Mango-Coconut Ice Cream

Stupidstore had a sale of mangoes and so of course Mr. Meow and I bought too many.  We were looking for the Altaufo types as advertised in the flyers but found only Kent mangoes, we bought them.  Then about a few days later, Meow went to Stupidstore again and decided to see if they have Altaufo mangoes for shits and giggles and low and behold, they do!  So Meow bought.  We prefer Altaufo mangoes simply because of the sweetness and texture.  Kent mangoes in comparison are a bit tart and crunchy, although if given enough ripening time, they do soften up and sweeten.  Though usually, they rot before that happens due to the bumps and bruises they received during shipment.

Altaufo mango

Kent mango

So, we have 2 cases (24+) mangoes sitting on the counter.  What to do?  All this mango talk got Meow craving some Thai mango sticky rice, but Meow lacks the skill to deal with glutinous rice let alone cooking it with coconut milk!  So, I pondered about the next best thing: mango-coconut ice cream!  I set out to search for a recipe and surprisingly, there wasn't a lot.  So, I had to use my Meow om-nom-nom senses to judge whether this recipe will work.  Well, I'll let you be the judge.

Mangoes galore!

This recipe involves cooking a custard as the base.  Since my last 2 batches of ice cream turned out a bit crumbly, I grudgingly decided to give it a try knowing eggs act like a glue for most things.  But I also set out to buy better ingredients because I intended to serve this as dessert for the MIL who has finicky taste and will go "mmm-mmm-mmmmm" but talk behind your back if it isn't good.  I went to my local hippie store, Homegrown, to get some superior whipping cream (36%) and some fresh farm eggs.  And in the process, I discovered whole milk.

Whipping cream and whole milk

Available also at Planet Organic

Now, most of us refer to homogeneous milk as "whole milk", which is right and yet wrong.  Fat content wise, they are the same - at 3.25%.  Pasteurization process is a bit different.  Homo milk goes through high pressure treatment as well to further break down its fats and a coat of protein is applied to it so that it wouldn't separate like whole milk would.  (Read more)

I would never go back to homo milk again.  The taste of whole milk reminded me of my childhood days of how milk tasted like - not piss.  Since coming to Canada, all you can buy (or all I had access to) was homo piss and have decided that Canadian milk is nasty.  Well, not anymore.

Mango-Coconut Ice Cream
adapted from Epicurious

"I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts!"

If you don't have fresh mangoes available, using canned mangoes is okay too.  But be mindful of its sweetness and adjust the sugar accordingly.

Taste the mango custard mixture BEFORE you put in the corn syrup, you may not need it.

1 1/4 cups mango purée
3/4 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
large pinch of salt

1. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks with a large pinch of salt together in a pot until pale yellow and forming ribbons when dropped.
2. Scald the milk (as in, almost boiling)
3. Slowly, stream in the milk while whisking the sugary egg yolk mixture.
4. Cook the custard over low heat in a double boiler until custard forms and maintains ripples when stirred (or alternately, coats the back of the spoon and custard stays in place when you run a finger across the spoon).  This takes about 30 minutes.
5. If you have chunks in your custard, your heat is too strong or didn't stir often enough, so start over.  Tiny chucks is fine.
6. Remove from stove immediately when finished.  Set aside.
7. Puree the mango in a food processor.
8. Stir in whipping cream, coconut milk, vanilla, corn syrup, and lemon juice.  Mix well.
9. Pour the mango mixture into the custard.
10. Pour the mango custard through a fine mesh strainer to remove and mango strings and custard solids.
11. Chill the custard overnight.
12. Pour the custard into your ice cream maker and make ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions.

Makes 1 quart

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My first batch of custard failed because I forgot to cook it in a double boiler and it completely curdled.  Down the toilet it went. I was quite pissed too because I've just wasted some damn good whole milk that I could be having in my cereal!!

Mr. Meow demanded that I make another batch right away.  This recipe is a good balance of both flavours, we were quite pleased.

Also, this custard based recipe gave a nice texture for the ice cream.  It curls nicely when scooped, does not crumble, and is ultra smooth.  It melts slower too compared to the previous Philadelphia style berry one and the yogurt one.

As for MIL, she started to steal the ice cream off of FIL's plate when she finished hers.