For the long days of southern summer heat and humidity of Richmond, VA a healthy, icy, creamy replacement to dairy based ice-cream and sugary popsicles is Mango Coconut "Ice Candy". I grew up making and eating variations of this hot weather treat. It is dairy free, can be sweetened more or less according to your palate, utilizes the available summer fruits and is cooling for the hottest, longest days of summer.
In Chinese medicine frozen or cold foods are discouraged but I included this recipe as a healthier replacement to the seductive cold, dairy-heavy and often overly sweet desserts of summer.
The creaminess in the ice candy comes from coconut milk and pureed fruit, the fattiness in the coconut milk creates a softer type of frozen ice that is easy on the teeth, fun to eat, and has the crunch reminiscent of shave ice.
Ingredients
3 ripe mangoes peeled, cut into chunks and pitted
1 can coconut milk
1/4th to 1/2 cup water, coconut water or juice
optional to your desired sweetness: a couple teaspoons of stevia, raw honey, or sugar in the raw
25 ice candy BPA free bags, you can also use popsicle molds
Combine mango, coconut milk, water and sweetener in a bowl. Use a blender, or with a stick blender or nutribullet to mix the contents of the bowl to a smooth, thickened but fluid consistency. Check flavor and adjust sweetness or dilution of flavor to your preference.
Place mixture in a container with a pour spout and with a funnel placed in the ice candy bag fill the bag to 4 inches of the opening. Remove funnel and tie a knot in open end of bag, place in cookie tray. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Place cookie tray in freezer and allow "Ice Candy" to set up over night. Once frozen, cut off tied off end and enjoy!
Variations of fruit/flavor to use:
Strawberry, pineapple, berries, avocado, chai tea, coffee, vanilla bean, peach and matcha.