When the heat hits hard, this chilled dessert hits harder—in the best way. As a colleague once put it:
“Hot days mean summer is alive. Cool days mean I’m alive.”
And on truly scorching days, all I crave is the same refreshing dessert I had every day while filming in Zhangzhou: Four Fruit Soup. Imagine a bowl bursting with textures—jelly, fruit, chewy bites, and sweet soup, all ice-cold like your body just turned on air conditioning from the inside.
Even though I haven’t found it since returning, luckily, I’ve learned how to make it myself. Let me show you how this traditional Chinese dessert brings tropical vibes straight to your kitchen. 
What Is Four Fruit Soup?
Four Fruit Soup is a beloved Chinese cold dessert, often enjoyed in coastal areas like Fujian. It’s made of herbal jelly, tropical fruits, chewy tapioca-based add-ins, and crushed ice, drizzled with light honey syrup. It’s not just refreshing—it’s an edible summer breeze.
The Star Ingredient: Sea Moss Jelly (Hai Shi Hua)
At the heart of this dish is Eucheuma seaweed, known locally as Hai Shi Hua. Unlike regular jelly, this seaweed produces a naturally fragrant, slightly firmer gelatin when boiled.
How to Make the Base Jelly
1、Soak 60g dried sea moss in water for 20 minutes, then rinse clean.
2、Add it to 3 liters of water with 10ml white vinegar, boil on high.
3、Lower to medium heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let it steep for 1 hour.
4、Once cooled, strain through cheesecloth into a bowl. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours until set.
5、Scrape into jelly threads with a grater.
The Toppings: A Rainbow of Texture
This dessert is all about texture variety. Here’s what you can add:
1. Homemade Tapioca Drops
- Mix 200g tapioca starch with 100g boiling water, knead into dough.
- Roll into finger-thick ropes, cut into 1cm pieces.
- Boil for 10 minutes, then cool in ice water.
2. Herbal Jelly
- Mix 20g Guilinggao powder with 150ml water.
- Heat 500ml water in a pot, slowly stir in the mixture.
- Cook until thick, pour into a mold, let it set. Cut into cubes once firm.
3. Fresh Fruits
- Dice 300g watermelon and 300g pineapple.
4. Steamed Goodies
- Soak 60g mung beans, 40g red kidney beans, and 40g dried lotus seeds in water with a few pieces of rock sugar.
- Add 100g taro chunks. Steam everything together for 40 minutes.
Putting It All Together: How to Assemble Four Fruit Soup
Final Assembly
- Start with a generous scoop of sea moss jelly at the bottom.
- Add your favorite toppings: herbal jelly cubes, tapioca drops, steamed beans, fresh fruit, and taro.
- Top with crushed ice.
- Pour over 100ml honey water (20g honey + 100ml water).
There you have it—a dessert that tastes like summer in a bowl.
Bonus: Pair It With Stir-Fried Seafood Noodles
Want to go all in? Pair this icy dessert with a plate of spicy stir-fried seafood noodles. There’s nothing more satisfying than that sweet-cold contrast after a fiery hot meal.
A Taste of Tropical Cool
Four Fruit Soup isn’t just a dessert—it’s a sensation. Chewy, icy, juicy, and light, it’s the perfect thing when your body’s begging for a break from the heat.
So next time the sun’s blazing and your soul is melting, reach for this chilled bowl of comfort. Summer has never tasted this refreshing.
