Mango Pudding

Mango Pudding is one of the easiest desserts you can make. There are only five ingredients and all you do is mix them together. My favorite version uses mango pulp instead of fresh mangoes. Not only is it easier, but the texture is smoother, and you can make it year-round.

Recently I had mango pudding at the end of a Chinese dinner, and I was reminded of how delicious it is, so I wanted to make a recipe for it.

I remember when I first heard the phrase "mango pudding," I was expecting a goopy dessert but it is actually more like a jelly. The firmness comes from gelatin powder which is a type of thickener for foods. Usually, you see it in desserts like Jello and panna cotta.

Key Ingredients

Mango Pulp: You can either blend your own mango or use canned mango pulp. I prefer canned mango pulp because the final texture is smoother and it is more convenient. I found mine in the Indian section of my grocery store, and there were two types to choose from: Alphonso mangoes and Kesar mangoes. I decided to use Kesar because I heard they are more sour. Alphonso is mostly known for its sweetness.

Gelatin: This is super important for thickening the mango pudding so it is like Jello. You can find it in the baking section of almost any grocery store. They usually come in a box with four packets, and you will need 2 and ½ packets for this recipe. Gelatin needs to be dissolved in water first. The way I am doing it is just mixing it with boiling water. You can also dissolve it in cold water and then melt it in the microwave.

Evaporated Milk: For the milk component, there are a few options you can choose from: evaporated milk, coconut milk, or half and half. I personally like the flavor of evaporated milk the most. To me, it gives the milkiest flavor without being too fatty.

Lemon Juice: Another thing I am doing is adding a tablespoon of lemon juice. Canned mangoes are sweeter and less citrusy than fresh ones, so they need a little bit of an acid boost. Make sure you use fresh lemon juice and not the squeeze bottle.

How to cut the pudding into cubes

If you want the pudding in cube shapes, you need to use a silicone mold. Any other container and it will stick to the sides. I tried using a glass container, and I even applied oil to the container beforehand, but it did not work out well:

The bottom of the pudding would not release from the glass. I was still able to salvage some cube shapes, but they were not very symmetrical. So either use a silicone mold or just put it into ramekins and eat from there.