The Ultimate Guide to Che Thai (Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail)
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 303kcal
Che Thai is like a fruity party in a glass—cool, creamy, colorful, and totally customizable! Made with coconut milk, jellies, and fresh fruit, this Vietnamese dessert drink is the ultimate build-your-own treat. Mix and match your favorite toppings and get ready to sip, scoop, and slurp your way through every layer!
Print Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
"Red Rubies"
- 1 (8 oz) can whole water chestnuts
- 3 drops red food coloring
- ⅔ cup tapioca starch
- water
Pandan Agar Jelly
- 1¾ cups water
- 2 teaspoons agar agar powder (Telephone Brand)
- ½ teaspoon pandan extract
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
Pandan Noodle Jelly (Cendol)
- ⅔ cup mung bean starch
- 3 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon pandan extract
Canned Fruits
- 1 (20 oz) can jackfruit, drained and thinly sliced
- 1 (20 oz) can lychee and it's juice
- 1 (20 oz) can longan, drained
- 1 (18 oz) can toddy palm seed, drained
- 1 (12 oz) jar coconut jelly (coco de nata), drained
- fresh or canned coconut, cut into strips
Milk
- 1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
- 1 cup coconut cream or coffee creamer (hazelnut or French vanilla) (use either one)
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
Red Rubies
- Prep the Chestnuts: Drain and pat dry. Cut into ¼-inch cubes.
- Color: Toss with 2–3 drops of red food dye until evenly coated.
- Coat: Sprinkle with tapioca starch and toss to coat. Shake off excess using a colander.
- Cook: Boil 2–3 inches of water. Add chestnuts and cook 2–3 minutes, or until they float.
- Cool: Transfer to an ice bath and chill for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Pandan Agar Agar Jelly
- Mix: In a saucepan, whisk water, agar agar powder, pandan extract, and sugar.
- Cook: Bring to a boil, then simmer 6–7 minutes until fully dissolved.
- Set: Pour into a small pan, let cool, and refrigerate for 2 hours until firm. Cut into cubes.
Pandan Noodle Jelly (Cendol)
- Set Up: Fit a potato ricer with a coarse disc and prepare an ice bath.
- Mix: In a saucepan, whisk together water, sugar, mung bean starch, tapioca starch, and pandan extract.
- Cook: Whisk over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes until thick and smooth.
- Shape: Working in batches, press the batter through the ricer into the ice bath.
- Cool: Let chill for at least 10 minutes, then drain and refrigerate.
Assemble Che Thai
- Make the Coconut Base: Simmer coconut cream with sugar until dissolved. Let cool.
- Combine: In a large bowl, mix coconut base with half-and-half (or creamer).
- Add Toppings: Stir in red rubies, both jellies, and canned or fresh fruits (jackfruit, lychee, longan, toddy palm, coconut jelly, shredded coconut).
- Serve: Chill for 1 hour or serve right away over crushed ice.
Notes
- Red Rubies: Pat chestnuts dry and sift off extra starch to avoid clumping. Cook in small batches and cool in an ice bath for at least 10 minutes.
- Pandan Jelly: Make it ahead—needs at least 2 hours to set. Short on time? Use store-bought ai yu or grass jelly.
- Worm Jelly: Have your tools and ice bath ready. The batter cooks fast, so stir constantly and press while it’s still hot.
- Assembly: Chill the coconut base before mixing and add fruits just before serving for the freshest texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 152mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
