Mango is candy is the perfect way to cool down during the scorching summer months! These icy treats are packed with mango flavour and allow the natural flavour of the fruit shine through.
“Ice Candy” is a popular frozen treat enjoyed in the Philippines. Placed in thin plastic wrappers and tied, there’s an abundance of unique flavours to choose from. When I first decided to dabble in entrepreneurship, I had a little side hustle selling all kinds of flavours! (I actually do miss it!)
Ice candy bags
I have been fortunate enough to have family who usually keeps a stash of ice candy bags for emergency use during the summer months. Living in Canada, these bags are hard to come by. I searched and searched for literal MONTHS and finally found someone selling them locally 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 flavourful 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!
To my surprise, after posting a tutorial on TikTok, many people shared that they enjoy this familiar ice pop-style treat in their countries! From Mexico to Tanzania, Palau, Honduras, Brazil, Peru and MANY more countries, these are enjoyed worldwide! I imagine that the flavour may differ depending on the native fruits of the region but nonetheless, it’s beautiful to learn about the cultural similarities we share.
What kind of mango should I use?
I’ll admit, I’m a fan of many of the ice candy flavour I’ve tried in the past but mango has to be in the top 5 for me. I really enjoy using juicy yellow mangoes for these. I recommend using carabao or Philippine mangoes for this recipe but the ataulfo/honey variety also works like a charm.
Make sure your mangoes are at peak ripeness! The sweetness of this ice candy recipe relies a lot on the natural mango flavour so feel free to adjust the sweetener depending on your personal preference.
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. It will add a coconut flavour but mango and coconut are a great pairing.
Ice candy is really quite simple to make. They are typically made by blending fresh fruit with milk and sweetener. The method in this recipe allows for a creamy texture without having to add extra cream. Cornstarch is used as a stabilizer and cooked with the ingredient to form a custard-like base. From my experience, I notice this affects the texture and helps create a soft and creamy ice candy. This is a trick that many ice candy sellers use and it is what I have sworn by for years.
If cornstarch isn’t your thing, or if you want a quick and easy recipe, just blend the mangoes, evaporated milk and condensed milk all together and freeze in your ice candy bags or ice pop molds.
Easy Mango Ice Candy (Ice Pops)
Course: DessertCuisine: AsianDifficulty: 14-10
servings5
minutes5
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
3/4 cup cold water
2 tbsp cornstarch
2-4 sweet large sweet ripe yellow mangoes (depends on size – the more mango you use, the stronger the flavour)
1 cup evaporated milk
*4-6 tbsp condensed milk (adjust to your sweetness)
Directions
- Add mango, condensed milk, and evaporated milk to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add water and cornstarch to a pot. Whisk until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add pot to stovetop on medium heat and add in the blended mango mixture.
- Continue whisking as the mixture comes to a light simmer and begins to thicken.
- Once mixture the thickened, allow it to cool down and come to room temperature. Stir to remove any lumps.
- Using a ladle and funnel, carefully add cooled mango mixture to ice candy bags. Tie with a knot and place in a container. Freeze for at least 12 hours.
- Once the ice candy is completely frozen, it is ready to enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust the amount of sweetener to your liking! Keep in mind the sweetness will be toned down after freezing.
- Make sure the mixture comes down to room temperature. Otherwise, the plastic will melt and rip open.
- Leave about an inch and a half to two inches at the top if you are using ice candy bags. This will make it easier to tie.
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Do you think I can do oat milk and sweetened condensed oat milk?
How would I change the recipe for corn flavour?
Yes, you can substitute for oat milk and condensed oat milk however, the texture may be altered. You can try substituting the mango pulp for equal parts blended corn. I would suggest adding whole corn kernels as well for some texture!
Can these go in regular ice molds instead of the plastic tubes?
Yes absolutely! I have a link to ones I use in the blog post.