When it comes to mangoes, I'm biased. Mangoes in the Philippines have been and will always be the best. I mean, there's the marvellous Guimaras mango that is as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. There's also the Zambales mango, which holds the Guinness World Record as the sweetest in the world.
In Australia, I can't get the variety I grew up with, but I was thrilled to discover its Queensland counterpart. And what was even more exciting was when my husband and I discovered the fruit in cubed and frozen form as we dug through the freezer of our local supermarket.
When it comes to mangoes, I'm biased.
Don't get me wrong – fresh fruit will always be the best option. However, the great thing about the frozen kind is the long shelf life and how easy it is to use in recipes.
Frozen mangoes are great in mango shakes. Just pop a few frozen mango cubes inside the blender, add mango juice and voila: you have a refreshing, sweet drink.
They're good in desserts too. I love using them in mango sago, a dessert of tapioca pearls, coconut milk, condensed milk and toasted rice bubbles.
They also work well in the popular Filipino mango float.
A mango float is made of layers of graham crackers (which you can get at Asian grocery stores), sweetened cream and ripe mangoes.
Nikki Alfonso-Gregorio's husband with Christmas mango floats. Source: Supplied
Because it's a go-to dessert in our family during hot Australian Christmases, I usually leave it in the freezer overnight so that it becomes a delicious hybrid of layered cake and ice cream.
Mango float
Serves 8-10
Peel and slice:
- 4-5 ripe mangoes or use 1 kg pack of frozen mango
To a large bowl add:
- 4 cups thickened cream
Beat for a few minutes until soft peaks form, then add:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Beat for another few minutes or until the mixture is airy and fluffy. Stir the mixture with a spatula and set aside.
Then take:
- 1 x 700 g box graham crackers (substitute digestive biscuits)
Place one layer of crackers on the bottom of a large glass baking dish. Break crackers into pieces and use these to fill in any gaps.
Add a thin layer of the cream mixture on top of the graham cracker layer. Then add the mangoes on top of the cream. Repeat this layering and finish with mangoes on top.
If you like, you can sprinkle the float with crushed graham crackers. Finally, refrigerate the dish or place it in the freezer for at least 8 hours before serving.
ALL THE DESSERTS
Have your pudding, and fruitcake, and eat it all
