It has been sweltering this summer and I’ve been looking for a cold, refreshing dessert that doesn’t require any time in the oven. I’ve been seeing frozen yogurt bars across the internet and thought it would be delicious to create a frozen mango lassi and transform it into a yogurt bar recipe.
For this recipe, ripe mangoes are combined with yogurt, sweetener, and a touch of heavy cream and poured over a nicely spiced gingersnap crust. The dessert can be thrown together in minutes, placed in the freezer, and then sliced for easy snacking.
I adjusted this recipe several times before landing on the final recipe. I started by searching for mango lassi recipes and based mine loosely on this one from Swasthi’s Recipes. I then entered the realm of frozen yogurt bars. While the internet is filled with recipes for frozen yogurt bars, I found that these largely resulted in hard blocks of yogurt filled with giant ice crystals that weren’t particularly pleasant to bite down on.
I’m not willing to sacrifice on flavor and texture so after doing some research, I added a couple of ingredients to soften up the bars and give a perfect texture. Below are tips to get the best flavor and texture and that are integral for the recipe’s success:
- Use alphonso or ataulfo mangoes: These mangoes have a beautifully sweet flavor and smooth texture that is less fibrous than other mango varieties.
- Use whole milk yogurt: Having enough fat really helps to cut down on giant ice crystals. For this recipe, I used full fat Indian dahi, which is less tangy than other yogurts. You can use other whole milk yogurts and should also be able to use Greek yogurt successfully, as long as its full fat.
- Don’t reduce the sugar: When first making this recipe, I tried to use only a hint of sugar because the mangoes were naturally quite sweet. I found that sweet flavors are dulled upon freezing so the bars were more tart than I wanted and also were far too solid and icy. Adding about 1/4 cup of sweetener per cup of yogurt is essential for improving the texture of the bar. At room temperature it may taste a little too sweet for your liking, but by the time the bars are frozen, it’s just right.
- Incorporate a bit of corn syrup as sweetener: Corn syrup helps to stabilize the frozen yogurt and impart more creaminess so I would avoid skipping this if possible.
- For a hint of additional creaminess, add some heavy cream: A small amount of heavy cream really made a difference for me in smoothing out the flavor, both better mimicking a mango lassi and adding a smoother texture to the finished product. The bars are still good without, so it’s not essential, but they are just a bit better with the addition of cream.
These bars may not boast the health qualities of some of the other frozen yogurt bars out there but if you’re going to eat a frozen dessert bar, you might as well make it taste as delicious and satisfying as possible, right? Otherwise, what’s the point?
No-bake frozen mango lassi bars
Course: Cakes and custardsDifficulty: Quick bake1
12 x 8 tray15
minutesThis frozen yogurt bar recipe pairs the flavors of a homemade mango lassi with a spicy gingerbread crust for the perfect no-bake summer treat. Be sure to use full-fat yogurt and the full amount of sugar for bars that are smooth and creamy rather than hard and icy. Feel free to half the recipe and use a smaller square baking dish or just fill half of the rectangular dish.
Ingredients
200g gingersnaps (25-30 cookies)
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp butter, melted
2-3 mangoes (300g), roughly diced (alphonso or ataulfo)
1 cup (250g) full-fat plain yogurt (Greek yogurt works too)
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
4 Tbsp heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
- Line a rectangular baking dish with parchment paper. In a food processor, blend the gingersnaps with the light brown sugar and salt until finely ground. Pour in the melted butter and blend until well incorporated. You may need to stir the mixture with a spoon at the end to finish incorporating the butter.
- Pour the contents into the dish and using the back of a spoon or spatula, press it down firmly into the bottom of the pan to create an even crust for the bars.
- In a blender or food processor, add the mango, yogurt, sugar, corn syrup, cardamom, and heavy cream if using. Blend until fully pureed and smooth.
- Poor over the crust and smooth out with a spatula. Freeze for at least two hours or overnight, until the bars are frozen solid. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the freezer, placing parchment paper between stacked layers. If the bars are a little too hard right out of the freezer, let them sit out for 3-5 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- While the heavy cream is optional, it adds a smoother texture and more of a true mango lassi flavor. The bars are still delicious without cream though if you don’t have any on hand.
- You can use frozen mangoes for this recipe if you don’t have fresh mangoes on hand.
2 responses to “No-bake frozen mango lassi bars”
-
This recipe was incredible – the spice of the cardamom was just right and came through delightfully even when frozen! I wasn’t able to get my hands on ginger snaps for the crust, so I went with biscoff cookies. Not only was this a great frozen treat, I intend to use this as a mango lassi recipe too the next time I have mangoes on hand!
-
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! When I was testing the recipe, the filling was so delightful that I used my extra mango to make lassi for myself to drink while I waited for the bars to freeze. Would definitely recommend making a little extra for just that 🙂
-
Leave a comment