Hwachae inspired Fruit Bowl

hwachae recipe

Photo by Jessica Furniss

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Viral TikTok recipes took over my feed in 2024 and one of the ones I saw the most was hwachae recipes. This Korean inspired fruit and milk breakfast bowl not only sounded delicious but looked beautiful! The trend was started by @amyflamy1 when she woke up severely dehydrated and shared her delicious cold fruit bowl. People loved it so much they started creating their own! TikToks of folks saying “It’s three A.M. and I woke up severely dehydrated” followed by them piling fresh fruit, jellies, watermelon, strawberries, boba, strawberry milk, lemon lime soda and tons of different variations were all over my TikTok feed. So, I had to make my own recipe inspired by this Korean fruit bowl. I chose to add it to our Valentine’s Day brunch menu, but you can have hwachae for breakfast or dessert!

korean fruit punch

Photo by Jessica Furniss

What is Hwachae?

In all of my research I found that folks have many different versions of this Korean style fruit bowl. The most traditional recipes I saw did a “Korean Watermelon Punch Hwachae” which used the hwachae ingredients of watermelon, strawberries, sweetened condensed milk, strawberry milk, Chilsing cider, and ice. My recipe is inspired by these more traditional versions, but I used easier to find lemon lime soda in place of the Chilsing cider. If you have Chilsing cider available, I’d recommend using that instead.

How to make hwachae inspired fruit bowl?

The order you make this recipe in matters! Mix the sweetened condensed milk, strawberry syrup, and milk together until the syrup and condensed milk are fully combined. I learned the hard way that hwachae curdling happens if you don’t use sweetened condensed milk. Next add the ice, then chopped fruit. Stir everything to combine well, then the last step is to top with the lemon lime soda.

Is hwachae good for you?

Hwachae is good for you! It’s literally a bowl of fresh fruit. A lot of us don’t get nearly enough fresh fruits and vegetables in our daily diet. I’ve found that the sweet strawberry milk with a splash of Sprite and lots and lots of ice helps me eat even more fruits than I normally would. Hwachae is very hydrating because not only is melon itself hydrating, along with the other fruits, but as the ice melts you get lots of extra water too.

My hwachae curdled

The first few times I made hawachae it curdled. I’ve even seen some folks say they enjoy the curdling so to each their own, but I did not want my hwachae to curdle. After some research I discovered that the trick is to mix in a small amount of sweetened condensed milk with the regular milk before adding the other ingredients. The sugar in the sweetened condensed milk keeps the hwachae from curdling!

Variations

I’ve done several different versions of hwachae inspired fruit bowls. I simply use the fruits I either have on hand or what I’m craving and it works great. My favorite combos are hwachae with watermelon, strawberries, and grapes or hwachae with cantaloupe and grapes. But, try any combo of fruit you enjoy. Don’t be afraid to make it your own!

korean watermelon punch

Photo by Jessica Furniss

Tips for Hwachae

  • Help! My hwachae style fruit bowl is curdling!

    • To avoid hwachae curdling be sure to stir the sweetened condensed milk and regular milk together until the condensed milk is fully dissolved. The sugar keeps the milk from curdling.  

  • Dice your fruit small

    • At one of my first kitchen jobs a chef taught me when you make salad of any kind you should dice everything to as close to the same size as possible. That goes for hwachae too! Try to keep the fruit a uniform size for the best eating experience.

  • Can you make hwachae ahead of time?

    • In my opinion, no. Hwachae should be enjoyed immediately and consumed entirely. Trying to store it in the fridge or freezer doesn’t work well. So just make as much as you can eat at a time!

Find my mocktail recipes in my e-book Hydrating Mocktails: 31 drink recipes to leave you hydrated instead of hungover.

All photos & recipes Ⓒ Jessica Furniss

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Author: Jessica Furniss
Hwachae Inspired Fruit Bowl

Hwachae Inspired Fruit Bowl

Fresh fruit and strawberry milk create with a surprising extra ingredient create a unique breakfast
Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tbs sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 tbs strawberry syrup (like Hershey's or Nesquik)
  • 2 cups melon (watermelon, canteloupe, honeydo, etc)
  • 1 cup grapes (or strawberries, or any other fruit you like)
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1/2- 1 cup lemon lime soda (or Chilsing Cider)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, and strawberry syrup. Mix together with a whisk until the condensed milk is fully incorporated.
  2. Add the fruit and ice to the milk mixture and stir to combine.
  3. Top with the lemon lime soda and enjoy immediately!
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