Mango Coconut Icecream

Here's to two of my best friends from the blogosphere -
Meeta who celebrated her Birthday on 2nd June and Sig who is celebrating her anniversary today !!

This is my first ever attempt at making ice cream at home. With Natural Ice Cream's main outlet a stone's throw away from home, I really can't be blamed right? Musk melon, Fresh strawberry and Papaya-Pineapple have been my season's favourites and Custard Apple & Tender coconut are my all time favourites.

Their natural fruity ice creams have only 3 ingredients - Milk, Sugar and Fruit pulp / chunks. It can't get fresher and simpler than this. A half kilo box costs around Rs.150 ( under $4.00 ). I wont be wrong if I say this is Mumbai's favourite icecream brand. While I like trying out the gelatos that are taking the city by the storm, nothing can beat Naturals!!

Anita's Roasted Banana icecream truly inspired me to try my own, especially because she made with without any fancy schmancy gadgets. Meeta's dark chocolate raspberry icecream made me feel like hiding my own simple creation right at the back of the freezer LOL!! And there's Priya's Mango icecream giving company to my own...




Mango Coconut Icecream
Category: Dessert, Icecream, Fruits
Serves 6
Recipe source: Rediff.com

Ingredients

500 ml cold milk (3% or higher fat content)
200 ml tetrapack of coconut milk
1 cup skimmed milk powder
3/4 cup sugar or equivalent Splenda for those who avoid sugar
1 tsp mango essence or vanilla extract or cardamom powder
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped into small pieces

Directions

1. Turn your freezer control to 'quick chill' or lowest temperature one hour before you start with the ingredients.

2. Take all of the ingredients except chopped mango in a large deep bowl and churn with a handblender for 10 minutes till frothy. It's good to take some breaks of a few seconds each so as not to overheat the blender's motor.

3. Put in the mango pieces and blend for another 2 minutes.

4. You may either turn this mixture into your ice cream maker and follow instructions or pour it into an airtight plastic jar / aluminium tin and freeze for 4-5 hours.

5. Remove the contents back into the bowl and churn with hand blender for 5 minutes or so, until all the frozen chunks are broken and frothy.

6. Repeat as in 4.

7. Icecream should be set and ready. Scoop out into chilled bowls and garnish with mint leaves or cardamom powder or mango slices.

Notes

The coconut flavour happened as a result of laziness. I didn't have the cream on hand to use in the recipe, and since coconut milk is as thick as cream, I decided to give it a try. Coconut and mango both being tropical flavours, blend quite well. If you are a person who loves pinacolada type flavours, you are sure to love this one.

If you do not have a hand blender, by all means use your regular food processor / mixer to beat the frozen icecream.

This is my entry to Meeta's BIG BIRTHDAY BANG!