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Endless Summer… Classic Mango Sorbet

That’s what it feels like as I sit here writing this post. It’s another hot day in Brisbane, just one of a long line of days above 30c. Whilst we haven’t sweltered as much as our friends down south with record 40c+ days, it’s still hot enough to live off a diet of salads and ice cream and to contemplate never entering the kitchen again.

When I talk about summer, I think about sweet, juicy mangoes. I wrote about how good the fruit has been this season and the mangoes are no exception. There are literally hundreds of mango cultivars around the world (take a look at the list here) but the one that most Australians or at least Queenslanders are familiar with is the ‘Bowen’ mango or as they are known commercially nowadays, Kensington Pride or KP.

First of the new season mangoes in out street...

First of the new season mangoes in out street…

Grown in backyards across Australia, it is often feast or famine. A cyclone early in the season could see all the flowers stripped in one storm which means no backyard mangoes and astronomical prices at the shops. A bumper season means that you can’t give the buggers away. There are so many mangoes that the entire population of Australians, possums and flying foxes can’t consume them. They are sliced, diced, frozen, pureed, pickled, made into daiquiris, smoothies, chutneys and still there are more! It is not uncommon for there to be so many mangoes that (readers from cold climates – look away now) people throw them in great bag loads into their wheelie bins. On more than one occasion the local council has pleaded with its residents not to do so as the bins are so heavy that the trucks can’t lift the bins or break under the strain. Yes my friends, that’s a lot of mangoes!

This year I’d say the crop is abundant edging towards bountiful. A walk around the neighbourhood three months ago saw the first tiny mangoes fruiting.  A walk around the neighbourhood today saw a number of trees groaning under their crop. We caught up with our friends today and they loaded us up with mangoes from a box their Uncle had sent them all the way from Barcaldine.

All the way from Barcaldine...

All the way from Barcaldine…

Yep, he has so many mangoes that he’s actually shipping them to the big smoke. How delightfully quaint. So, what to do with all of those mangoes? How about a simple 3 ingredient Mango Sorbet? Great on a hot evening. Wonderful in a shot of Vodka!

Mango Sorbet Trio
Classic Mango Sorbet
Ingredients
  • 2 large mangoes, peeled & sliced
  • 150g sugar (use up to another 30g of sugar if your mangoes aren’t really sweet)
  • Juice of 1 lime
Method
  1. Place the sugar in a heat proof bowl and pour 200ml of boiling water in. Stir sugar until dissolved and set aside to cool.
  2. Place, lime juice, mango flesh and light sugar syrup in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
  3. Churn and freeze according to directions on your ice cream maker or
  4. Place in metal cake tray in freezer. As mixture starts to freeze, remove from freezer and mix well with a fork to break up ice crystals to ensure a smooth consistency. Continue to follow this process, checking on sorbet at least every hour.
  5. This does not take as long to set as icecream as it contains no fat. Once frozen, it is generally soft enough to serve straight from the freezer without allowing it to soften in the fridge.
Voila!

Voila!

2 comments… add one
  • lizzy (Good things) January 14, 2013, 11:40 am

    Oh deliciousness, come to mamma!

  • The Food Sage January 16, 2013, 9:57 pm

    A mango bonanza! Wish i had an uncle that would send me a box to Sydney. Your sorbet looks simply stunning.
    Thanks for sharing.

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