Mango Float was trending on social media last year so I had to try making it myself. If youโre not familiar, itโs a frozen dessert with layers of mango, cream, and graham crackers. It is very similar to the mango cake at Chinese bakeries but is 10 times easier to make.
Can't get enough of easy desserts? Try my Matcha Tiramisu and Taro Crepe Cake next!
๐ฅญ About Mango Float
Mango Float is one of my wife and I's favorite desserts. We love it so much that we actually served it at our wedding. It was a huge hit with everyone, and it was fun introducing it to so many people who never tried it.
The recipe is very simple and there is no baking involved. It is essentially slicing mangoes, making a cream filling, and then layering them with graham crackers. The only tricky part is knowing when the cream is whipped perfectly.
The best time to make this dessert is late summer when mangoes are at their ripest. Ataulfo or Honey mangoes are my favorite mangoes for this. They're sweeter and their flesh is more tender than the regular mangoes.
๐ง Ingredients
- Mangoes: Fresh, ripe mangoes are the best for this recipe. But if they aren't in season, you can use frozen or canned mangoes. The flavor won't be as good, but it's a suitable replacement.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: We'll need about four cups today, so make sure you get a tall container.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: You can find this in the baking section of most grocery stores. It's thick, sweet, and has a strong milky flavor. I find the viscosity of condensed milk to help prevent the cream from overwhipping.
- Whole Graham Crackers: We'll need one whole box (about 400g). Graham cracker crumbs will also work, but the final texture will be a bit more crumbly.
- Salt: Just a small amount helps enhance the flavors. If you're using coarse kosher salt, I recommend grinding it into a powder so it disperses more evenly in the cream.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor and enhances the sweetness. I recommend using pure vanilla extract.
โญ Tips For Success
- Pre-chill your bowl, hand mixer attachments, and cream. Whenever you work with cream, it's important to keep everything as cold as possible. This helps the cream get more volume when whipped.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks. This is so important for the cake to hold its shape properly. If it's not whipped long enough, the cream will be runny and melt into the graham crackers, and you won't get distinct layers like in my picture.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 45 minutes to allow time for the graham crackers to soften. If you go straight to the freezer, the graham crackers will still be hard when you eat it.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: Peel the mangoes, remove their seeds, and cut the flesh into thin slices.
STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer for 4-6 minutes until stiff peaks form. The peaks should be able to stand on their own. If it's still runny, then whip it for a couple of minutes longer.
STEP 3: Add a layer of graham crackers (or graham cracker crumbs) to a 7 by 11-inch baking dish. You can also use an 8 by 8-inch square baking dish.
I use a knife to chop the crackers into smaller pieces to fit in all the empty spaces.
STEP 4: Spread 2 cups of the whipped cream mixture, followed by โ of the sliced mangoes. I like to save the prettier mango slices for the final layer.
STEP 5: Repeat the layers twice to form 9 layers, ending with mango. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Don't try to skip this step. We need the graham crackers to soften during this time.
After 4-6 hours, transfer to the freezer for at least 3 hours before eating.
STEP 6: At this point, the mango float is ready to serve. You can cut it into slices now or slice it at the time of serving. You will want to defrost it for about 10 minutes each time otherwise it will be too frozen to cut into or eat.
๐ฅก Storage
The mango float can be stored in the container for up to one month. When you want to eat it, let it defrost for about 10 minutes, and then you can use a knife to cut out a piece. I usually let my piece sit out for 10-15 minutes to soften before eating it.
๐ Recipe
Filipino Mango Float
Ingredients
- 5 large mangoes
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 300 ml canned sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 400 g box graham crackers (about 25 crackers)
Instructions
- Peel mangoes, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into thin slices.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat with a hand mixer for 4-6 minutes until stiff peaks form. The peaks should be able to stand on their own. If it's still runny, then whip it for a couple of minutes longer.
- In a 7 by 11-inch baking dish, add a layer of graham crackers, spread 2 cups of the cream mixture, and add โ of the sliced mangoes. Repeat these layers twice to make 9 layers, ending with mango on top.
- Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Don't try to skip this step. We need the graham crackers to soften during this time. After 4-6 hours, transfer to the freezer for at least 3 hours before eating.
- At this point, the mango float is ready to serve. You can cut it into slices now or slice it at the time of serving. You will want to defrost it for about 10 minutes each time otherwise it will be too frozen to cut into.
Maria
Nice resipe. Made it in 1st attempt. Just like the picture. Everyone loved it
Grump
Thanks Maria, glad it turned out picture perfect! Whipping the cream to stiff peaks is the key.