Snow Nest Dessert Soup with Coconut Milk and Peach Gum
Snow Nest Dessert Soup with Coconut Milk and Peach Gum (椰汁雪燕桃胶糖水): The Ultimate TCM Beauty Tonic - This luxurious Chinese beauty tonic combines two types of tree resin with creamy coconut milk for double the collagen benefits. Sweet, silky, and deeply moisturizing for glowing skin and internal hydration.
- Prep time
- 8 hr
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 20g dried snow nest (雪燕, Xuě yàn)
- 30g dried peach gum (桃胶, Táo jiāo)
- 10 red dates (红枣, Hóng zǎo), pitted
- 2 tablespoons goji berries (枸杞, Gǒu qǐ)
- 1 can (400ml) full-fat coconut milk (椰汁, Yē zhī)
- 80-100g rock sugar (冰糖, Bīng táng), adjust to taste
- 6 cups (1.5 litres) cold filtered water
- 15g dried snow fungus (银耳, Yín ěr) for extra silkiness
- 20g dried lotus seeds (莲子, Lián zǐ), cores removed
- 15g dried lily bulbs (百合, Bǎi hé)
- 3-4 pieces dried longan (龙眼, Lóng yǎn)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse dried snow nest under cold water. Place in a large bowl and cover with plenty of room temperature water (it expands significantly). Soak overnight or at least 8 hours.
- 2
In a separate bowl, rinse dried peach gum and cover with room temperature water. Use more water than seems necessary as it swells to 10x its size. Soak overnight or at least 8 hours.
- 3
If using snow fungus, soak for 1 hour until fluffy. If using lotus seeds with green cores, soak for 2 hours then remove the bitter cores. Lily bulbs need 15-30 minutes.
- 4
Drain snow nest and peach gum separately. Pick through both carefully to remove any dark bark pieces, stems, or impurities. The resins should be translucent and soft. If using snow fungus, drain it, trim off the tough yellow base, and tear into bite-sized pieces.
- 5
In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- 6
Add the cleaned snow nest, peach gum, and red dates to the boiling water. If using snow fungus, lotus seeds, or lily bulbs, add them now.
- 7
Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The resins should be completely soft and the liquid slightly thickened.
- 8
Pour in the full can of coconut milk during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Stir well to combine. The soup should turn creamy and pale.
- 9
Stir in rock sugar to taste, starting with 80g. Let it dissolve completely, then taste and adjust. The sweetness should complement the coconut milk without being cloying.
- 10
Toss in goji berries during the final 5 minutes of cooking to preserve their bright red color and prevent them from becoming mushy.
- 11
Check sweetness and consistency. If too thin, simmer uncovered for another 5-10 minutes to reduce. If too sweet, add a splash of water.
- 12
Ladle into bowls and serve warm for a comforting winter tonic, or cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 2-4 hours to serve chilled in warmer weather.