This month we welcome sisters Aja and Bianca Shanahan of Sydney-based artisan popsicle empire Liana Raine to share four new make-at-home icy pop recipes with us!  We're kicking things off with the most mouth watering combo - Mango & Salted Coconut Popsicle with Crushed Peanut Topping.  Did someone say SALTED COCONUT!?  Oh my.

Mango and Salted Coconut Pop with Roasted Peanut Topping by Liana Raine.  Photo - Phu Tang.  Styling - Gemma Lush.

Did you say pops? Well, HELLO SUMMER!

Isn’t it amazing that something so simple can bring back thoughts of sunshine, sunblock and childhood memories of running across sprinklers in the backyard.

In the old days, (cue nostalgic music) pops, or ice blocks as they were more commonly known, were typically the summer treat that Mum made. Sometimes she would mush up summer’s best fruit, or sometimes it would just be frozen cordial; but regardless, it was always worth the wait when the pops came out of the freezer.

The humble pop has been making a bit of resurgence of late, and its old form has been given a sophisticated spin. Mixing flavours, textures and fresh ingredients, pops have become a versatile frozen treat that both adults and children can enjoy, and depending on the recipe and your own personal taste, they don't have to have the guilt associated with ice cream.

Put simply, enjoying a homemade icy pop is clean, fresh fun!

Mango and Salted Coconut Pop with CRUSHED Peanut Topping

Mangoes are as symbolic of summer as big hair is to the 80's. It’s as if as soon as mangoes hit the fruit store, you feel entitled to clock off and begin your holiday.

Nothing is more tropical than the pairing of mangoes and coconut, and if you also love the combination sweet and salty flavours then you have hit the jackpot with this mango and salted coconut pop!  The inspiration comes from Sydney’s adored Chat Thai restaurant, which is known for its Thai desserts. One of their favourites is the insanely delicious coconut sticky rice with fresh mango, where the balance of salt and sugar is just right.

So here’s our take on it: fresh dripping mangos with sticky-sweet-but-slightly-salty coconut milk, topped with the crunch of salty peanuts. Walk out of the office right now, put on your sarong and start that holiday you deserve!

Mango pop ingredients. Photos - Phu Tang.  Styling - Gemma Lush.

Ingredients

320g mango flesh
320ml sugar syrup
160ml coconut cream
1 tbsp palm sugar
1/2 tsp salt

(This recipe assumes you will use a domestic pop mold, with 10 individual molds at 85ml each).

Put both the mango flesh and the syrup into a blender. Blend until smooth.
In a small saucepan heat the coconut cream, palm sugar and salt until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

To create the stripes for this pop, with with repeated layers of mango and coconut, you will need a set of molds that do not have lids on them, so you can pour the mixture into the mold at intervals, with the stick remaining in place.  If you do not have a set of molds like this, you can just make a pop with 2 layers.

To create the first mango stripe, pour a small amount of the mango puree into the tip of each mold. Place into the freezer and allow to freeze until the top of the mango has formed a frozen skin.

Once the skin has formed on the first mango layer, remove the molds from the freezer and pour a small amount of the coconut cream mixture, as large as you would like your stripe to be. At this stage you should put the sticks into the pops and put back into the freezer. Once the coconut layer is frozen, repeat with another layer of mango and coconut (pouring around stick) and finally a last layer of mango to fill the mold. Freeze overnight or until rock solid.

To remove the pops, quickly immerse the molds into a bowl of warm water to help release the pops.

Serve dipped in crushed salted peanuts, for that extra crunch and salty twist.

Mango and Salted Coconut Pop with Roasted Peanut Topping by Liana Raine.  Photo - Phu Tang.  Styling - Gemma Lush.