Reimagining The Classic Fruit Salad this Christmas!

After a savory and filling Noche Buena meal, we always top it off with a sweet dessert. For many families, Filipino Fruit Salad is the go-to choice for Christmas, and every household has a unique way to make it.

This Christmas Classic might just be the perfect dessert after a savory Noche Buena. One spoonful can take us back to childhood Christmas—the table full of food, cousins laughing together, and titos and titas singing karaoke. Its familiar sweetness brings back the warmth of those moments.

Now that we’re the adults in the kitchen, it’s our responsibility to create a Fruit Salad of our own, one that will also make memories for our loved ones to look back on. Join us as we reimagine this iconic Filipino dessert!

The Classic Fruit Salad as We Know It

Before we try to reinvent the dessert, let’s first take a look at how the classic is made. Fruit Salad is usually made with three basic ingredients: fruit cocktail, all purpose cream, and condensed milk.

Some like it plain and simple, using strictly the three main ingredients to create a Classic Fruit Salad recipe.

Others however, like it to be more special. They add grated buko (young coconut) that enhances the milky taste, red and green nata de coco for even more color and added texture, and finally diced cheese that balances out all the sweetness creating a Special Fruit Salad.

You may get different variations depending on who’s assigned to the kitchen. However, the simplicity of making it remains the same. First, drain the fruit cocktail so that your dessert does not become too watery, mix it together with all purpose cream and condensed milk, then refrigerate! 

Pro tip! To get the creamy texture for your dessert, chill for 3 hours. This lets the flavors and the cream blend together. Don’t freeze it unless you want an ice cream-like dessert.

It’s that simple! Which is why it is often the choice of dessert for a busy celebration like Noche Buena. It takes little effort to do which gives you more time to prepare for your other dishes but it still packs a lot of flavor.

Mix, Match, and Make It Your Own

Don’t get us wrong! Classics are delicious just the way they are. This is, after all, a Filipino favorite that has been enjoyed for generations, from our lolas to today’s kids. But even a beloved classic can be made a little better.

Having all-purpose cream as one of the key ingredients that really helps to make it so customizable. Its rich, creamy texture creates a delicious base that pairs well with all kinds of add-ins, giving you plenty of room to make the recipe your own.

You can add any ingredient of your choice, like sago or even fresh fruits for a more natural taste. You can also make tweaks to how it’s prepared, either blend it and make a shake or freeze it and serve it like an ice cream. The best part is that you can even use what’s left over for these recipes!

There are so many ways to make dishes uniquely yours. And once you perfected your recipe, it will also be passed on to generations, just like how the classic Fruit Salad recipe was passed down to us.

Make Your Fruit Salad a Christmas Tradition with NESTLÉ®

Whether you go for the classic, the reimagined, or if you want to create a whole new take of your own, one thing’s for sure—as long as you make it with NESTLÉ® All Purpose Cream and NESTLÉ® Carnation® Condensada, you cannot go wrong. Everyone will be sure to go back to the table for seconds!

NESTLÉ® gives the rich, thick, and creamy taste that serves as the foundation that your dessert needs! So whatever dessert that you may be serving for the holidays, make sure to make it with your favorite NESTLÉ® products.

If you need help in creating and preparing for your Noche Buena menu, make sure to check out nestlegoodnes.com/ph for more recipes to serve for the holidays!

Frequently Asked Questions