Red beans, green tea sago and taro are hero ingredients at Sweet Dessert Shop at Sunnybank

FORGET chocolate. These unusual flavours are the next big things in dessert.

QST_TSS_WEIRDDESSERTS

IF YOU’RE tired of being vanilla when it comes to desserts- why not try one with red beans, green tea or taro.

The Sweet Dessert Shop at Sunnybank Hills and Fusion Cafe and Dessert at Robertson are bringing Asain dessert flavours to Brisbane.

Some of the menu items at Sweet Dessert include soy custard with grass jelly and tapioca, hot mochi (sweet rice balls) and green ta panna cotta.

Business owner Angel Yeh said she wanted to bring something unique to the area and decided to tap into the gap in the market.

“When I graduated there were no shops around in this style,” she said.

“Even now our shop is very unique. I try to sell things that others don’t have.”

Ms Yeh said all of her desserts were home made and preservative free.

Dietitian and senior research fellow at QUT, Helen Vidgen said some of the ingredients could have health benefits depending on how they were cooked.

“Red beans are high in fibre and healthy, it all depends on how much nutrients is maintained,” she said.

“As a dessert it would probably be better than ice cream or a mudcake.”

Angel Yeh, owner of Sweet Dessert Shop in Market Square Shopping Centre, Sunnybank. Picture: RICHARD WALKER

TASTE TEST

Reporters Sarah Orr and Felicity Caldwell taste-tested some of the restaurant’s most popular menu items.

Sago with Red Beans in Green Tea flavoured Coconut Milk 9/10

For those who don’t know, sago is the starch found in palm stems that looks like little jelly bubbles when cooked. The chewy beads add a nice bit of texture to the soupy dessert. At first I was apprehensive about trying red beans. I’ve alway associated legumes with savory Mexican dishes so it was difficult to image how they might taste mixed in with coconut milk. I was pleasantly surprised that the beans had been sweetened and worked well with the rest of the meal.

Sago with taro in coconut milk 8/10

Taro is a root vegetable which looks similar to a potato. Despite it’s unusual appearance, taro has a surprisingly sweet flavour that translates well in desserts. The hot soup makes for a hearty winter belly warmer.

Shaved ice with fruit6/10

Shaved ice is often made, as its name suggests, by shaving an ice block. The dessert which originated in Hawaii is a less dense than a snow cone. Topped with fruit, it felt like a healthy option. The refreshing dessert is perfect for summer- but try to eat slowly to avoid a brain freeze.

Soy custard with grass jelly and tapioca 7/10

The jelly was really sweet, there were little juicy surprises within the creamy soupy mixture. There was a good variety of different textures. It was sweet but not too sweet- it wasn’t overbearing with sugar.