Mango-Coconut Sherbet

My family goes a little nuts over mango.  Ok, yes, I have my own obsessions that are slight oddly:  fennel, cucumbers in cocktails, cream cheese frosting – but mango?  Definitely not one of my must haves in life.  I actually love the flavor of mango – I just hate cutting them up.  I hate that strangely shaped pit – and I also hate it when you cut the mango too close to the pit, and the mango gets a little fibrous – almost hairy.

For a while I was getting mango in our CSA basket, and I dreaded the day I actually had to slice them open.  I swear my girls (even my husband) would circle like vultures, trying to get as much mango as they possibly could – making it almost a competition between the three of them.  I always had to tell them to go sit down and let me slice in peace – the last thing I wanted was to slice one of their hands instead.  I finally stopped getting them, it was getting too dangerous.

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, and I have to say, I do love a good mango sorbet.  The fact that this had coconut milk in it made it that much more interesting to me.  I pretty much love anything with coconut milk – yes, I guess another one of my obsessions.  I had to buy some mango to make this, but I told my family that these were off-limits.  They waited patiently all week for them to get ripe, and for me to make the sherbet.  Well, I think it was worth the wait – this was pretty spectacular.  I swear I could have just stopped before putting the mixture in the ice-cream machine – it was so smooth and delicious – tasted just like a mango smoothie – but the final product was excellent.  I served it two ways – with shredded coconut on top, and with grated lime peel.  Both were delicious.  If you are looking for a light dessert this summer, definitely mark this one down.  If I ever happen to have some spare mango lying around, I know exactly what to do with it – right, who am I kidding?

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed peeled ripe mango
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Preparation

Combine cubed mango, sugar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and coconut milk in a blender; process until mixture is smooth, scraping sides as necessary. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions to soft-serve consistency. Spoon sherbet into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze 2 hours or until firm. Sprinkle each serving with coconut.

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