this recipe uses fresh pomegranate seeds. They act as a brilliant, healthier alternative, providing that same vibrant pop of colour and a satisfyingly crisp texture.
Ingredients
Method
Strain and Reserve
- Begin by straining your tinned fruits. It is essential that you reserve the syrup from the tinned longans in a separate jug to use as your sweetener later. Discard the syrup from the jackfruit.
Rinse the Palm Seeds
- Palm seeds usually come packed in a very thick, heavy syrup. To keep the dessert light and refreshing, rinse the palm seeds thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs completely clear and the heavy syrup is washed away.
Chop the Fruit and Jelly
- Prepare the remaining ingredients by slicing the jackfruit into thin strips, and cutting the green "Ai Yu jelly" into roughly 2.5cm (1-inch) cubes. You can halve the longans if you prefer a more delicate bite, though I personally love to leave them whole for added texture.
Assemble the Base
- In a large serving bowl, gently combine the sliced jackfruit, longans, Ai Yu jelly, washed palm seeds, young coconut in coconut water, and pomegranate seeds.
Add the Milk and Sweeten
- Pour the coconut milk over the mixed fruit. Slowly drizzle in the reserved longan syrup, tasting as you go, until it reaches your perfect level of sweetness. I tend to use the entire batch of reserved syrup to sweeten the dessert naturally, avoiding any additional sugar.
Note:
- You can easily adjust this to your taste by using condensed milk or caster sugar. While evaporated milk or single cream can be used as a substitute for the milk base, using a good-quality coconut milk is the secret to achieving that rich, authentic flavour.
Chill and Serve
- Stir everything together gently. For the absolute best results, cover and refrigerate the dessert for at least a couple of hours so it is wonderfully cold. Ideally, I recommend leaving it in the fridge for overnight to allow all the fruity flavours to beautifully infuse into the coconut milk. If you simply cannot wait, serve it immediately ladled over crushed ice.
Notes
Sourcing Ingredients in the UK:
These specialist tinned fruits and jellies can sometimes be trickier to hunt down in standard high street supermarkets, so you may need to source them across a few different places depending on stock. You can visit major East Asian wholesalers like Hoo Hing, check your local Oriental supermarket, or look out for staple items at local South Asian grocers (though their selection of specific East Asian items like green Ai Yu jelly or palm seeds can be hit-and-miss).
For ultimate convenience, I have linked all of these specific ingredients directly in my Amazon Influencer Store so you can easily order them online ahead of time and have everything delivered straight to your door!
