What Is Mango Ice Cream?

Mango ice cream can take several forms, but the simplest is generally ordinary vanilla ice cream with mango flavoring added to it. Commercial companies often sell this kind of mango ice cream, though some manufacturers use some real mango juice and add mango fruit pieces to the recipe. Homemade versions of this ice cream are usually flavored with real mango nectar or pulp and can be made in an ice cream maker or in the freezer.

Manufactured mango ice cream often contains only artificial flavorings and yellow dye. Those attempting to stay away from chemicals in their food, or those that simply love real mangoes, can trade such commercial ice cream for a fast homemade version. All one needs is some organic mango syrup, a small mango, and a little vanilla ice cream. Simply peel and chop up the mango, mix the pieces with the syrup and pour stir it into a dish of vanilla ice cream. This creates an instant mango-flavored dessert.

Home cooks interested in making traditional mango ice cream require an ice cream maker. This recipe calls for a base made of whole milk, heavy cream, or coconut milk. Other non-dairy milks may not work as well because they aren’t as thick. The recipe usually also requires eggs, sugar, and pureed fresh mangoes. When added to the ice cream maker, the machine constantly stirs the ingredients while cooling them to a constant temperature. The combination of the cold and agitation usually creates creamy, smooth ice cream.

Those that aren’t satisfied with just one flavor in their ice cream don’t have to settle for simple mango ice cream. Suitable accompaniments to the mangoes include papaya, kiwi, flaked coconut, mint syrup, and even curry powder. Aficionados of exotic cuisine might also add dried apricots, coriander, cumin, and other ethnic ingredients to their mango ice cream.

Even if they have no ice cream maker, dessert-lovers may still create delicious homemade mango ice cream. In this recipe, sweetened condensed milk usually replaces the cream, sugar and eggs. When mixed with mango pulp and frozen, the milk typically does not harden entirely. Instead, it reaches a very thick, creamy consistency very much like that of ice cream. If the mixture doesn’t thicken properly, home cooks can stir it vigorously and try freezing it for a while longer. A batch of this simple mango ice cream usually achieves perfect consistency when frozen overnight.