A new summer dessert has gone viral and is taking the place of past seasonal sweets as food creators everywhere try an easy, at-home hack to make shaved ice using their favourite frozen fruit and a grater.
What is shaved ice?
The TikTok shaved ice trend requires three ingredients: frozen fruit, a can of sweetened condensed milk and a grater.
The recipe appeared on Frankie Gaw’s TikTok (@littlefatboyfrankie). Soon afterwards, it went viral with users commenting on the genius trend.
@littlefatboyfrankie Strawberry shaved ice 🍧🍓 All you need is frozen berries and a grater! #kitchenhacks #strawberry #desserts #fruit #fyp #foryou #letseat ♬ Sunshine - WIRA
Before we delve into the delicious details, let us take a journey back in time to explore the origins of shaved ice.
Dating from ancient China, shaved ice was initially a royal indulgence. The process of shaving ice into delicate flakes remained exclusive until it spread to other parts of the world. Now, it is a beloved summer staple enjoyed by people of all ages.
As crushed or shaved ice desserts travelled across the world, they incorporated new flavours and expanded on techniques to create a new emphasis on the concept.
How to make it? It’s simple. Freeze your favourite fruit (people have done this with peaches, oranges, strawberries and watermelon), then grab a microplane zester, or another fine grater, and shave the frozen fruit into a bowl.
The “shaved ice”, as most people are calling it, then gets an array of accompanying textures and flavours from toppings like sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, toasted nuts and honey.
TikTokers have created their own versions of the recipe, with some saying “freeze cantaloupe and grate it! It’s an Iranian treat”.
Some are even troubleshooting and sharing their tips: “If anyone has a hard time hand grating, I recommend using a food processor with a grating blade!”
I guess it is safe to say that the treat is a big step up from an ice cream truck snow cone, and it is amazing how something this vibrant can be made with few ingredients.