Coconut takes the lead with these creamy buko (coconut) ice candies!
Coconut is quite a versatile fruit and this recipe makes use of it in its many forms. Coconut milk base with young coconut shreds to provide the perfect bite, these are quite the sweet and satisfying treat.
What is ice candy?
Ice candy are ice pop-style treats enjoyed in the Philippines. Many countries all over the world have their own version. Flavours can be made with fresh fruit, juice, and other ingredients. The flavour possibilities are endless!
Ice candy bags
These frozen treats are enjoyed in a small plastic tube that is filled with the mixture and tied at the top. Ice candy bags may be hard to come by if you live in Western countries like Canada and the U.S. I searched and searched for literal MONTHS and finally found a local seller on Facebook Marketplace. I have also found similar options on Amazon and eBay.
What makes ice candy so satisfying for me is their unique shape. They’re fun to eat and so easy to grab and go. To eat ice candy, bite off a corner on the bottom and enjoy all the coconutty goodness.
If you’re not into using plastic, I recommend reusable options such as these ice pop molds I found on Amazon. A great sustainable option!
Check out other ice candy flavours!
Young coconut shreds
This recipe calls for young coconut shreds. You can find them in the frozen aisle of your local Asian grocer. I have also come across them in the international frozen section of my big box grocer. These are long, thick shreds of young coconut which is different from desiccated coconut which is more common in western grocery stores. Young coconut shreds are more tender and the flesh is thinner and softer compared to it’s matured state,
If young coconut shreds aren’t accessible to you, desiccated coconut will do, if you want to add a bit of texture to your ice candy. It will be different, but I always encourage people to use what is most accessible to them!
You may want to keep a skewer on deck when making these. Although the young coconut strips are great, they can get stuck in your funnel. Simply poke a skewer around, and the shreds should move right though.
Non-dairy substitutes
If you’re unable to consume dairy, no problem! This recipe can be recreated using canned coconut milk and sugar or coconut condensed milk. I have personally used coconut condensed milk in the past and I could barely tell the difference from the dairy version!
Sweeten to you preference
Since the natural flavour of coconut has minimal sweetness, this recipe relies heavily on condensed milk to sweeten everything up. I recommend starting with 1/2 a cup but you can always use more or less depending on your preference. Keep in mind that the sweetness will be toned down after freezing.
Simple & Creamy Coconut Ice Candy (Ice Pops)
Course: DessertCuisine: AsianDifficulty: 15
minutes14
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 cup + 1 cup water
2 tbsp cornstarch or tapioca starch
400 ml can coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk
354 ml can evaporated milk
*1/2 cup condensed milk
1 cup young coconut shreds
Directions
- To a pot off the heat, add 1 cup of water and the cornstarch or tapioca starch. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Add coconut cream, evaporated milk and condensed milk to pot. Turn on heat to medium and whisk.
- When the mixture begins to thicken, add shredded coconut and continue to stir. Add in additonal 1 cup of water.
- After 5 minutes, remove from heat and allow mixture to come to room temperature.
- One mixture has come to room temp, fill ice candy bags or ice pop molds.
- Freeze for at least 12 hours and enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of sweetener to your preference! Keep in mind, that the level of sweetness will be toned down once frozen.
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