Lychee is a sweet fruit native to Southeast Asia and commonly used in desserts such as puddings, jelly, and frozen treats. It can also be used in cakes and pastries, and to make wines and liqueurs. The fruit is high in vitamin C and potassium and low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol.
While the culinary possibilities are nearly endless, the most common lychee desserts include puddings and jelly, frozen desserts, and sweets. The fruit is also used to make wines and spirits. This sweet berry is native to Southeast Asia and is usually eaten fresh as the canning process tones down its fragrant flavor. Similar in appearance to a strawberry, lychee is high in vitamin C and potassium and low in sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol.
Puddings, jelly and jellies are very common types of lychee desserts. The sweet, tropical flavor of lychee, as well as its golden or white color, offer dramatic culinary results in these dishes. Fresh lychee, like any fresh fruit, can also be used to make jam. Lychee jelly, jam, and lychee candy can be purchased commercially in many stores.
Many types of frozen desserts are made with lychee fruit. Sherbet, ice cream, and sherbet can all be made with lychee puree or pulp, or the fruit itself can be frozen to simulate a lychee-flavored sherbet. Lychee ice cream is often made with milk, sugar, and cream. Malts and milkshakes can also be made with lychee-flavored frozen desserts. The flavor is refreshing yet sweet and best when very ripe fruit is available.
Lychee can be an alternative to chocolate or densely textured cakes and pastries. Lychee fruit, juice, or puree can be added to cake batter as a flavoring. Lychee-flavored cupcakes are a portable alternative to a big cake. A lychee puree or jam can also be used as a cake layer or as a pastry filling. These types of lychee desserts are often light and fragrant.
In addition to lychee desserts, this fruit is used to make sweet wines and liqueurs. Before the advent of lychee liqueur, a lychee cocktail had to be made with lychee juice or puree. As a cocktail blender, lychee is often served with citrus or cranberry alcoholic beverages, such as vodka. Lychee wine is often golden to red-gold, syrupy, and served as a dessert wine.
The lychee fruit has a strawberry-like appearance with its red, bumpy skin. This peel is removed before eating and protects the sweet, fragrant white flesh inside. The fruit grows in clusters on the lychee tree, which is mostly found in China and Southeast Asia, as well as the United States and South Africa. Cultivated for thousands of years in China, the sweetness of the fruit has long been used in the preparation of lychee desserts.
One cup of lychee fruit contains 125 calories with only 7 calories from fat. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, dietary fiber and copper. This fruit is extremely low in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.
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