Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies has discovered the ultimate summer treat – a homemade mango sorbet that’s creamy, refreshing, and surprisingly healthy. It’s got one very unexpected ingredient that she kept quiet from her husband, Simon, just to see if he’d notice. (Spoiler: he didn’t).
In this recipe, Sara reveals how she blends frozen mango with cottage cheese- plus a few clever extras to create an easy, protein-packed dessert that tastes far more indulgent than it is. Perfect for sunny evenings, family dinners, or a guilt-free midweek pudding.
She told us, "My husband Simon bloody loves a bit of sorbet. I saw someone online saying that you can make mango sorbet with mango and cottage cheese. But I couldn’t tell Simon about the cottage cheese.
"The first time I made it, I froze the mango the night before and stuck it in my Nutribullet. Then I added the same amount of cottage cheese. I had a feeling I could also add a bit of Greek yoghurt if I wanted to.
"I whizzed the mango and cottage cheese to see how it looked and tasted, and I decided I would add a bit of Greek yoghurt. It looked alright, and it tasted alright, and you would definitely have no idea it was cottage cheese.
"My nutrition lady did say it doesn’t have enough dietary fibre, and she’s got me on psyllium husk. She said if I add it in, it kind of makes up for the fact that the mango is sugary.
"I added one and a half scoops - again, not telling Simon about it - and gave that a right good whizz. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty gorgeous. I put a bit of agave honey in it, whizzed it up again and stuck it in the freezer. Belting, that!
"I’m making homemade ice cream, I thought I’d never see such times! But it’s immense. Once it was frozen, I tried it and I liked it. Even Simon said it was okay!"
Food editor's verdict
Our Group Food Director Jen Bedloe couldn't resist trying Sara's recipe. She said, "We gave Sara's recipe a try in the woman&home test kitchen – in just moments we'd whizzed up a rich and creamy ice cream that really packs in the mango flavour.
"Sara's secret ingredient is a brilliant addition, you'd never guess, and it makes the texture so smooth.
"We'd be keen to try this again using banana or frozen berries, and you could try whizzing in cacao or protein powders."
Ingredients
- 300g frozen mango
- 300g cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp psyllium husk (optional, for fibre)
- 1-2 tsps honey or agave syrup (optional, but nice!)
Method
- Chop your mango into chunks and freeze them overnight.
- Add the frozen mango to a blender along with an equal amount of cottage cheese. Blend until smooth.
- For a creamier texture, stir in a spoonful of Greek yoghurt. If you want to boost the fibre content, add a scoop of psyllium husk. You can also drizzle in a little agave syrup or honey to sweeten.
- Give everything a final whizz in the blender until it’s completely smooth.
- Spoon the mixture into a tub and freeze for a few hours until set.
- When you’re ready to serve, scoop into bowls and enjoy – no one will ever guess it’s made with cottage cheese.
