Jin Jin Dessert - Gangster Ice, Power Chendol Since 2004

Jin Jin Dessert has been serving hawker desserts at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre since 2004, run for most of that time by Calvin and Ewan, two owners who took over the stall without any prior background in food and beverage.

The stall has built its reputation on two dishes in particular — a chendol made with gula melaka cooked fresh daily, and a durian-mango shaved ice known to regulars as Gangster Ice — but its full dessert list runs well beyond these two bestsellers. Several other items, less frequently covered, offer a different sense of what the stall does well.

Power Chendol — $2.50

The chendol uses raw gula melaka imported from Indonesia, which the owners cook themselves rather than relying on a pre-made syrup. The result is a thick, caramel-like sauce with a faint smoky edge, poured generously over shaved ice rather than mixed in beforehand, so the syrup stays distinct until stirred through. Underneath, the bowl carries pandan jelly strands, azuki beans, attap chee, and coconut milk.

Gangster Ice — $3.50

This shaved ice dessert combines crushed ice, fresh mango chunks, and a scoop of Mao Shan Wang durian puree, finished with a drizzle of condensed milk. The name plays on the Chinese characters for durian and mango, which when shortened sound similar to a slang term for “gangster.” The switch to Mao Shan Wang durian, rather than a milder or processed variety, has been the reason behind the dish’s price increase in recent years.

Volcano — $2

A simpler dessert built from just three components: red beans, carnation milk, and crushed ice. The beans are cooked so that some sections soften into a mash-like texture while others retain bite, and the dish takes its name from the maroon-hued beans that resemble lava spilling down the mound of ice. It carries less sweetness than the stall’s signature items, suiting those who prefer a lighter dessert.

Ice Jelly Soursop — $2.50

Pale-green soursop pulp sits over a base of crushed ice and light, mildly flavoured jelly cubes, with a wedge of calamansi served on the side. Diners squeeze the calamansi in at the table, which sharpens the soursop’s natural tang with a citrus lift. The jelly itself plays a textural role rather than a flavour one, balancing out the soursop’s pulpy consistency.

Durian De Corn — $3

This dessert pairs golden corn kernels with a scoop of durian puree over crushed ice, finished with carnation milk. The durian used is whole fruit flesh rather than a processed paste, giving the dish a stronger, more direct durian character. The corn kernels add a crunchy, faintly sweet contrast against the richness of the durian.

Mount Fuji

A matcha-based shaved ice paired with sweetened azuki beans, styled closer to Japanese kakigori than the stall’s more traditional local desserts. It sits among the stall’s wider rotation of less-publicised items, offering a different flavour direction from the chendol and durian-led dishes that dominate the menu.

Cheng Tng Gingko — $2

Served hot, this dessert offers a contrast to the rest of the cold-leaning menu. The bowl consists of sago pearls, longan, and white fungus in a lightly sweetened broth, with the sago cooked to a notably chewy texture and the broth carrying a clear longan flavour rather than leaning on sugar alone.

Across both its hot and cold offerings, Jin Jin Dessert continues to draw on more than two decades of operating at ABC Brickworks, with its chendol and durian-mango ice remaining the most consistent draws for visitors to the market.

Address: 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-21, ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre, Singapore 150006
Opening Hours: 12pm – 9:30pm, Thursday to Tuesday (closed Wednesdays)
Tel: +65 9093 2018
Website: jinjindessertclub.com
Facebook: Jin Jin Dessert Club