White rum, coconut cream and mangoes combine in this peak-summer, very Christmas-worthy cocktail.
About the cocktail
It’s just like the song says: If you like Piña Coladas, you’re going to love the Mango Colada. Okay, maybe that’s not how it goes (we really don’t want to have to listen to it again to confirm), but the sentiment is real. Take the creamy, dreamy holiday vibes of the OG Colada and hit it with fresh mango, mango sorbet and a spice-dipped mango garnish, and you’ve got the Mango Colada. In a regular Piña Colada, spiced rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream do most of the talking. In the Mango Colada, our cocktail gurus have used white rum and subbed out pineapple juice for half a cheek of fresh mango and some mango sorbet (which boosts the flavour and adds a silky texture). Meanwhile, a dash of lime juice and 10mL of Aperol gives some depth to the sweet and creamy cocktail. Combine it all with the richness of coconut cream and this is a serious one-two punch of tropical flavours. All you have to do is blitz everything up together. Nothing says summer in Australia like fresh mango, and it’s why we’re gunning hard for the Mango Colada as a Christmas classic. The fact you can easily scale up this recipe for a group is also very celebration-friendly, so we can see a freshly blended jug of Mango Colada at the centre of your Christmas table. But, hey – don’t fence yourself in. Whip ’em up for warm-evening barbecues, lazy summer brunches, arvos spent watching the Boxing Day Test – whatever you fancy.
Ingredients
40mL white rum
10mL Aperol 1 scoop mango sorbet ½ cheek fresh mango 10mL lime juice 30mL coconut cream Glass: highball Garnish: mango slice dipped in Tajin
Method
Add all your ingredients to a blender with ice Blend until the mix has broken down to the desired texture – about 30 seconds. You may like to add more ice to get the best consistency Pour it into your glass and garnish with a mango slice dipped in Tajin
Dan’s top tips
Don’t stress if you can’t get peak-season mangoes – we’ve got some workarounds. If your mangoes aren’t super ripe and sweet, feel free to add a little sugar syrup. This is also why we’re calling for mango sorbet, which you can find at the supermarket or your favourite gelato shop. It’ll ramp up that sweet mango flavour while keeping things luscious and smooth. The only other ingredient to keep in mind is in the garnish. Here, we’re dipping a slice of mango in Tajin, which is a Mexican blend of chilli, lime and salt. It should be in supermarkets, but if you can’t find it, a very light dusting of chilli powder and salt should do the trick. Remember when we said you can easily scale up the Mango Colada recipe? Well, it’s super simple – just make sure you’ve got space in your blender. You should be able to double the recipe in a Nutribullet or similar, while large blenders might fit three or four times the normal recipe. Pour it straight out of the blender jug or, if you’d rather let guests serve themselves, decant into a tall jug or large carafe. Oh and, on blending, smaller ice cubes are better for your blender. If possible, don’t use bigger chunks because it might be hard to blend them up. If that’s all you’ve got, put the big cubes in a ziplock bag and crack them into small pieces first.
Why is the Mango Colada so good for entertaining at Christmas?
Mangoes and summer go so well together in Australia, which is why the Mango Colada is a perfect Christmas cocktail.
What's in a Mango Colada?
To make a Mango Colada, you’ll need white rum, Aperol, mango sorbet, fresh mango, lime juice, coconut cream and ice.
What's the best rum to use in a Mango Colada?
We think the best rum for a Mango Colada is a white rum, which lets the juicy, sweet flavours of mango shine through.
image credits: Kayla May (photography), Bridget Wald (styling).
