May 17, 2016

Hong Kong Style Mango Pudding 香港芒果布甸

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One of the delights of the Hong Kong dim sum feast is the mango pudding.  Not just any old mango pudding, mind you, but the classic one developed by the ingenious chefs of dim sum who have been trained in the tradition of creating small, beautiful, delightful tasty treats that can be eaten as part of the buffet of tidbits that is the dim sum lunch.

While mango pudding has existed in many other permutations, this particular Hong Kong Style Mango Pudding, or 香港芒果布甸, is light as a feather, melting in the mouth, packed to the brim with the freshest mango taste and texture and creamy with an aromatic hint of dairy.  Now you don't need to come to Hong Kong for this dim sum treat, you can make it quite easily at home!

After trying out a few mango pudding recipes that didn't work out quite how we wanted (not enough wobble!), I finally found 'the one' in an old recipe book that was created for Hong Kong dim sum chefs.  The quantities in this recipe book are enormous, reflecting the sheer amount of dim sum these chefs must create each and every day for the fanatical lovers of dim sum.  Which, naturally of course, includes pretty much everyone in Hong Kong as who could not be devoted to a food so dainty, varied and appetizing all at the same time?

chinese, classic, dim sum, hong kong, Mango Pudding  recipe, Style, traditional, 芒果布甸, 香港, dessert, fruit, mango

For this mango pudding an essential is fresh mango to get that super fresh and fragrant mango-ness. We used Philippine mangos, known for their wonderfully sweet and tender flesh.  I have heard that Indian mangos are amongst some of the sweetest in the world, but have yet to try one (though we are planning a alphonso mango raid on Chung King Mansion in search of these beauties.)

You must get mangos that are ripe in order for them to be at peak sweetness. By touch they should be quite soft but not mushy. By look the skins should be a nice yellow all around without bruises or large black spots (some black freckles is okay) and perhaps a trail of slightly sticky sap leaking from the stem. By smell (smell near where the stem used to be) there should be a strong and fragrant mango smell.  (I always smell my fruit when I'm choosing, how about you?)

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When slicing the slippery mango I like to peel the mango first, which is easy for a ripe mango, it should just peel right off.  To slice, lay the mango on its side on cutting board with one hand on top, then use a sharp knife to slice from stem to bottom cutting under the mango stone and keeping knife against the stone as you slice.

So the order is your hand on top, mango flesh, then mango stone, then the knife, then more mango flesh and then the cutting board.  Keep the mango stone in between your hand and the knife and this will keep the knife safely away from you while still allowing you to hold firmly on to the slippery mango.  Or easier yet, you could get yourself a mango slicer.

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The key characteristics of the Hong Kong Style Mango Pudding are the fragrant scent and taste of fresh mango set off with a hint of creamy dairy and (very important!) the most alluring wobble of just set gelatin.  This special wobble is the thing that eluded our efforts in the beginning, as pudding after pudding came out nice and mango-y but without that tender wobble.  A wobble that bespokes a just barely set pudding, firm enough to hold its shape but breaking tenderly apart at the first poke of a spoon and slipping oh so lusciously and effortlessly down your throat.  

This recipe, we guarantee, will produce that special wobble!

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We used silicone cupcake molds for our mango puddings which is great because things tend to slip out of silicone easier but not so great in that silicone molds themselves are wobbly and hard to hold once filled with liquid.  But, no, no, that's just my fault really, as I forgot to place my silicone molds on a tray before filling with the mango pudding mix!  If you do this then silicone is the way to go cuz there are so many beautiful and fancy shapes that you can mold your mango puddings into.  

But really you can use anything for these lovely puddings: porcelain bowls, plastic containers, metal molds.

And finally, to serve it in the true Hong Kong style, you must have some milky evaporated milk (not sweetened) or condensed milk (sweetened) to bath your luscious mango pudding in.  I myself prefer condensed milk, lightened with a bit of distilled water.  When buying be sure to buy the sweetened condensed milk that is made from real milk and not powdered milk, just check the ingredient list on the label.  

Well now it's mango season, perfect time to grab the next bunch of lovely ripe mango that you meet and make this easy, delicious and perfectly wobblicious Hong Kong Style Mango Pudding!  It was such a hit in our little house that my 老公 asked for it to be made again the same day that we finished this first batch!

chinese, classic, dim sum, hong kong, Mango Pudding  recipe, Style, traditional, 芒果布甸, 香港, dessert, fruit, mango
Hong Kong Style Mango Pudding Recipe
香港芒果布甸
(adapted from Dim Sum in Hong Kong, by Leung Wai Shan)  
(makes 20-25 puddings)  Prep: 15 mins Setting time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup diced mango (200g)
  • 7 tbsp mango puree (100g)
  • 300 ml boiling water (300g)
  • 2 tbsp unflavored gelatin powder (17.5 g)
  • 3/4 cup sugar (150g)
  • 6 1/2 tbsp milk (100g)
  • 6 3/4 tbsp cream (100g)
  • 200 ml iced water (200g)
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, 153g
  • 1/8 cup distilled water
  • 1/2 cup diced mango, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Measure out iced water amount into a bowl and put in the freezer to cool down.  

Peel mango, setting aside correct amount for making mango puree and diced mango.  Use hand blender stick or blender to puree mango.  Put the puree thru a sieve to get out any stringy bits, etc.  Dice the correct amount of mango and set aside.

Mix boiling water with sugar and gelatin until dissolved.  Add milk and cream into gelatin, stirring the whole time.  Add in diced mango and puree, stir until mixed.  Stir in iced water.

Set silicone molds onto a tray if using.  Pour the mango gelatin mix into the molds, leaving 1/4" at the top unfilled.  Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until set.

When ready to serve unmold the pudding by preparing a bowl of hot water that is big enough to completely dip the bottom of your mold into.  Being careful of your fingers, hold the mold in the hot water all the way up to the top level of pudding inside the mold, count to 30 and remove.  

Put serving plate over mold and gently flip plate and mold over together.  The pudding should slide down into the plate.  If not give it a wiggle.  If it still doesn't move put back into hot water for a few secs at a time until the pudding slides out.  Be careful of holding in the hot water too long, as the heat will start melting your pudding.

In separate bowl, spoon in 1 tbsp of sweetened condensed milk for each pudding being served.  Add in 1/2 tsp distilled water for each tbsp condensed milk and stir until thoroughly mixed.  Spoon over mango pudding, adding extra diced mango garnish around pudding if desired and serve cold.

Store covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

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31 comments:

  1. Hi, I camr across your blog searching for a mung bean dessert recipe. I like how you explain all the details. This mango pudding recipe sounds and looks delish. I'll try it one day. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hi Sweets - your welcome and please do try, it's delicious! ~ellen

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  2. The mango pudding looks like a smooth pudding, but you say to add in diced mango. Doesn't that create chunks in the pudding?

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    1. Hi cwyc - At first I wasn't sure about that part too, however, it turns out the texture of ripe mango really works at treat with the smooth pudding, being quite soft and melty itself. Plus it gives the pudding a tremendous fresh mango flavor boost. I would definitely add it in. ~ellen

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    2. Obviously you didn't read the directions as the diced mango is pureed. The secondary diced mango is garnish.

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    3. Actually the diced mango is both added into the pudding and used for garnish. The diced mango in the pud provides, I think, a nice textural contrast but it's up to you if you want to add or not. ~ellen

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  3. Hi may I know what type of cream are u using ?

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  4. Amazing recipe! Made it today and i had a quick taste! Its now setting in the fridge :)

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  5. Does it have to be distilled water? Does regular water not works?

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    1. Regular boiled water cooled to room temp is fine as well ~ellen

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  6. At the end of the directions it says to leave it covered for 3-4 days. Is that neccessary?

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    1. That's how long you can store it for in the fridge. ~ellen

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  7. Hi there,

    This recipe calls for both milk and cream. Can I use more milk to substitute for the cream?

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    1. Cream is not the same as milk, but you could sub 5 tbsp of milk and 3 tbsp melted butter to replace cream. Probably easier to just use cream. ~ellen

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  8. For the sweetened condensed milk,is it 1/2 cup or 8oz? Thanks!

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    1. 1/2 cup, thanks for catching that, I've corrected it ~ellen

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  9. I made this for my family's Christmas gathering yesterday and everybody was enjoying it so much that they are asking for it to be a regular on my family gatherings. I cut down on the sugar by half as the mangoes we had were very sweet and it turned out perfect.

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    1. Dear Yvonne - what a wonderful idea - to make this pudding for an Xmas feast! I'm going have to steal your idea next year :) ~ellen

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  10. Next day I will try it now still busy

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  11. Can I just use evaporated milk instead?

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    1. Evaporated milk is basically the same as condensed milk except that it's not sweetened. To sweeten 1/2 cup evaporated milk add 1/2 cup sugar and heat gently until sugar melted. ~ellen

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  12. Hi Ellen,

    So sorry I should of been more specific. I was referring to using evaporated milk instead of cream and milk. Will it still create the wobbly effect?

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    1. You can sub evaporated milk for the cream 1 to 1. For the milk, you can sub 1/2 parts water + 1/2 parts evaporated milk to sub for milk. With these substitutions I think that the recipe should come out the same, though I have never tried. Let me know how it turns out if you try it! ~ellen

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  13. What kind of milk may I know?

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    1. We used regular milk but any kind is fine. ~ellen

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  14. Hi Ellen, I would like to make this recipe but would need to make it dairy free for lactose intolerant friends. I was thinking Coconut milk/cream or even perhaps almond milk. What would you suggest? Thank you

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  15. I've never tried this myself but I think that almond milk or coconut milk could sub for the milk. And full fat coconut cream could sub for the cream. Over all the taste would be more coconuty but thats yummy, right? ~ellen

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  16. Hi Ellen, thank you for the recipe. Will try to make this soon! One question though: What do you mean by iced water? Like ice cubes in water, and then put it that the freezer to chill? May I ask what is the purpose of adding iced water into the mix? Thanks again!

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  17. It just means to measure 200ml of room temp water and chill it by setting it in the freezer or fridge. The purpose is to cool down the jelly and to help it set correctly. Good luck on the puddings! ~ellen

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