Chilled edible bird's nest with Asian pear and rock sugar is a light, cooling summer dessert. Soak a dry nest for 4–6 hours or overnight until fully expanded, double-boil it with water and rock sugar for about 40 minutes, then chill it and fold in fresh, diced Asian pear just before serving. The result is a clean, gently sweet bowl with the crisp bite of pear against soft strands of bird's nest. It's one of the easiest ways we at Ten Lei Yen know to enjoy a nest on a hot day.
One dry edible bird's nest (about 8–14 g) is a generous whole-nest portion, about 2 to 4 standard servings once cooked. Soak it for 4–6 hours or overnight until it's fully expanded, then double-boil it with water and rock sugar for about 40 minutes. Chill the cooked nest and add the fresh diced Asian pear right before serving. Go easy on the rock sugar, since Asian pear is naturally sweet. Kept in the refrigerator, the finished dessert is best enjoyed within 3–5 days.
Ingredients
- 1 dry edible bird's nest (about 8–14 g)
- 1 ripe Asian pear, peeled and diced
- Rock sugar, to taste (about 1–2 tablespoons)
- Filtered water for soaking and double-boiling
How to make chilled bird's nest with Asian pear
Step 1: Soak the nest
Place the dry bird's nest in a bowl of clean, room-temperature water and soak for 4–6 hours, or overnight, until it expands fully and separates into soft strands.
Step 2: Rinse and clean
Drain the nest and rinse it gently. Remove any fine feathers or small particles with tweezers, then drain again.
Step 3: Double-boil with rock sugar
Transfer the nest to a heatproof bowl, add fresh water and rock sugar, and double-boil (set the covered bowl inside a larger pot of simmering water), using a double-boiler if you have one, for about 40 minutes, until the strands are tender.
Step 4: Chill
Let the cooked nest cool, then refrigerate until cold.
Step 5: Add fresh Asian pear and serve
Peel and dice a ripe Asian pear and fold it into the chilled bird's nest just before serving so it stays crisp.
Tips for the best result
Add the pear at the end, because cooking it would soften its signature crunch. Keep the sweetness light so the pear's fresh flavor comes through. And for an extra-cold version, serve it over a few ice cubes or with chilled water.
Storage
Keep the finished dessert in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 3–5 days. Unused dry bird's nest stores well in a cool, dry place for 2–3 years.
Can I use broken bird's nest for this recipe?
Yes. Broken or fragment nest works well in desserts and usually cooks a little faster than whole nest. Browse broken nest options.
If you'd like a premium dried nest for this, take a look at our Blue Label collection, and if it's your first time soaking one, read our step-by-step soaking and cleaning guide.
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