Mango Pudding Recipe

Prepare mangoes

Peel and dice ripe mangoes until you have about 2 cups of flesh. Reserve a few tablespoons of diced mango for garnish if desired.

Make puree

Place the diced mango and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Puree until completely smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Taste and adjust sweetness with up to 1 more tablespoon sugar if needed. Pass the puree through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl for an extra-smooth texture (optional). Set aside.

Bloom gelatin

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon gelatin evenly over 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Let sit 5–7 minutes to bloom until the gelatin swells and becomes spongy.

Heat dairy

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from heat just before it reaches a simmer.

Dissolve gelatin

Add the bloomed gelatin to the hot milk/cream mixture and stir until completely dissolved, about 1–2 minutes. If needed, return to very low heat briefly—do not boil—just until gelatin fully dissolves.

Combine with vanilla

Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Let the dairy mixture cool for 5 minutes so it is warm but not hot when combined with the mango puree.

Combine puree and base

Whisk 1/2 cup of the mango puree into the warm dairy mixture to temper it, then fold in the remaining mango puree until homogeneous and smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.

Strain (optional)

For an ultra-silky pudding, pass the combined mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pouring jug to remove any fibers or lumps.

Chill to set

Divide the mixture evenly among 4 to 6 serving dishes or ramekins. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. The texture should be soft-set and spoonable.

Finish and serve

When the puddings are set, top each with a dollop of whipped cream, a few reserved mango cubes, and a mint leaf. Serve chilled. If you prefer a firmer set, chill an additional hour.