Unexpected, exotic – and kind of like a snow cone.

Seoul, Korea is out in front internationally on many food trends. We were in Seoul recently and loved the Korean Shaved Ice desserts. They are exotic, easy to make at home and oddly reminiscent of a snow-cone, ok, a gourmet snow-cone. They are refreshing, but not as rich as ice cream. You can substitute one of the many nut milks for the condensed milk and have a dairy free dessert. Summer is the perfect season for shaved ice. Traditionally made with sweetened red beans, I prefer the modern twist with recognizable sweet elements from summer berries and fruits to Oreos.

You can get close to shaved ice by crunching up ice in your blender. If you are intrigued but want to try the recipes before you invest in a shaved ice machine – your blender will work. Your ice will be more like snow crystals than shaved ice.

Here are some shaved ice recipes. They include some classic Korean ingredients like red bean paste, mochi sweet rice cakes, and misugaru mixed grain powder. I have sourced them for you at the bottom of the article. Don’t be put off by unrecognized ingredients – you can also use condensed milk, summer fruit and sugar!

Bingsu Korean Shaved Ice with sweet red beans from Kimchimari.

Put two cups of shaved ice in a bowl for one serving
Add sliced strawberries and a handful of blueberries.
Sprinkle on 2 TBS of Misugara roasted grain powder (or substitute slivered almonds)
Add 3 TBS of mini mochi sweet rice cakes
Spoon ¼ cup of sweet red beans on top.
Add 1 TBS of sweetened, condensed milk.

Korean Shaved Ice Dessert with Watermelon, from Kimchimari.

Two cups of shaved ice per serving
Cover shaved ice with scoops of watermelon
Add 2-3 TBS of condensed milk

Options: Add mini mochi, misugaru, blueberries

Image credit: Alice Choi

Korean Shaved Ice, from TheKitchen uses shaved ice as a base, and adds fruit and even ice cream or frozen mochi. Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups shaved ice
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons prepared Azuki sweet red beans
1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped
1/2 cup peaches, chopped
1/2 cup kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
4 pieces red bean mochi or ice cream mochi balls
2 scoops ice cream, any flavor
Puffin Berry or Fruity Pebbles cereal, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

Using your electric shaved ice machine, fill each bowl with about 1 cup of shaved ice. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of the sweetened condensed milk and top with another cup of shaved ice. Top the shaved ice with 2 tablespoons of the sweet red beans in the middle and add 1/4 cup each of the chopped fruit, strawberries, peaches and kiwifruit, around the bowl.
Top with the red bean mochi or ice cream mochi balls, one scoop of your favorite ice cream and Fruity Pebbles cereal for fun. Repeat steps for the second serving and enjoy.

RECIPE NOTES

You can use the sweet red bean paste or the prepared canned version where the beans are left whole. Both can be found at any Asian market or ordered online (see the end of this article)
Korean cafes will often serve Patbingsu in a large bowl to share so feel free to make one large dish, pile on the toppings, grab some spoons and enjoy with your friends.

Patbingsu, Korean Shaved Ice Dessert, From My Korean Kitchen

INGREDIENTS, SERVES 2

400 g / 0.9 pounds ice cubes
2 TBS sweet red bean paste (or more to taste)
2 TBS sweetened condensed milk (or more to taste)
16 mini sweet rice cakes (mochi)
80 g / 2.8 ounces strawberry, chopped
45 g / 1.6 ounces kiwi, thinly sliced
45 g / 1.6 ounces blueberry
45 g / 1.6 ounces pineapple, chopped
*Other popular toppings – A scoop of ice cream, breakfast cereal (e.g. cornflakes), green tea powder, Korean roasted grains, mango, banana, jellies. The list goes on and on.

HOW TO MAKE PATBINGSU (KOREAN SHAVED ICE)

Put the ice blocks into a food processor (or shaved ice machineif you have one). Grind the ice (for about 20 seconds) until it has a smooth texture.
Place the shaved ice into a chilled serving bowl. Top up with your choice of fruit, red bean paste, mochi. Garnish with sweetened condensed milk. (FYI: I like layering the sweetened condensed milk on top of the shaved ice as well as on top of the fruit.)
Serve.

This Cuisinart Snow Cone Maker will give you shaved ice for your dessert, and you can also use it for frozen drinks. 11.5 x 12.5 x 13.88 inches. $50.99

Shaved ice and snow cone maker. ZENY Electric Ice Shaver with a stainless-steel blade. 17.5 x 8 x 12 inches. $42.99

This hand crank ice shaver works best if you freeze ice into flat sided, hockey puck shapes. It is an inexpensive way to see if you like shaved ice desserts. Time for Treats Manual Snow Cone Maker. $19.47.

The Ice Shaver from Throwback has a powerful engine and gets great reviews. 13.58 x 13.07 x 19.4”. $199

Note: If you are having a full crowd at backyard barbecue, you can rent a restaurant quality shaved ice machine.

If you are going to eat your Korean Shaved Ices outside, here are biodegradable, compostable cups and ‘spoon-straws’. 400, 4 oz. cups and spoon-straws. $24.90

Koshi An, Sweetened Red Bean Paste. (Asuki bean paste)17.6oz. $7.30.

Morinaga Ogura An (Sweetened Whole Red Beans) 15.16 Oz. $7.97

Mini Mochi, sweet rice cakes. Selection of strawberry, Mango, blueberry and honeydew. 10.6 oz. $8.25

Misugaru – Mixed grain powder which makes a healthy hot drink when mixed with milk or water and is a traditional ingredient in Korean shaved ice. Barley, Steaming Rice, Corn, Roasted Bean, Sorghum, Glutinous rice, Glutinous millet, Black sesame, Black Bean, Job’s tears, Sesame, Peanut, Brown Rice, Perilla Seeds, Wheat corn, Rye, Alpha Cornstarch. Misugaru. $13.99