Name: Jakarta Rose Syrup Shaved Ice with Coconut
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 tall glasses
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup bottled rose syrup (sirup rose); 100 g palm sugar, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup water; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 400 ml canned coconut milk, full fat; 2 pandan leaves, knotted; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt; 3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk; 1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced; 100 g ripe jackfruit, pulled into thin strips; 100 g young coconut meat, sliced into thin strips; 50 g dried black tapioca pearls; 4 cups finely shaved ice; Extra condensed milk for drizzling

A classic Betawi street dessert from Jakarta, this fragrant shaved ice combines rose-scented syrup, pandan-infused coconut milk, and sweet tropical fruit toppings. Served in tall glasses, it is a cooling, colorful ritual on hot Indonesian afternoons. The layered syrups and creamy coconut sauce make every spoonful floral, nutty, and refreshing.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time35 mins

Servings4

Yield4 tall glasses

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

385 kcalCalories
18 gFat
13 gSaturated Fat
52 gCarbs
5 gFiber
38 gSugar
3 gProtein
65 mgSodium
420 mgPotassium
60 mgCalcium
1.5 mgIron
12 mgVitamin C
95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Rose Syrup and Palm Sugar Syrup

1/2 cup bottled rose syrup (sirup rose)
100 g palm sugar, roughly chopped
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Coconut Milk Sauce

400 ml canned coconut milk, full fat
2 pandan leaves, knotted
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
3 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

For the Toppings

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
100 g ripe jackfruit, pulled into thin strips
100 g young coconut meat, sliced into thin strips
50 g dried black tapioca pearls
4 cups finely shaved ice
Extra condensed milk for drizzling

Directions

Simmer the chopped palm sugar with 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring until fully dissolved into a thick syrup; stir in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool.
Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the tapioca pearls, and cook for 10-12 minutes until they become fully translucent with no white core; drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and keep them chewy.
Make the coconut sauce by combining the coconut milk, pandan leaves, and salt in a small saucepan; warm gently over low heat for 5 minutes without boiling, then remove the pandan leaves and stir in the condensed milk; chill in the refrigerator until cold.
Prepare the toppings by dicing the avocado, pulling the jackfruit into thin strips, and slicing the young coconut meat; keep everything covered and chilled until assembly.
Just before serving, shave the ice using an ice shaver or crush it in a blender pulsed briefly until it looks like fresh snow; work quickly so it does not melt.
Layer each tall glass starting with 1 cup of shaved ice, drizzle 2 tablespoons of rose syrup over the ice, add a spoonful each of avocado, jackfruit, young coconut, and tapioca pearls, then pour 1/4 cup of the chilled coconut sauce over the top.
Finish each glass with a generous drizzle of the palm sugar syrup and a thin stream of condensed milk; serve immediately with a long spoon and a wide straw.

Cook’s Notes

Use authentic bottled rose syrup (sirup rose) rather than rose water, which is too concentrated and perfumed; the bottled version balances sugar, color, and floral notes properly.
Shave the ice at the very last moment and assemble each glass one at a time so the ice stays fluffy and snow-like rather than turning watery.
If ripe jackfruit is hard to find, substitute with langsat, pineapple tidbits, or canned mixed tropical fruit cocktail in light syrup.
Chill the serving glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes beforehand to keep the dessert cold and slow the melt.
Toast a pinch of desiccated coconut and sprinkle it on top for added aroma and texture.