Vietnamese Milk Jelly Dessert (Thạch Sữa)

Vietnamese Milk Jelly Dessert (Thạch Sữa) © kvalifood.com

Thạch sữa is a Vietnamese dessert of soft milk and cream jellies in three colours, served in a light sweet sauce with lychee or longan and toasted almonds. The jellies are made in advance and chilled. It is a popular dessert at celebrations and family meals.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

Milk jelly (3 colours)

  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 300 ml heavy whipping cream (30-40% fat)
  • 60 g sugar
  • 30 g gelatin (powder or sheets)
  • 15 ml strawberry syrup, for pink jelly
  • 2 g matcha powder (or cocoa powder), for green or brown jelly
  • 15 ml hot water, for dissolving matcha

Sweet sauce

  • 1 l water (or coconut juice)
  • 90 g sugar
  • 5 pandan leaves, optional
  • 50 ml coconut cream, optional

To serve

  • canned lychee (or longan)
  • 40 g sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Make the jelly

  1. Divide the milk, cream, and sugar into 3 equal portions (100 ml milk + 100 ml cream + 20 g sugar each).
  2. White jelly: heat 100 ml milk and 100 ml cream with 20 g sugar over low heat. Add 10 g gelatin and stir until completely dissolved. Strain through a sieve and pour into a flat-bottomed container. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until set.
  3. Green or brown jelly: dissolve 2 g matcha or cocoa in 15 ml hot water. Make the milk and cream base as above, then stir in the matcha or cocoa mixture. Strain and chill.
  4. Pink jelly: same as the green jelly but add 15 ml strawberry syrup instead of matcha.

Make the sauce

  1. Bring the water or coconut juice to a boil with the sugar and pandan leaves (if using). Stir until dissolved. Cool, then stir in coconut cream. Refrigerate until serving.

Assemble

  1. Remove the set jellies from their containers. Cut into 2 cm cubes.
  2. Place jelly cubes and lychee or longan in individual bowls.
  3. Pour the cold sweet sauce over. Scatter toasted almonds on top.
  4. Serve with a little crushed ice if desired.

Notes

  • The jelly needs at least 4 hours to set - overnight is easiest.
  • Gelatin sheets (soaked in cold water first) or powdered gelatin both work. Follow the package ratio for the amount of liquid.
  • Pandan leaves give the sauce a subtle grassy-vanilla fragrance. Skip if unavailable.