Vegan Strawberry Kakigori
A refreshing Japanese dessert made from finely shaved ice, drizzled with a simple homemade strawberry syrup and creamy vegan condensed milk. This light and cooling treat is perfect for a hot day and is surprisingly simple to prepare at home.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 55 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
Allergen information: may contain milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
ice
- 500 mlwater, filtered, for making ice block
syrup
- 250 gstrawberry, hulled and roughly chopped
- 100 ggranulated sugar
- 120 mlwater
- 1 tsplemon juice, freshly squeezed(optional)
topping
- 4 tbspvegan condensed milk, e.g., coconut-based
garnish
- 50 gstrawberry, sliced(optional)
Equipment
ice shaver · saucepan · fine-mesh sieve · cutting board · knife · serving bowls
The method
Step by step
- 1
Freeze the filtered water in the mold provided with your ice shaver at least 8 hours in advance, or overnight.
Cook’s note: Using filtered water results in clearer ice with a better texture.
- 2
To make the syrup, combine the chopped strawberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan.
About 2 min
- 3
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
About 3 min
- 4
Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing the strawberries with a spoon, until they have broken down completely.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Mashing the fruit helps release more flavor and color into the syrup.
- 5
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, if using.
About 1 min
- 6
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl or jar, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: For an even clearer syrup, you can line the sieve with cheesecloth.
- 7
Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
About 30 min
Cook’s note: The syrup must be cold before pouring over the ice to prevent melting.
- 8
When ready to serve, shave the ice block using your ice shaver, letting the shavings fall into two serving bowls.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Aim for a light, fluffy texture, like freshly fallen snow.
- 9
Generously drizzle the chilled strawberry syrup over the mounds of shaved ice.
About 1 min
- 10
Finish by drizzling the vegan condensed milk over the top and garnishing with fresh strawberry slices.
About 1 min
Keep it good
Kakigori is best enjoyed immediately; leftover strawberry syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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