Mango Lassi Ice Pops
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Frozen mango lassi pops with a crunchy twist. Uses Greek yogurt and pistachios but swaps sugar for honey. Quick whisk, layers pistachios top and bottom for texture contrast. Chill long enough to firm up but no freezer burn. Easy peel trick with warm water. Dairy and gluten free mods included.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
10 servings
#frozen dessert
#Indian inspiration
#yogurt popsicle
#summer treat
#gluten free
#dairy free option
Mango and yogurt pops. The ultimate summer scavenger hunt of flavors and textures. Creamy tang, tropical fruit smack, nutty crunch all in one handheld bite. I’ve monkeyed around with too sweet or watery blends before. Puree ripeness is big deal. Greek yogurt lends body plus a clean tartness that stops it feeling dessert-cloying. Pistachios? Essential counterpoint, so please don’t skip. Sometimes I swap out honey for maple or tropic cardamom to bump complexity. Melting too fast? Throw a bit more yogurt next time for structure. The magic’s in balance – sweetness, acid, fat, texture. Follow instincts on firmness; freezer clocks lie. Layer pistachios; don’t just dump or you lose that lovely spread. You’ll hear and smell the freezing progression – a quiet snap, cold air hit. These aren’t your average popsicles, no sir.
Ingredients
- 400 ml (1 2/3 cup) ripe mango puree fresh or frozen
- 80 g (about 1/3 cup) raw honey or maple syrup instead of sugar
- 130 ml (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp) plain Greek yogurt whole milk preferably
- 65 g (1/2 cup) chopped raw pistachios unsalted for crunch
- Optional: pinch cardamom powder or lime zest for zing
About the ingredients
Mango puree: the star. Use ripe fresh mango, otherwise frozen is fine but thaw completely. Raw honey over sugar adds floral depth and soft sweetness – if allergic or vegan, maple syrup is a fine swap but drop quantity slightly. Greek yogurt excels here, thick and creamy – not the watery stuff. If dairy intolerant, unsweetened coconut cream plus a squeeze of lemon or lime mimic the tang well. Pistachios are not just for looks; their subtle saltiness brings out overall flavor, and toasting them lightly intensifies aroma – but skip if allergic, replace with toasted almonds or chopped dried fruit for contrast. Adding spice like a pinch of cardamom elevates but tread lightly; too much can overpower. Fresh lime zest is also a brightener. Quantities tweaked — less sweet, more mango focus — because sugar overload dulls freshness. Always taste before freezing; raw mixtures can be adjusted on the fly.
Method
- 1. Whisk honey vigorously into mango puree until fully dispersed; no gritty sugar left. Then fold in Greek yogurt gently to keep some airiness. Add cardamom or lime zest now if using. The mix should be smooth but bright and thick. Taste: not too sweet, mango tang balanced.
- 2. Take your popsicle molds. Sprinkle chopped pistachios at bottom layer first. Pour mango-yogurt mix almost to top leaving about 1 cm headspace. Add remaining pistachios on top for crunch. Insert sticks straight down center; wiggle gently to settle evenly. Pistachios cling better layered like this—tried dumping all in one go, weird clumps formed, no good.
- 3. Freeze flat surface. Patience here. Aim for 5 to 6 hours minimum. Check firmness by pressing gently on side – should feel solid but not freezer rock hard. Too long and texture dulls, icier. Use warm water dripping over mold base to coax pops out once ready. Don’t twist ruthlessly or sticks snap.
- 4. Backup trick: If you don’t have Greek yogurt, thick coconut cream with a dash lemon juice works. Honey can be swapped for agave or granulated stevia but adjust sweetness cautiously. Pistachios optional, toasted almonds or chopped dried apricot can add interest.
- 5. Watch visual cues: mango mix thickens with chilling, pistachios darken slightly from frost but stay crisp inside. Smell bright mango, hint of cardamom if added. Stick placement dictates even freezing; uneven sticks mean wonky pops later.
Cooking tips
Whisking melting honey evenly into mango puree is crucial – undissolved bits leave grainy patches, ruining texture. Incorporating yogurt slowly avoids breaking the smooth emulsion or making it too thin; I slow fold with a spatula to maintain fluffiness. Layer pistachios strategically for crunch top and bottom; this stops them all sinking or floating weirdly. Insert sticks centered; offset sticks cause uneven freezing around edges – learned this the hard way. Freezing needs patience — check firmness manually after about 5 hours. Visual firmness beats clock; pops should feel firm but with slight give on squeeze. Warm water on mold base loosens pops while preserving shape; no twisting or force needed, prevents breakage. Using alternatives like coconut cream needs stirring well, as it can separate. Backup mods helpful for dairy-free, sugar-free. Cardamom or lime zest added pre-freeze infuses flavors subtly during chilling. Watch for freezer burn or icy texture – if too hard, reduce freeze time slightly next round. Don’t skip tasting raw mix; balance magic happens here.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Whisk honey into mango puree till totally melted no rough sugar bits. Grit ruins texture hard to fix. Fold yogurt gently keep airiness. Folding slow keeps mix thick not thin. Add cardamom or lime zest early to let flavors mellow. Thickness matters for pour and firmness. Too thin ends icy, too thick won't freeze right.
- 💡 Layer pistachios bottom then mango mix then pistachios top. Stops nut sinking or floating weird clumps. Inserts stick centered. Off-center sticks cause uneven freezing edges. Gently wiggle sticks, don’t shove. Too much movement ruins layers. Try one mold test before full batch.
- 💡 Freeze flat surface 5 to 6 hours minimum. Less than that mix too soft, longer makes icy dull texture. Test firmness by pressing side slight give but not mushy. Don’t rely only on timer fridge/freezer temps vary. Warm water tip: drip warm water slowly on mold base to loosen pops. Avoid twisting sticks or they snap.
- 💡 Use thick coconut cream plus splash lemon juice if avoiding dairy. Mix well coconut can separate. Honey swapped for agave, maple syrup, or stevia. Adjust sweetness careful stevia not one-for-one sweet. Pistachios optional swap toasted almonds or chopped dried apricot. Tastes change with these tweaks, test small batch.
- 💡 Watch mango mix thicken as chills. Pistachios darken slightly frost but keep crunch. Smell mango, faint cardamom if used. Texture cues better than clock. Pops stick placement affects freezing – uneven sticks mean weird shape or freezing. Always taste raw mix to adjust sweet/sour before freezing. Never skip tasting.
Common questions
Can I use sugar instead of honey?
Yes but honey dissolves better. Sugar may grain up texture if not melted fully. Honey adds floral notes sugar flat. You can try maple syrup too for vegan swap.
How long to freeze exactly?
Minimum 5 hours, 6 better. Too short mix too soft, too long makes icy dull pops. Test firmness by feel pressing side gently not hard. Freezer temps vary, check often after 5 hours.
Sticks snap when removing, why?
Twisting sticks dry breaks them. Warm water dripping base loosens mold gently. Hold mold flat, don’t yank or bend sticks. If stuck longer freeze more but risk icy texture.
Best storage method?
Store pops in airtight container flat if possible. If standing upright risk melting drip mess. Keep in back of freezer coldest spot. Wrap molds or pops in plastic to avoid freezer burn. Use within 2 weeks for flavor best.
