Exploring Korean Dessert: Bingsu Shaved Ice and its Meaning
By Lisa Bot | Published 21 December 2023
Understanding What Bingsu Is
The History and Origins of Bingsu
Bingsu, also known as Bingsoo, is no ordinary shaved ice dessert — it's a delightful Korean treat with a rich history dating back to the Joseon Dynasty around 1392-1910. Renowned as bingsoo aka bingsu, this delicacy from South Korea, originally comprised of shaved ice from the royal ice warehouse, tipped off with honey, fruits and often a touch of red beans — giving rise to the moniker red bean ice flakes — a tantalising fusion of taste and texture. Over time, foreign influences during the Korean war introduced a new flavour dimension with the addition of nuts, rice cakes, cereals, and syrups. If you've ever had the privilege of tasting bingsu, you'd know the unique essence each variation holds. All those ingredients create a beautiful and intriguing palette of flavours on your taste buds, making bingsu a popular choice in East Asia and beyond.
Read our full guide to learn more: What Is Bingsu? The Traditional And Popular Korean Shaved Ice Dish
A Dive into the Various Types of Bingsu
Bingsu is like a flavour rainbow promising an exciting journey for all the sweet lovers out there. Though the traditional form of Bingsu is chiefly the Red-Bean Bingsu topped with sweet Azuki beans, it never stopped evolving. Fruit Bingsu, layered with seasonal fruits like kiwi, banana, or raspberries and condensed milk, has emerged as a refreshing option. Following the fruity theme, there's Milk Tea Bingsu packed with bold milk tea flavours and your choice of toppings. From Choco-Bingsu filled with everything a chocolate lover could desire such as cocoa powder to a delectable Banana Bingsu with sliced bananas, the varieties are indeed endless.
Perhaps the most popular these days is Green Tea (Matcha) Bingsu — a frozen dessert swirled with creamy green tea, red bean paste, and dusted with Matcha powder. There's even a Coffee Bingsu for caffeine addicts, a heavenly concoction of coffee, milk, and ice, topped with whipped cream and nuts. A break from the traditional bingsu flavours is the Milk Tea Bingsu, a refreshing blend of tea-infused milk and shaved ice, topped with condiments of choice.
If you prefer the sweeter side with a bit of tang, the Berry Bingsu, packed with an assortment of berries, might be your pick. Another popular choice is the Mango Bingsu featuring ripe mango slices, mixed with milk and ice, and lavished with condensed milk.
Every Bingsu variant offers a unique and irresistible experience making choosing between them all a hard task indeed!
Assembling the Perfect Bingsu
Essential Ingredients for Making Bingsu
Here's the magic formula for a delightful Bingsu: it's all about a balance of creamy, sweet, and crunchy!
- Milk and Water: This duo forms the shaved ice base. Using only milk gives a dominant milk or yogurt flavour, which might make the dessert feel too heavy. Hence, a mix of milk and water provides that perfect balance.
- Sweetened condensed milk: This not only sweetens the shaved ice base but also gives it a creamy touch. If you prefer, regular sugar or fruit syrups can be a suitable alternative.
- Toppings: The real charm of Bingsu lies in the toppings that allow you to be as creative as you want. Some sought-after additions include fresh fruits (berries, strawberries, mangoes, melons), tangy fruit syrups, ice cream, yogurt, whipped cream, injeomli or injeolmi tteok (rice cakes), sweetened red beans, crispy cereal flakes, nuts (like almond slivers), and powders like mocha and roasted soybean.
In Korea, getting your hands on these toppings is a breeze! Korean rice cakes and sweet red bean paste are readily available in local Asian grocery stores. And remember, the more colourful and varied your toppings are, the more delightful your Bingsu will be. Feel free to experiment!
Pro tips for How to Assemble Bingsu
Creating Bingsu is like creating a frozen masterpiece, and the order in which you assemble it makes a difference! To help you craft the perfect Bingsu, ensure you use a quality rolling pin to smooth out the iced slushy. A food processor with a grater attachment also proves beneficial. Here are the pro tips to enhance your Bingsu:
- Freeze your serving bowls: This step is essential for keeping the shaved ice as cold as possible and slowing down the melting process. An hour in the freezer should be enough.
- Start with a mound of shaved ice: This becomes the canvas for your Bingsu artistry. Aim for about two cups by volume per person in the frozen bowl.
- Layer the toppings: Artsy toppings alert! Start with red bean paste, mochi, and your chosen fruits. It is also worth considering adding a sprinkle of sweetened condensed milk, coffee powder, or even a unique fruits syrup to take the flavour to a new level.
- Add a sprinkle of powder: Choose from roasted soybean powder, misugaru, or matcha powder, and sieve it over your Bingsu, this will add an extra flavour boost.
- Place a scoop of ice cream on top: Crown your creation! Adding a scoop of ice cream adds the perfect touch of indulgence.
- Finish with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk: A final "cherry on top" moment could be an artistically placed garnish of whipped cream or chocolate shavings. It’s all about the presentation!
The key to an enchanting Bingsu experience is to ensure you get a little bit of all the flavours in one bite. Make sure to prepare all the toppings beforehand and once you start assembling, your Bingsu comes together quickly to retain the best texture of that freshly shaved ice. You wouldn’t want your decadent Bingsu melting away, right?
Becoming a Bingsu Home Chef
Ways to Shave Ice at Home
You might be wondering how to create those perfect fluffy and creamy snowflakes at home to form the base of your Bingsu. Fear not, here are a few easy ways to substitute for a professional ice shaver by using common kitchen gadgets:
- Food Processor or Blender: Quick and handy! Pop your frozen milk ice blocks or mixture into the gadget and pulse for about 20-30 seconds. Remember to keep the texture fine and smooth, much like classic Korean summertime desserts.
- Manual Ice Shaver or Grater: Yes, it is more time-consuming, but all the more rewarding, right? Hold the wrapped up frozen milk block with a towel to protect your skin and begin shaving it into a bowl using the grater. You'll appreciate the first-rate texture of your homemade summer dessert!
- Shaved Ice Machine: This gadget is for the Bingsu enthusiasts who yearn to recreate Korean summertime desserts more often at home. While it's a bit of an investment, you'll have perfect shaved ice at your fingertips whenever you're craving Bingsu.
Always remember to freeze the milk-water mixture in a freezer-safe container for at least 5 hours or overnight, whichever method you choose, much like the recipe instructions suggest.
Essential Equipment Recommendations for Making Bingsu
If you're going to make Bingsu a regular part of your dessert rotation, having the right equipment can make the process a breeze. Such equipment can turn your kitchen into something reminiscent of a dedicated bingsu shop, as you turn out delicious desserts. Here's what you'll need:
- Electric ice shaver - The quickest and most convenient way to shave ice for your Bingsu. This kind of precise shave is what allows for the distinctive texture found in top-notch establishments like those found in our recommendations: Top 5 Patbingsu In Sydney.
- Blender or Food Processor - If you don't have an ice shaver, a powerful blender can pull double-duty as a good substitute.
- Ice Cube Tray - You'll need this to freeze the milk mixture for the shaved ice.
- Seive or Sifter - This tool is crucial for evenly sprinkling dessert powders over your Bingsu, a technique perfected by the seobingo officials in the ‘Annals of the Joseon Dynasty’, who would prepare such treats for the royal family and nobility.
Remember, having the right equipment in your kitchen will make your Bingsu making experience more enjoyable and straightforward, much like the Bingsu shops scattered throughout Korea and extending overseas.
FAQ
What is Bingsu Made From?
Bingsu is a Korean dessert primarily made from fine shaved ice or frozen milk turned into powdery snow. This dessert is often enjoyed with a popular snack, the Korean MatDongSan, and jelly, added innovatively around the base and on top. Its appeal lies in the wide range of toppings, one of which includes sweetened condensed milk, which contributes significantly to the dessert's richness. Delectable fresh fruits, crunchy nuts, sweet red bean paste, and invigorating matcha powder often find their way onto the dessert. But the charm doesn't stop there. At times, you can even find chunks of mochi or cubes of rice cake perched on top. All these ingredients work together in harmony, creating a diverse, vibrant, and refreshing dessert sure to satisfy not only your sweet cravings, but also your craving for a unique snack.
What Country is Bingsoo From?
Bingsoo, also known as Bingsu, hails from Korea. This exquisite dessert finds its genesis in Japan but is widely favoured in Seoul, South Korea. Although many nations have their versions of shaved ice desserts, Bingsu, also commonly known as South Korea Bingsu, uniquely reflects Korean culinary traditions. It was first savoured in the Joseon Dynasty around the 14th century, mainly by the royal families and the nobility who could afford the luxury of storing and consuming ice. Today, it's enjoyed around the world with many flavourful variations added to its repertoire over time. You can find this splendid treat at most dessert shops and cafes in the busy streets of cities like Daegu and Jeju, especially during the summer season.
How do I Make My Own Bingsu at Home?
Making your own Bingsu at home is an enjoyable and creative process. Take inspiration from Korean cafes and start off by freezing a blend of milk, water, and condensed milk. Once thoroughly frozen, blend or break up the mixture into fluffy, cloud-like ice shavings.
Assemble your Bingsu starting with a foundation of these frothy ice shavings in a pre-frozen bowl. Pile on your desired toppings like fresh fruits, nuts, sweet red bean paste, or mochi. Make it akin to the offerings of Korean bakeries with special toppings like crushed oreo cookies. A luxurious drizzle of sweetened condensed milk can add a touch of creaminess, followed by a light sprinkling of matcha powder or other dessert powders. Finish it up with a generous dusting of toasted coconut flakes to enhance its tropical touch. If you're feeling indulgent, top it off with a scoop of ice cream, and enjoy!
