What is Chè Thái
Chè Thái is a Vietnamese dessert or fruit cocktail that is similar to the Thai dessert, Tub Tim Krob, but with an added array of toppings. It contains assorted tropical fruits, jellies, crushed ice, and milk, making it a refreshing and colorful dessert. If you are craving something sweet but don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen, Chè Thái is for you.
Chè Thái is similar to Chè Ba Màu, another Vietnamese dessert drink, and the Filipino dessert, halo-halo, but this requires less work. You can make it quickly by using canned tropical fruits only and a no-cook milk mixture.
What You Will Need
The best part about Chè Thái is that it’s versatile. Choose from a variety of fruits and jellies to make it as colorful and texturally-appealing as you want.
The tropical fruits can be fresh or canned. I listed the different fruits and jellies in color categories below. Simply choose one from each color category. Once you have your fruit and jellies, select your desired milk options and sweeteners.
Yellow
- Jackfruit
- Mango
- Durian — Some Vietnamese will say that Chè Thái is not complete without durian. However, this fruit may not be for everyone. If durian isn’t your cup of tea, don’t include it.
- Yellow ai-yu jelly
White
- Rambutan
- Lychee
- Longan
- Young coconut meat
- Toddy palm’s seed – This is similar in taste and texture to young coconut.
- Coconut jelly
Red
- Red “rubies” — Made out of red-dyed water chestnut cut into small cubes and coated in tapioca starch. This requires cooking. Recipe below.
Green
- Green ai-yu jelly
- Green grass jelly
- Pandan jelly — Requires cooking. Recipe below.
Black
- Grass jelly
My Go-to Milk Mixture
- Half & Half (milk)
- French vanilla coffee creamer (sweetener)
For a more traditional and non-dairy milk option, use coconut milk and sugar instead.
Some people prefer to use the syrup from one of the canned fruit as a sweetener. I personally do not recommend it as it contains citric acid which throws off the taste too much.
How to Make Red Rubies
These red rubies resemble pomegranate seeds, but they have a chewy exterior and a crisp interior.
Making the red “rubies” is a simple process. You will need fresh or canned water chestnuts, red food dye, and tapioca starch. If you don’t have water chestnuts on hand, you can use a firm pear, green apple, or jicama.
First, dice up the water chestnut into tiny cubes, then color them in red food coloring. You can use pomegranate or beet juice for a more natural coloring instead.
Next, mix in tapioca starch and make sure that every water chestnut piece is evenly covered. Sift them through a colander or strainer to get rid of the excess starch.
Boil the water chestnut in water until they float to the top. Immediately transfer them into a bowl of iced water until they are ready to be used.
How to Make Pandan Jelly
To make the green pandan jelly, you will need agar agar powder, water, sugar, and pandan extract. Start with bringing water to a boil in a saucepan, then mix in the agar agar powder and sugar until dissolved. Remove it from the heat. Mix in the pandan extract.
For the white or clear version, omit the pandan extract. For a coconut version, you can use your favorite coconut juice instead of water.
The jelly will be firm in one hour at room temperature or even faster in the fridge. Once set, slice into thin strips or small cubes.
Serving & Storage
Chè Thái is the perfect dessert to make for a party. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or add ice before serving. You can mix everything together and serve it in a giant punch bowl so people can serve themselves quickly. Alternatively, ladle them into individual tall glasses to show off the different layers and have your guests add ice and milk.
You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container, whether it’s mixed together or not. Keep in mind that any added color will leak into the coconut milk if everything is mixed together.
Print
Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail (Che Thai)
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
A Vietnamese fruit cocktail with tropical fruits, jellies, crushed ice, and milk. It’s a quick, refreshing dessert drink, perfect for hot summer days.
Ingredients
Canned Fruit
- Jackfruit (20 oz can)
- Longan (20 oz can)
- Toddy Palm Seed (20 oz can)
Milk
- 2 cups Half and Half
- 1 cup French Vanilla Coffee Creamer
Red Rubies
- Water chestnut (8 oz can)
- 2 or 3 drops red gel food coloring
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
Pandan and White Jelly
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons agar agar powder (Telephone brand)
- 2–3 drops pandan gel extract (Butterfly brand)
- 3 tablespoons granulated cane sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit: Drain the fruit from the cans and slice into thin strips or small pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare the milk mixture: Mix together Half and Half and French Vanilla Coffee Creamer. Set aside.
- Make the red rubies: Drain the water chestnut from the can. Cut into small 3 mm cubes, about 9 small pieces from one water chestnut. Transfer water chestnut to a small bowl. Add 2 to 3 drops of red food gel. Give it a toss until all pieces are evenly colored. Add tapioca starch. Give it another toss until all pieces are evenly coated. Bring a small pot of water (about 1 quarts) to a boil. Add water chestnut. After two minutes, they should float to the top. Immediately transfer the water chestnut into a bowl of iced water. Keep it in a little bit of water so that they don’t stick together.
- Make Pandan and White Jelly. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Mix in the agar agar powder and sugar until dissolved. Remove it from the heat. Divide it evenly between two small molds or bowls. Leave one as is and color the other one green with 2-3 drops of pandan gel extract (Butterfly brand). It will set in one hour at room temperature or faster in the fridge. Cut into small cubes or thin strips.
- Serve: Refrigerate for 2 hours, or add ice before serving. You can mix everything together and serve this in a giant punch bowl so people can serve themselves. Alternatively, ladle them into individual tall glasses to show off the different layers and have your guests add ice and milk.
Notes
Other fruits and jellies you can use: mango, durian, rambutan, lychee, young coconut meat, ai-yu jelly, and grass jelly.
For a more traditional and non-dairy milk option, use coconut milk and sugar. You can use either palm sugar or granulated white cane sugar. Heat the milk on the stovetop and add sugar to taste.
If you don’t have water chestnut, substitute with a firm pear, green apple, or jicama.
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Cuisine: asian, vietnamese
