8 spots in the Klang Valley for your cold dessert fix

Paolo Paolo is unlike any other ice cream parlour. For starters, it doesn’t serve ice cream—it specialises in gelato. Gelato is an Italian frozen dessert made with a higher proportion of milk than other forms of ice cream. The dessert is silkier and denser than traditional ice cream as a result of the churning process, which Paolo Paolo has mastered.

Flavours are often rotated, but a few are constants, like baccio and pistachio. If you happen to visit the store when brown butter gelato or pear and vanilla sorbet are on the menu, we recommend getting a double scoop of the two. 

It may seem strange to suggest a spicy fried chicken joint as somewhere to cool down but we had to, given Fowlboys’ incredible milkshakes. Fowlboys offers decadent shakes to mitigate the spice of its extra hot seasoning, which incidentally makes these treats perfect for the current climate.

Each milkshake, from its classic chocolate to the popularly ordered malted peanut butter, is crafted with Australian ice cream. When it’s simply too hot to eat, a dessert consumed through a straw can be just the solution.

Cendol has been an age-old antidote to tropical heat, with the treat firmly planted in our culinary heritage. Strings of pandan jelly and red beans suspended in ice-cold coconut milk make for an incomparably refreshing local favourite. Cendol & Rojak Taman Bahagia have been in operation for decades, serving bowls of the treat from a truck situated next to the Taman Bahagia LRT Station.

What makes this roadside eatery so popular among the area’s residents is the simplicity of its dessert. Its cendol is expertly balanced from its sweetness to toppings to shaved ice ratio. Brave the heat for a serving of cendol with sweet corn and red bean, or opt for a more substantial portion fortified by pulut.

See also: In The Mood For Food: How Aliyaa and The Chow Kit Kitchen & Bar Are Transforming Local Desserts
 

Helmed by an internationally acclaimed pastry chef, Sōfte is known for its elevated soft serve. Each flavour is distinctly complex and layered, using soft serve as the foundation of other expertly crafted sweets. Sōfte’s creations playfully intertwine traditional techniques with local flavours. Take, for example its Everything Rice, a toasted rice ice cream drizzled with miso caramel and sprinkled with puffed rice. While a scoop of ice cream on a waffle cone is the usual cure-all for heatwaves, Sōfte uplifts attempts to stay cool with its intricate cold desserts. 

Kepong may seem like a long way to travel for ice kacang, but this spot is worth it. If you like mango, you’re in luck because Fatty Loong ABC seems to have an unlimited supply of the fruit, topping mountains of ice with generous portions. Find an assortment of ice kacang variations here to cool down, from its shaved ice doused in taro puree to classic ice kacang sweetened with Gula melaka syrup. 

Licky Chan has made a name for itself in the Klang Valley for offering unique flavours and for turning beloved spirits into frozen desserts. Unconventional flavours take centre stage here from its five-cheese and blueberry to its black sesame and raspberry ice creams. The dessert spot also houses an assortment of refreshing sorbets for when dairy-based desserts sound too cloying.

Its gin and tonic-inspired sorbet is one of this writer’s favourites. Licky Chan’s Lickin’ Gin and Juice sees a blend of Bombay Sapphire, tonic, and calamansi brought together by olive oil. A scoop of this is bright, citrusy, and perfect on a hot day. 

Don’t miss: 7 local healthier ice cream brands we love
 

Traditionally served in Chinese cuisine as a follow-up to savoury meals, tong sui is a sweetened soup known for its medicinal properties. The dish can be served hot or cold, but we recommend the latter at times like these. Wang Tong Shui Station specialises in the time-honoured cold dessert, housing an impressive, rotating selection of the treat. Order the joint’s most refreshing offering—chilled snow fungus and longan broth with morsels of peach gum.