Mangoes & Ice Cream

Ripe mangoes get gently poached in a brown sugar syrup spiked with cinnamon and vanilla until they turn silky and tender. Spooned warm over cold vanilla ice cream, the contrast in temperature and texture is what makes this dessert sing.

The brown sugar syrup is worth paying attention to. Simmering it for a few minutes before the fruit goes in lets it reduce slightly and develop a deeper, almost caramel-like flavor that plain white sugar just can’t match.

The mangoes only need about 10 minutes in the syrup. You want them soft enough to cut with a spoon but still holding their shape, not cooked down into mush.

Pro Tips

• Use ripe but still slightly firm mangoes. Overripe fruit will dissolve in the syrup.
• Let the poached mangoes cool a bit before serving. Straight-from-the-stove hot fruit will melt the ice cream into soup before you get a bite.
• The syrup thickens as it cools. Drizzle extra over each serving for maximum flavor.
• A squeeze of fresh lime juice over the top right before serving adds a bright contrast to all that sweetness.

Variations

• Replace vanilla ice cream with coconut ice cream for a tropical twist.
• Add a pinch of cardamom or star anise to the syrup for a more complex spice profile.
• Serve over pound cake or panna cotta instead of ice cream.