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Mango Pudding
Serves 6 Prep 20 min Total 20 min Type Dessert Origin Chinese

Mango Pudding

Hong Kong's cold dessert: a wobbly pale-orange pudding of ripe mango set with gelatin, lightened with evaporated milk and cream.

Serves 6 Prep 20 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Ripe mango (Alphonso or Nam Dok Mai if available; any sweet ripe mango works) blends to a smooth puree with sugar and lime juice. Powdered gelatin blooms in cold milk 5 minutes. Half the milk warms to dissolve sugar; the bloomed gelatin stirs in to dissolve. The warm milk pours into the mango puree along with the cold remaining milk, evaporated milk and a splash of double cream. Whisked smooth, ladled into 6 small moulds or glasses, refrigerated for 4-6 hours until set. Served with diced fresh mango and a drizzle of evaporated milk.

Ingredients

Pudding

  • 400 g ripe mango flesh (about 2 large mangoes - peeled, stones removed, weighed)
  • 80 g caster sugar (more or less depending on mango sweetness)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (cuts the sweetness, brightens flavour)
  • 12 g powdered gelatin (about 2 ½ teaspoons, or 6 sheets)
  • 150 ml whole milk (cold, for blooming the gelatin)
  • 150 ml whole milk (additional, for the syrup)
  • 150 ml evaporated milk (tinned)
  • 60 ml double cream

To serve

  • 1 ripe mango (extra, diced into small cubes for topping)
  • 60 ml evaporated milk (for drizzling)
  • A few mint leaves (optional)
  • A pinch of toasted coconut flakes (optional)

Method

Stage 1 - Mango puree

  1. Cube the 400 g mango flesh.
  2. Place in a blender with the sugar and lime juice.
  3. Blend smooth.
  4. Taste; if your mango is intensely sweet, reduce sugar to 60 g; if slightly tart, increase to 100 g.
  5. Reserve in a wide bowl.

Stage 2 - Bloom the gelatin

  1. Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over 150 ml COLD milk in a small bowl.
  2. Let stand 5 minutes - the gelatin swells and looks slightly spongy.

Stage 3 - Warm milk

  1. In a small saucepan, warm the OTHER 150 ml of milk to just below a simmer (steam rising, no bubbles).
  2. Off heat; tip in the bloomed gelatin mixture.
  3. Whisk until the gelatin fully dissolves - no specks remain.

Stage 4 - Combine

  1. Pour the warm gelatin-milk into the mango puree, whisking constantly.
  2. Whisk in the evaporated milk and double cream.
  3. Strain through a fine sieve into a measuring jug (removes fibers, gives a silky pudding).

Stage 5 - Pour

  1. Lightly oil 6 small dariole moulds or pour directly into 6 serving glasses (about 130 ml each).
  2. Ladle the mixture in.
  3. Cool 15 minutes at room temperature (the gelatin sets more evenly from a gradual chill).

Stage 6 - Set

  1. Cover each with cling film (don't let it touch the surface).
  2. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
  3. The puddings are set when they wobble but don't slosh.

Stage 7 - Unmould (optional)

  1. To unmould from dariole moulds: dip the bottom in hot tap water for 5-8 seconds; run a knife around the edge; invert onto a plate.
  2. If serving in glasses, skip this step.

Stage 8 - Serve

  1. Top each pudding with a generous spoonful of diced fresh mango.
  2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon evaporated milk over.
  3. Garnish with a mint leaf and / or a pinch of toasted coconut.
  4. Eat cold.

Notes

  • Mango ripeness matters more than variety: Underripe mango makes a sour, fibrous pudding. Choose mangoes that yield slightly to gentle pressure and smell fragrant at the stem. If the only mango available is underripe, leave at room temperature 2-3 days.
  • Gelatin proportion is gentle: Hong Kong mango pudding should wobble freely; this isn't a firm panna cotta. The 12 g gelatin for 750 ml of liquid gives a soft tender set. More and the pudding becomes rubbery; less and it won't hold its shape.
  • Evaporated milk on top is the signature: The Hong Kong restaurant presentation has a small pour of evaporated milk over the unmoulded pudding - like a creamy moat. Don't substitute condensed milk (too sweet) or fresh cream (too rich).

Storage

  • Refrigerate 3 days, covered.
  • Once garnished, eat the same day; the diced mango weeps overnight.
  • Doesn't freeze well.

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