Vegan Mango Popsicles (raw, no added sugar, nut-free)

Disclaimer: The recipe is nut-free; I sprinkled a few pistachio slivers on the popsicles just for decoration.

Generally, I use cashews as the base for my homemade vegan kulfis. However, I wanted to make a nut-free version for those who are allergic and decided to use thick coconut milk in this one.

Since we are not adding any nuts or additional sugar to these fruit-based popsicles, do expect some ice formation. But that’s perfectly ok, yeah? ‘Coz these popsicles are fully raw, low fat, nut-free, and have no added sugar–they’re just full of fruity goodness with a pinch of fragrant cardamom! And they’re so easy to whip up! Means you can make and enjoy as many batches as you want for as long as mangoes are in season 🙂

Preparation time: 10 minutes + freezing time

Yields: 6-7 small popsicles

Ingredients

• 3 sweet, ripe mangoes, chopped (I used Dasheri)
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk*
• A pinch of green cardamom powder

Method:

1. Freeze the mango pieces for a few hours. (This step is important. Freezing fruits before blending imparts a creamy texture to the final product.)
2. Blend the frozen mango pieces with the thick coconut milk. Add a generous pinch of cardamom powder. You can also add some vanilla extract if desired.
3. Pour this mixture into popsicles molds and freeze overnight. Dip the mold in hot water for a few seconds and unmold the popsicles.

*To make thick (first extract) coconut milk for this recipe, soak 2/3 cup of tightly packed grated fresh mature coconut in 2/3 cup of hot water for 10-15 minutes. Blend on high speed until thick and creamy. Strain using a fine mesh sieve or a piece of wet cotton cloth. Use a ½ cup of this milk to make these popsicles and use the residual pulp in some other recipe. Alternatively, you can use store-bought coconut milk that comes in tetra packs/cans.

Note: Use a naturally sweet, fragrant, and soft-fleshed mango variety like Dasheri or Sinduri for the best result.