Mango Float: This Fruity Dessert Is Perfect for Potlucks
by Jonathan Maines 01/08/2023
If you want to bring a fruity dessert to a potluck, consider trying a mango float. A traditional Filipino dessert, mango floats combine fresh, juicy mangos, whipped cream and graham crackers to make a light but decadent dish that’s easy to make in large quantities. Here is all the info you’ll need to make your own mango float to share:
Ingredients
5 or more ripe mangos
2 cups of whipping cream
1/2 cup of sweet condensed milk
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
A box of graham crackers or graham wafers
Process
While making a mango float is quick and simple, it requires time to settle before eating. Therefore, make sure you prepare this dish the night before your potluck, so it’s ready to serve immediately.
- Wash and peel the mangos carefully. Then, slice in halves and in halves again until you have thin strips of fruit.
- Beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer. You’ll want to keep whipping until it’s about double the size and volume.
- Add condensed milk and vanilla. Continue to mix until all three ingredients are combined.
- Take some graham crackers and line the bottom of a baking dish. For the gaps, trim extra crackers to the right size so that there is no space at the bottom.
- Spread about 1/3 of the cream mixture in a layer on top of the graham crackers. Then, place the mango slices close together.
- Add a second graham cracker layer on top of the mango slices, being careful not to press down too hard.
- Repeat the same process by adding another layer of cream and mango slices. You should end up with three layers total with mango slices on top.
- Put the whole dish into the refrigerator to set overnight.
Tips
- For the best mango float, choose mangos that are ripe but not soft. You want the flesh to be firm enough to hold its shape.
- It is possible to use canned sliced mangos for this recipe. However, it’s essential to drain them completely beforehand to avoid adding excess moisture to the dish.
- You can either place the mango slices side by side or slightly overlap them in a shingle or fish-scale pattern. Another common arrangement is to spiral out from the center in a rosette shape.
