Mango Icecream(Kulfi) & Agave Nectar is it good or not??

I prepared this mango kulfi during the summer months without using any refined sugars. I use refined sugars very rarely in my cooking. I prefer natural sweetners like Jaggery(Panela), Raw Honey, Maple syrup and quite few times have used Agave Nectar also. I came across lot of debate going on about Agave Nectar if it is good for you or not.  Agave is it good or not, i am leaving it for your to decide and if you know more about it please let us know.



Agave nectar (sometimes called agave syrup) is most often produced from the Blue Agaves that thrive in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. Agaves are large, spikey plants that resemble cactus or yuccas in both form and habitat, but they are actually succulents similar to the familiar Aloe Vera. Agave syrup consists primarily of fructose and glucose. Due to its fructose content and the fact that the glycemic index only measures glucose levels, agave syrup is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than many other natural sweeteners on the market. However, the extremely high percentage of fructose (higher than that of high-fructose corn syrup) can be deleterious and can trigger fructose malabsorption, metabolic syndrome, hypertriglyceridemia, decreased glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, and accelerated uric acid formation. Yes all natural sweetners, even fruits anything sweet contain fructose so moderation is the key. So let us know what you think about this sweetner and which do you think is the best natural sweetner.



Now coming to the recipe, greek yogurt is a good source of protein and calcium and i use it as a substitute for whipped cream in fruit salads, as a vegetable salad dressing and so on. I substituted half of the cream with greek yogurt and  it had really turned out nice. Instead of buying store made icecreams with so many preservatives, it least i was feeling glad that this is free of any additives, refined sugars etc.



Ingredients



Cream - 1 Cup

Strained Greek Yogurt - 1 (I Squeezed out the excess water from Greek Yogurt)

Evaporated Milk - 1 tin(140z)

Mango Puree - 1 and 1/4 cup

Chopped Nuts - 1/2 cup(Almonds, Cashew and Pistachio)(This is optional)

Raw Honey - 3 Tbsp or as per taste and the sweetness of the mango puree

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Saffron few strands



Method



1) Whip the cream for around 15 minutes till it becomes thick.



2) Now add the mango pulp, greek yogurt, honey, evaporated milk, nuts, cardamom powder and saffron strands and mix them thoroughly.



3) Pour into kulfi moulds or into plastic containers and place in the freezer overnight.



4) Dip the container in hot water for a few seconds, loosen the ice cream and enjoy.

Event Participation



1) I am sending my favorite ice cream to Cook for yourself event hosted by Radhika of Food for 7 Stages of Life.



2) This goes to Fall in love with Fruits for this Season hosted by Sanghi.

Posted in: dessert, fruit, fruits, how to make mango icecream, how to make mango kulfi, icecream