Mango Float Bingsu (Shaved Ice Recipe)

Mango Float Bingsu is a Korean shaved ice dessert with a flavor inspired by the Filipino mango float. This easy-to-make recipe highlights the heavenly combination of sweet mangos, cream, and graham crackers, and can be made at home without a shaved ice machine.

Today we’ll go over some simple instructions as well as tips and variations you can try! Keep on reading!

To satisfy your not-too-sweet tooth even further, explore our easy dessert recipes like Mais con Yelo or Halo-Halo!

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Table of Contents

Introduction to Mango Float Bingsu

It’s mango season! Let’s create a dessert that brings together two amazing mango desserts: the Filipino mango float and the Korean bingsu!

If you were to ask me what my favorite fruit is, I would enthusiastically say, “Mango!”

Today’s recipe features my favorite fruit in a dessert inspired by two popular treats. The bingsu is the foundation of the dessert while the mango float inspires the flavor.

But what is the difference between bingsu and mango float?

Bingsu, a Korean-style shaved ice, uses a milk-based ice instead of just plain ice and is served with various fruits and beans, with mango being a popular choice!

The mango float, a Filipino icebox cake, combines mangoes, whipped cream, and graham crackers and is a common summer treat often used as a birthday cake.

I decided to combine these desserts into one recipe because it represents the multiple influences in my life.

I was born and raised in a Filipino household in the Bay Area, where mangoes were a staple in our diet and mango floats symbolized celebration.

I can even pinpoint the start of my mango obsession – it was the first time I visited the Philippines as a kid and tasted mangoes there. I devoured six in one sitting!

Now living in LA, I enjoy gathering with friends in Koreatown over a large mango bingsu, laughing together and catching up on life.

Both the fruit and the desserts made from it evoke nostalgic memories from the Bay Area, the Philippines, and Los Angeles. I hope when you make this recipe with your friends or family, you create some lovely memories too!

Tips and Variations

Use Medium-sized Ice Cubes

Speaking from experience! When I make this recipe, I use multiple ice cube trays. But I have trays of various sizes, and found that small ice cubes can be troublesome to remove from the ice tray and large ice cubes don’t shave well in the food processor.

I discovered that medium-sized ice cubes (about 1 inch on each side) solve both of these issues. They are the best option because they don’t take long to remove from the tray and they blend well in a food processor.

Shaving the Ice in Batches

Once the ice is shaved, it’s important to work quickly and assemble the bingsu.

However, while shaving the ice, you may have to work in batches using your food processor, which means some shaved ice will be at risk of melting while they wait to be assembled.

To help with this process, you can keep the newly shaved ice fresh and cool by storing it in a stainless steel mixing bowl placed on top of a larger bowl filled with ice.

This will slow down melting as you make your batches of shaved ice, especially if you plan to make it during the summer.

Picking Ripe Mangoes

Select ripe mangoes that have a slight bounce when pressed, are more golden or vibrant in color, and have a sweet smell.

Avoid mangoes that are too firm, as they will likely be sour.

Use Multiple Varieties of Mango

How can you elevate this recipe to mango heaven? It’s easy—simply add more mangoes!

Experiment with a combination of mango varieties such as Manila, Alphonso, and Apple mangoes, among others.

Try Freezing the Whipped Cream

Adding a scoop of frozen homemade whipped cream on top will make the bingsu more like a mango float. Bingsu is sometimes topped with an ice cream scoop, so try this for a similar addition!

Side note: I only thought of this idea after I had already completed shooting this recipe but will try it next time and update this post! In the meantime, if you try out this frozen whipped cream, please let me know how it goes!

Serving Suggestions

Serving your Mango Float Bingsu with style will make you feel like you’re in a dessert cafe! Place the bingsu on a cute tray along with small bowls of extra biscoff crumbs and condensed milk. And don’t forget a cute spoon!

To accompany the Mango Float Bingsu, try serving it with a simple but refreshing beverage like a pot of hot green tea or an iced Americano.

For a fuller dessert experience, try serving with some cafe-inspired drinks like Sea Salt Cream Green Tea or Black Sesame Iced Einspänner!

Equipment

• mixing bowl(s)
• food processor
• 2 ice cube tray with bin

Ingredients

Bingsu Milky Ice Base

• 4 cups whole milk
• ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk plus extra for serving

Mango Float Bingsu Toppings

• 2 cups fresh mango cubed, about 3 small mangos
• 6 pieces lotus biscoff cookies crumbled, plus extra for serving
• mint for garnish
• whipped cream for garnish

Recipe

Freeze the Bingsu Milky Ice Base

1. In a bowl, mix together the whole milk and condensed milk.

2. Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray(s) and freeze for 8 hrs – overnight.

Mango Float Bingsu Assembly

1. Pulse the frozen milk cubes in a food processor set to grind until you get a snowy-like texture.

2. Fill a serving bowl with layers of shaved ice, fresh cut mango, and crushed graham crackers. Once the bowl is nearly filled, add more shaved ice, using a spatula to shape it into a tapered mound.

3. Garnish with more mangos, pressing them gently in place onto the sides of the mound. Then decorate with whipped cream, lotus biscoff, and a mint sprig.

4. Serve with a side of extra biscoff crumbs and condensed milk.

Final Thoughts

Turn your home kitchen into a summer dessert cafe with this hybrid of the Filipino mango float and Korean bingsu — no shaved ice machine needed. Make this moments before serving and provide some extra spoons to share!

Explore our blog for more easy homemade dessert recipes! If you love this twist on a Mango Float, try our recipe on Mini Hachiya Persimmon Float!

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this recipe, please give a star rating and review on the recipe card below + share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://www.mango.org/industry/varieties-availability/