Highlights
- Ice buko is a coconut milk-based Filipino popsicle.
- Typical additions to the popsicle are tropical fruits and Filipino sweets and ingredients.
- Just as how the ice buko is moulded in the Philippines, Jamie uses plastic cups to give his products a distinct cylindrical, flat-topped shape.
"When I was in first year high school in the Philippines, I started working part-time making popsicles in an ice bukohan [where coconut milk popsicles are made]. I worked there for five years."
Almost four decades later, 52-year old Jamie Racines revived his love for the sweet iced treat and is introducing it to the Melbourne market.
"For those unfamiliar with ice buko, it's basically frozen buko [coconut] salad but with varying additions. It's not like gelato or ice cream that you scoop up and eat. It's more of a creamy popsicle."
Jamie Racines Source: Jamie Racines
When summer hit and once COVID cases started to go down, Jamie decided to do a trial run of the creamy popsicle.
"I remembered the recipe I used to make for the ice bukohan. It was so good! We used to deliver not only to stores, but also to five-star hotels in the Philippines.
"I just thought it would be an interesting thing to do since I haven't seen others do it here yet. I was surprised by the reception."
"It's not like gelato or ice cream that you scoop up and eat. It's more of a creamy popsicle." Source: Dee Racines
Due to the reception, hobbyist Jamie decided to establish Pinoy Pinay Special Ice Buko. Through his niece Diana, he sells limited quantities of his products through Facebook.
"The mixture basically consists of coconut milk, condensed milk and a splash of pineapple juice for sweetness.
"Of course, I focus on tropical and Filipino flavours such as buko flan [coconut with caramel custard]; ube macapuno [purple yam with coconut sport]; buko pandan [coconut with a fragrant leaf flavouring]; buko munggo [coconut with beans]; and pinipig [flat toasted rice]."
Once proportions are measured, Jamie uses plastic cups to mould the popsicles.
Once proportions are measured, Jamie uses plastic cups to mould the popsicles. Source: Jamie Racines
"This is what we do back in the Philippines as well. Unlike the typical flat popsicle, ice buko is cyclindrical and has a levelled top because of the plastic cup moulds. This is how authentic Filipino ice buko looks like."
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