Chinese Mango Pudding is a popular dessert often enjoyed in Chinese and dim sum restaurants. With just a few ingredients and minimal prep time, you can recreate this silky, creamy treat at home – the perfect dessert for any occasion.
As a mango lover, this dessert holds a special place in my heart. It is often found on menus at many Hong Kong style Dim Sum and Chinese restaurants, and I’m excited to share how you can easily make it from scratch at home.
It perfectly showcases the vibrant flavors of mango – rich yet delicate. The evaporated milk on the top adds a luscious creaminess and enhances the overall flavor and texure of the pudding.
The best part? It’s so simple to make at home. Your family and friends will not believe how effortless it was to prepare. With just a few ingredients and a quick prep time, the hardest part is waiting for it to set in the fridge!
Key Ingredients for Chinese Mango Pudding
This recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients:
* Fresh, sweet mangoes: The star of the show! Be sure to use sweet, ripe mangoes for the best flavor. They should be just slightly soft to the touch and fragrant. If fresh mangos are not available, frozen mango chunks are a good alternative. Just thaw before using.
* Evaporated milk: Adds a rich creamy texture, and enhances the overall flavor of the pudding. It gives it a richer flavor compared to regular whole milk.
* Hot water: Used to dissolve the gelatin and sugar to ensure a smooth consistency
* Sugar: Just enough to sweeten the pudding without overpowering the natural flavor of the mango. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar to suit your sweet tooth and the natural sweetness of the mangoes.
* Ice cubes: These will help to cool the mixture down quickly so as not to affect the taste and texture of the rest of the ingredients
How to Make Chinese-Style Mango Pudding at Home
The key to the perfect Mango Pudding is the quality of the mangoes. They should be soft, ripe and sweet.
Use a sharp knife to carefully peel the mango, then cut it into large chunks. Place 1 pound of mango chunks (around 2 large or 3 medium-sized mangoes) into a food processor.
You may also use frozen mango cubes (available in the frozen section at most grocery stores). If you are using frozen mangoes, allow the mango chunks to thaw completely before preparing this recipe.
Puree the mangos in the food processor until completely smooth. If the puree is not completely smooth, you may wish to pour and press it through a fine sieve using the back of a spoon.
Add 1 cup of evaporated milk to the mango puree. Stir until well combined.
I recommend using evaporated milk over regular milk in this mango pudding because evaporated milk gives the pudding a richer and milkier flavor.
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Pour 3/4 cup of hot water in a separate bowl, then pour 1/2 a cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of unflavored gelatin powder (or two envelopes of gelatin powder) into the hot water.
Stir well, then let this mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the gelatin to dissolve completely.
Give the gelatin mixture a quick stir, then pour it into the mango puree, followed by 5 ice cubes. The ice cubes will help to cool down the mixture quickly without affecting the taste and texture of the rest of the ingredients.
Stir this mango mixture until all of the ice has completely melted. You’ll be able to see the ice easily as they will tend to stay on the surface as they melt.
Pour the mango pudding mixture into individual serving bowls (ramekins, dessert bowls, cups, etc).
Allow the mango pudding to chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Just before serving, top each bowl with 1 – 2 tablespoons of evaporated milk and add some garnish.
Some great options for garnish are mint leaves (mint pairs exceptionally well with mango!), sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, diced kiwi and of course, diced mango.
Enjoy!
PS: Looking for more mango recipes? Here are some you may enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Frozen mango chunks work perfectly for this recipe. Just be sure to let them thaw completely before blending
Sure! You can substitute the evaporated milk with a plant-based alternative like coconut or almond milk, and use agar agar powder instead of gelatin
It will stay fresh for about 3 – 4 days. Use cling wrap to cover the tops of the bowls.
I would not recommend freezing this dish as the texture will be affected when thawed
It is possible that the gelatin may not have dissolved properly, or it may not have enough time to chill. Make sure that the gelatin is completely dissolved, and that you give the pudding enough time to set in the fridge (at least 3 hours)
You could, but I recommend using the individual serving bowls instead. If you use a large dish, you would need to cut the pudding into individual portions, which can result in uneven less attractive pieces as the texture is soft and might not hold well. Individual bowls allow you to keep the pudding in tact, offering a restaurant-style presentation.
You may, but please keep in mind that this may make the pudding too rich and creamy, and it won’t have the same delicate texture as the traditional recipe
Chinese Mango Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 pound mango chunks
- 1 3/4 cup evaporated milk divided
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons or 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin powder
- 5 ice cubes
- Garnish your choice: mint leaves, strawberries, mango chunks, blueberries, etc
Instructions
- Place mango into a food processor and puree till smooth. If needed, pour and press the puree through a fine sieve.
- Add 1 cup of evaporated milk to the mango puree. Stir till well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine hot water, sugar and gelatin. Stir, then let the mixture sit for a few minutes for the gelatin to dissolve.
- Stir the gelatin mixture again, then pour it into the mango puree.
- Add the ice cubes, then keep stirring the mango pudding mixture until all of the ice has completely melted.
- Pour the mango pudding mixture into serving bowls or silicone molds.
- Allow the pudding to chill in the fridge for 3 hours.
- Top each pudding with the remaining evaporated milk.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Hong Dang
Wednesday 11th of January 2023
Can I ask what the purpose of ice cubes are for and why not water ?
Char
Sunday 22nd of January 2023
Great question! As the gelatin mixture is hot, the ice cubes are added to cool the mixture down quickly so it doesn't affect the taste and texture of the rest of the ingredients.
Rubina Kapadia
Sunday 22nd of May 2022
How much will be mango purée in cups? ( One Lb of chunks) as I will use canned mango purée
Char
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
Hi Rubina! That would be about 2 cups of mango puree :)
Susan Bauman
Sunday 30th of January 2022
The recipe instructions indicate using only 1 cup of the evaporated milk. What is supposed to happen with the extra 3/4 cup of evaporated milk indicated in the ingredient list of the recipe?
Char
Tuesday 1st of February 2022
Hey Susan! Apologies for the confusion; after the pudding has set in the fridge, you can pour the remaining evaporated milk over the pudding. It makes it even more creamy. I've just added this to the recipe card to help clarify. I hope you enjoy this recipe!