Cuban Batido de Mamey
A thick, creamy Cuban milkshake made by blending ripe mamey sapote with evaporated milk, sugar and ice. The flesh tastes like sweet potato, pumpkin and almond, and the batido comes out silky, rosy-orange and refreshing.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Makes
- 2 tall glasses (about 14 oz / 415 ml each)
Steps
Before you start
- Use a fully ripe mamey. It should give slightly when pressed, like a ripe avocado. Unripe fruit tastes chalky and bland.
- Chill the evaporated milk for at least 2 hours, or overnight, so the batido stays cold and thick.
- The glass chilling in step 1 can overlap with cutting the fruit, so the real time is closer to 15 minutes if you work in parallel.
- Use a high-speed or standard blender. Both work, but a standard blender needs the layering order in the steps.
Chill the glasses
- Place two tall glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes, and check that the evaporated milk is cold.
- Cold glasses keep the batido thick longer.
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Ready when: Glasses feel frosty to the touch
Tip: You can cut the fruit in the next step while the glasses chill.
Cut the mamey
- Cut the mamey in half lengthwise with a sharp knife, cutting around the large glossy seed.
- Twist the halves apart and pop out the seed with a spoon.
- Scoop the deep salmon-orange flesh away from the skin, trimming off any green or brown skin-side bits.
- Cut the flesh into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks and measure 2 packed cups (320 g).
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Ready when: Flesh is soft, evenly orange-pink and free of skin and seed membrane
Tip: The seed is not edible. Discard it and any papery seed casing.
Load the blender
- Pour the chilled evaporated milk into the blender first.
- Add the sugar, vanilla if using, and mamey chunks.
- Put the ice on top last.
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Tip: Liquid on the bottom helps the blades catch the fruit and ice instead of stalling.
Blend until smooth
- Secure the lid.
- Start on low for 10 seconds, then increase to high and blend 45–60 seconds, until no ice flecks or fruit pieces remain and the batido looks thick, pale orange and frothy.
- Stop and scrape down the sides once if needed.
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Ready when: Smooth, thick, pourable like a milkshake, with no ice chunks and no fruit pieces
Tip: Don't over-blend. The heat from the motor melts the ice and thins the shake.
Taste and adjust
- Taste the batido.
- If it's not sweet enough, add 1 more tablespoon of sugar and blend for 10 seconds.
- If it's too thick to pour, add 2 tablespoons of cold water or milk and pulse twice.
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Ready when: Sweet, creamy and pourable
Tip: Ripe mamey varies in sweetness, so always taste before serving.
Serve right away
- Divide the batido between the two chilled glasses.
- Dust each with a pinch of cinnamon if you like, and serve immediately with wide straws.
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Ready when: Thick and frothy on top
Tip: Serve within 5 minutes. A batido thins and separates as the ice melts.
Good to know
Tips
- Ripeness is key: the flesh should be soft and deeply colored. Let firm mamey ripen at room temperature for a few days.
- Evaporated milk gives the classic Cuban creamy body without watering down the flavor.
- For a thicker shake, use 2 1/2 cups (350 g) of ice or freeze the mamey chunks first.
- Blend in the order given, liquids first and ice last, for the smoothest result.
Make ahead
Peel, pit and cube the mamey up to 1 day ahead. Store it airtight in the fridge, or freeze the chunks on a tray for up to 3 months. Frozen mamey can replace some of the ice.
Storage & reheating
Best drunk immediately. Not suitable for room-temperature storage. Leftovers keep in a covered jar in the fridge up to 24 hours; shake or re-blend before drinking. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays for up to 2 months and re-blend with a splash of milk.
Substitutions
- evaporated milk → Whole milk, or sweetened condensed milk with less sugar. With whole milk the batido is lighter. With condensed milk, use 1/2 cup (120 ml) condensed milk plus 1/2 cup milk and skip the sugar.
- ripe mamey sapote → Frozen mamey pulp, thawed. Use 2 cups (about 320 g). It is widely sold in Latin markets and is a good option when fresh fruit isn't ripe.
- granulated sugar → Honey or agave syrup. Use 2 tablespoons (about 40 g). Honey adds a floral note.
- evaporated milk → Evaporated coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk. For a dairy-free batido. The texture will be a bit thinner.