Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir once to combine, then let it cook undisturbed until it hits 240°F on a candy thermometer. It looks cloudy and thin at first.

The syrup turns clear and thickens into slow ribbons off the spoon at this stage. I use my grandmother’s dented saucepan for this step, the same one she used for divinity candy every Christmas.

Pull the pan off the heat and let the syrup sit for about 6 minutes before touching it. Stir in the lemon juice, lime juice, and teal gel color once it stops steaming.

My first batch seized into a hard, cloudy disc because I added the color while the syrup still read 210°F. Wait for it to drop under 180°F before adding anything, or start the syrup over on lower heat.

Whisk in 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk once the syrup has cooled and colored. Set the pan aside to thicken further while you work on the rest of the drink.

Add 1 tablespoon sugar and a few drops of blue gel color to a zip-top bag. Seal it, squeeze out the air, and massage the color through the sugar until every grain turns blue. Repeat with pink color in a second bag.

Add 2 cups ice, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, whole milk, and sugar to a blender. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, the mango puree, and a few drops of pink gel color. Blend on high for about 40 seconds.

The base should look pale pink and move in slow, thick waves once you stop the blender. A thin, watery result means too little ice went in; add a half cup more and blend again.

Spoon a little blue syrup into a squeeze bottle. Drizzle it in a loose zigzag pattern up the inside of a clear glass. Work fast, since the syrup firms up once it cools. A snipped ziplock bag corner also works.

Pour the blended pink mango mixture straight down the center of the glass, over the blue zigzag lines. Skip stirring for now, since the layered look is part of the presentation.

The blue lines stay mostly separate from the pink base right after pouring.

Add a swirl of whipped cream on top. Dust it with a pinch each of the pink and blue topping sugar. Stir once at the table to watch the colors shift from purple to bright pink.

The sprinkles add a light crunch on top.