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A pastel pink bowl filled with shaved ice, lychee fruit, and diced pink pineapple on a light pink surface. The lychee and pineapple pieces are dispersed evenly across the mound of ice.
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shaved ice (Taiwanese baobing with lychee)

Lychee shaved ice (Taiwanese baobing) is the perfect light and refreshing dessert for any season, but especially summer! It features scoops of fluffy shaved ice topped with homemade ginger syrup, diced pink pineapple, and fresh lychees to enjoy as a fun and elegant treat.
prep time10 minutes
cook time5 minutes
freeze time10 hours
total time10 hours 15 minutes
servings: 2 servings (2 cups each)
author: cindy chou

ingredients

for the ice

for the ginger syrup (yields extra)

  • 2- inch piece ginger thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons granulated cane sugar
  • 4 tablespoons light brown sugar or 黑糖
  • 1 cup water plus extra for ice bath
  • 2 cups ice optional

for the toppings

  • 5 large lychees peeled about 3 ounces (optional: deseed, though they look prettier whole)
  • 2 tablespoons osmanthus syrup
  • ½ cup diced pink pineapple about 2½ ounces (substitute: regular pineapple)

instructions

prepare lychee ice for shaving

  • In a blender, add 15 peeled and deseeded lychees with 1 cup cold water. Blend until smooth.
  • Pour the lychee water mixture into 2 shaved ice molds that came with your machine. Cover and freeze, about 10 to 12 hours.

make the ginger syrup

  • In a small (1.5-quart) saucepan, add the sliced 2- inch piece ginger, 4 tablespoons granulated cane sugar, 4 tablespoons light brown sugar or 黑糖, and 1 cup water and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • In the meantime, prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl with 2 cups ice and fill ¾ of the way up with cold water if you plan to use the syrup right away.
  • Pour the ginger syrup in a smaller metal mixing bowl, then place the bowl in the ice bath and stir the syrup until it cools down. If making it a day ahead, you can skip steps 4 and 5 – allow the syrup to cool to room temperature and refrigerate in a covered container until ready to use.

assemble the shaved ice

  • Transfer the frozen lychee ice from the mold into the shaved ice machine, keeping the second one frozen until needed. To help release the ice from the mold, keep the mold covered and run the sides under warm water for 10 seconds.
  • Shave the ice into a shallow bowl (at least 6-inches wide), slowly rotating the bowl as the ice flakes fall. Check the thickness of the ice flakes and adjust the setting on the machine according to your preference. I prefer the thinnest possible setting.
  • Top the mound of ice with the remaining 5 large lychees peeled, 2 tablespoons osmanthus syrup, ½ cup diced pink pineapple, and ginger syrup to taste (about 2 tablespoons to start).

equipment and highlighted ingredients

notes

Please refer to the recipe post above for step-by-step photos on how to peel fresh lychee and pro tips.
substitutions & variations:
  • lychee substitute - instead of fresh lychee, you can use drained, canned lychee, though it will taste a lot sweeter.
  • light brown sugar substitute - use more granulated cane sugar instead. I tested this recipe both ways and it tastes good without light brown sugar too.
  • deluxe - use pink pineapple as I did in this recipe for that extra pop of color. The pink pineapples also have a mellow sweetness that pairs well with lychee and the osmanthus syrup!
  • extra luxurious - add a few scoops of aiyu jelly for another texture layer. It’s so good with this recipe!
  • other toppings - if you prefer other fruits, you can try a more modern strawberry shaved ice topped with sweetened condensed milk, the same ginger syrup, and pudding. Another traditional version is topped with boiled peanuts, mung beans, red beans, tang yuan (sweet rice balls), and more.
storage:
Transfer the lychee ice pucks to an airtight container or bag, then store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Store pre-cut pineapple in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Extra ginger syrup can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To store longer, portion it into ice cube trays and freeze, then transfer to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
tried this recipe?Tag me @thesoundofcooking! I'd love to see what you made.