Mango Pudding

I actually made this about three weeks ago. But lazy-ness got the best of me and put it off until now :D. I absolutely LOVE everything about mango. I love everything that has mango in it, although I'm not a big fan of it in savory dishes though. I always think that fruits are meant for sweet stuff.

I've been wanting to be able to make a killer mango pudding just like those in dim sum place. I tried making it once before using agar agar (a type of gelatinous substance just like gelatin, but derived from seaweed). It was far from perfect though. The color was pale yellow, and the texture was nothing close to smooth and silky. The flavor of the mango was very vague too. So, I determined to continue my search for the perfect mango pudding recipe.

This recipe is using gelatin for the gelling agent. Although agar and gelatin are both gelatinous substances, but the texture they produce are different. I used heavy cream for the liquid to get that silky texture. I also used mango pulp leftover from the rainbow cheesecake I made before. If I haven't told you before, this is one of my absolute favorite ingredients. The taste of the mango is so intense, not to mention the vibrant yellow color, and most importantly, it's available all year long and guaranteed sweet!!!

I wouldn't say that this recipe is the one I'm looking for, but at least it's better than the first one I made. I've never been a big fan of too-much-gelatin. I tried to use as little as possible of gelatin in my mousse and my other desserts. The texture of too-much-gelatin is somewhat rubbery to me. Although I do realize that that amount of gelatin is needed for the pudding to hold it's shape. But, it's not the kind of texture I'm looking for in a pudding. I would imagine pudding to be smooth, silky, soft, and you don't have to use your teeth that much to process it. I guess the search is still continued? If anybody's willing to share the ultimate pudding recipe, I would REALLY appreciate it :)

Here's the recipe if you want to try it:

Mango Pudding

1 cup mango pulp
1/2 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs. cold water
1 Tbs. powdered gelatin

• Combine the mango pulp, heavy cream/evaporated milk, milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil.
• In the meantime, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let it bloom. Then, melt the gelatin in microwave for a few secs to melt the mixture (don't let it come to boil. 5 seconds will do just fine)
• Pour the melted gelatin into the cream mixture and stir well.
• Take the pan off the heat and pour in any mold you want. Let it set for a few hours before unmolding.