Last Friday, I stepped off the plane from Montana into Kansas City summer. Ninety degrees and sunny. I ditched my jacket and daydreamed about all the summery outfits I’d rather be wearing while I waited for the bus to take me back to my car. Acclimating to skin-prickling heat is never a pleasant process, but I am so ready for non-stop sunshine and long afternoons by the pool.
I’m also ready for some frozen treats! I’ve had mango on the brain lately (remember those mango spring rolls and that mango salsa?), so when the idea to make a frozen version of a mango lassi popped into my head the other day, I got right to work. Mango lassis are super refreshing blended mango and yogurt drinks. I always make room for one when I visit an Indian buffet.
This frozen yogurt version is just as refreshing as the traditional version, if not more so. It’s smooth, creamy and scoopable right from the freezer, thanks to honey’s mysterious anti-freezing properties (can someone explain the chemistry behind that?). Fresh mangos can be a little pricy and difficult to work with, so I recommend using frozen mango so you can save money and skip the slicing steps!
This frozen yogurt is super creamy by design. Full-fat yogurt’s lower water content and higher fat content is key, so don’t use low fat. You’ll also cook the mangos with honey for a while to get rid of excess moisture that would otherwise make the frozen yogurt more icy. Then you’ll blend the mixture in a blender (a food processor might work as well) and chill it completely (you always want your ice cream mixture to be super cold in order to avoid ice crystal formation).
Last but not least, you need to use two-thirds cup honey to achieve scoopable-from-the-freezer consistency. Any less and you’ll have to let it rest on the counter for a while. Cheers to summertime!
2-Quart Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker
Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender (c/o)
Glasslock Storage Container
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Mango Lassi Frozen Yogurt
Creamy mango frozen yogurt made with all-natural ingredients! This mango fro-yo is so delicious and healthy, too. Recipe yields 1 quart frozen yogurt.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the mango (frozen or fresh), honey, lime juice and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
- Remove the mango mixture from heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Purée the mixture in a blender until it is completely smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl (using a larger bowl will help the mixture cool faster) and refrigerate it until the mixture is thoroughly chilled. You can let it cool in the refrigerator for a few hours, or even overnight, or speed up the process by placing the bowl in the freezer, stirring every 15 minutes or so, for about 45 minutes.
- Mix together your chilled mango mixture and chilled yogurt, then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to your manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately for a soft serve texture, or transfer the frozen yogurt to a freezer-safe container and freeze for several hours for a scoopable consistency.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my blueberry frozen yogurt.
On the yogurt: I used Trader Joe’s European-style organic full-fat yogurt (my favorite kind). I *think* full-fat Greek yogurt will work as well, but there’s a chance the mixture will be too thick to churn. Let me know if you try!
A note on ice cream makers: I love-love-love my 2-quart Cuisinart. If you don’t have an ice cream maker and don’t want to buy one, here are a couple of methods that might work for this frozen yogurt (I haven’t tried them): how to make ice cream with a food processor (tips from Jeni Britton) and how to make ice cream without a machine (by David Lebovitz).
Nutrition
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