Wednesday 14 January 2009

Saffron papa's traditional Boxing Day mango sorbet


It is a tradition at Saffron Papa and Mama's that we have Saffron Papa's special mango sorbet on Boxing Day. It just happens that mangoes are at their best in Australia at just this time of year. When we were last visiting in 2006/7, Queensland mangoes were going for 99 cents each at the discount supermarket Aldi. While they had come up in price this time, they were still reasonable enough to make a nice big box of this luscious, fruity ice.

Ostensibly, this was made for the big 40th anniversary celebration, and we were not allowed any before then (!). However, it didn't actually make an appearance until after the shindig due to cries of No more! from our very well-fed party guests. Not to worry, that just meant all the more for us! (Sorry guys...)

The recipe is from Low Fat, No Fat Cookbook, a Reader's Digest title I am not familiar with, other than this one lovely idea (thinking, as I do, that taking all the fat out of food takes all the pleasure and flavour out of it).

There is a slight graininess to this sorbet that might be improved by churning it in an ice-cream maker. Lacking one of these, Saffron Papa uses an electric mixer in place of the whisk in the recipe, and I think he's on the right track, especially if you are doubling or tripling the recipe, as he tends to do. Not that it matters, really: This is just like eating frozen mango and much to be recommended after a big Christmas feast.

Oh, and in keeping with the tropical theme, the leftover coconut cream makes great pina coladas on the side!

Note: This sorbet contains uncooked egg whites, so make sure you use really fresh eggs.

Mango sorbet

Serves 4

1/2 cup (125 g) castor sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
500 g fresh mango flesh or mango pieces in syrup, drained
2 tbsp creamed coconut
2 egg whites

1 Place the sugar and 1 cup of water into a small saucepan and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 min to make a syrup. Strain the lemon juice into the syrup, then put aside for 15 min to coll.

2 Puree the syrup, mango and creamed coconut in a food processor, or with a handheld mixer, to make about 3 1/4 cups. Pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container, cover and freeze for 2 hours, or until just firm. (Use the fast-freeze setting if your freezer has one.)

3 When the mango mixture is frozen, whisk the egg shites until they form soft peaks. Scape the mango mixture with a fork to form crystals, then use a whisk to beat in the egg whites, making sure they are well mixed. Return the sorbet to the freezer and freeze for 1 hr 30 min.

4 Remove the sorbet from the freezer and whisk again, Press down with a spatula and return to the freezer for a further hour, or until firm.

5 Remove sorbet from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Any remaining sorbet will keep, frozen, for 3 months.

Enjoy!

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