Mango Bingsu: Kitchen-made Mango Shaved Ice

Make Mango Shaved Ice (Mango Bingsu) at home with just 4 ingredients and a blender. Experience the classic taste of Korea’s luxurious shaved ice desserts, or elevate it with vanilla ice cream. Unfussy, savory, and kitchen-made!

Shaved ice desserts, or as they’re known in Korea, “bingsu (빙수)”, are an absolute delight during the sweltering summers. Originating from Korea, bingsu is not just a dessert; it’s an experience.

The soft, melt-in-the-mouth icy texture combined with a symphony of toppings is nothing short of a treat. While the most classic bingsu is the patbingsu, with its milky ice adorned with red beans, the mango bingsu has made its own mark, especially in high-end establishments.

Can you imagine splurging up to $100 on a bowl of shaved ice? Well, in a 5-star hotel in Korea, that’s the going rate for a premium mango bingsu.

But why go there when you can recreate this luxurious Korean dessert right at home?

Unfussy Ingredients

Made with just four primary ingredients – mango, whole milk, sweet condensed milk and water – this kitchen-made mango dessert doesn’t require an expensive ice shaving machine. A good blender will do the job.

Our version is modest, but it promises an classic taste, evoking memories of Korean streets or that first bite in a bustling Seoul café.

How to cut mango

1. Preparation: Begin by slicing each side off of a mango, ensuring you avoid the pit in the center.
2. Scoring: Gently score the mango with a paring knife without penetrating the skin.
3. Popping: Push the center from the bottom, and you’ll see delightful cubes of mango bulging out.
4. Final Touch: Slice the skin off from the bottom to release the juicy mango pieces.

How the dish comes together

• Blending: Combine the fruit from 1 mango, milk, water, and sweetened condensed milk in a blender. Process until smooth.
• Freezing: Pour the mango mixture into ice cube trays and set them in the freezer. Ideally, leave them overnight.

• Shaving: Place the frozen mango cubes into a blender and pulse until you achieve a consistency resembling coarse crumbs.
  • Beware of over-processing, as you could end up with a mush.
• Serving: Scoop the ice into bowls, preferably pre-frozen ones for an extended cold experience. Add fresh mango pieces and perhaps a drizzle of sweet condensed milk.

Making It Extravagant

Want to elevate your bingsu and make it look straight out of a gourmet Korean dessert cafe?

• Top it with mango sherbet or vanilla ice cream.
• Add a dollop of whipped cream.
• Drizzle some aromatic mango puree.
• Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint leaves.

However, if you’re a purist like us, stick to the basic shaved ice and fresh mango combination. Let the natural sweetness of mango do the talking.

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 mangoes, divided
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 (14 oz) can sweet condensed milk, divided
• vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, optional

Method

1. Cut the fruit off from 1 mango and put it in a blender with the milk, water, sweetened condensed milk. Process until you get a puree. Pour the mango puree into ice cube trays and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
2. Drop the frozen mango puree cubes in a blender and pulse until you get a coarse crumbs. (Do not process too long, otherwise it will turn mushy)
3. Scoop the ice into serving bowls and top with the remaining mango fruit pieces. Drizzle a little more sweet condensed milk on top.
4. It is a good idea to freeze your serving bowls prior to serving. It will keep the shaved ice cold longer. Serve your mango shaved ice immediately. If you desire, top with ice cream and/or whipped cream.