Mango pudding is a chilled, set dessert made by folding ripe mango puree into warm sweetened milk thickened with agar-agar, then cooling it for three to four hours. Alphonso pulp needs no straining, being non-fibrous, so the pudding comes out smooth and deep gold.
Mango pudding, the Indian way
A good mango pudding is a quiet dessert: five ingredients, one pan, a few hours in the fridge. The fruit does the rest, which is why the variety matters more than the technique.
Pudding started as a British word for a set or steamed dish, and the sweet, chilled version travelled east. Cooks in India and across South East Asia swapped in local ingredients: coconut milk, jaggery and, in summer, mango. The Alphonso version is the one we make at home, because the pulp is thick enough to carry the dessert on its own.
We are Powle Home Foods, the family behind AlphonsoMango.in. The recipe below uses fresh fruit from our Ratnagiri Alphonso or Devgad Alphonso page in season, or a tin of Alphonso mango pulp the rest of the year. Both origins are the same variety; we do not rank one above the other for pudding.
Why Alphonso makes a smooth pudding
Fibre is the enemy of a smooth set dessert. Most mango varieties need straining because the pulp is stringy. Alphonso pulp is described as rich, creamy and non-fibrous, so a blender turns it into a paste with the texture of thick cream in under a minute. No sieve, no pulp left behind.
Ripe Alphonso is sweet enough that the sugar in most pudding recipes becomes optional. Taste the fruit first. If it is fully ripe, start with half the sugar and add more only if the mixture tastes flat. We do not quote a sugar figure for the fruit, because it varies from fruit to fruit.
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds. Hay-ripened fruit arrives firm and finishes ripening at home. Give a fresh box two to three days on the counter and blend when the fruit gives slightly near the stalk and smells sweet. Our ripening guide explains the signs.
Mango pudding recipe
Mango pudding recipe: ripe Alphonso puree folded into warm milk set with agar-agar, flavoured with cardamom and saffron, chilled until firm.
Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 10 minutes. Setting time: 4 hours. Serves 6. Cuisine: Indian. Course: dessert.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe Alphonso mangoes, about 350 to 400 g of pulp (or the same weight from a pulp tin)
- 500 ml full-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar, or less if the fruit is very ripe
- 1 teaspoon agar-agar powder
- A pinch of cardamom powder
- 4 strands of saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm milk, optional
Method
- Peel the mangoes, cut the flesh away from the stone and blend to a smooth puree. Alphonso needs no straining.
- Warm the milk in a saucepan over a low flame. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Do not let it boil.
- Sprinkle the agar-agar over the warm milk and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until it dissolves fully. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes, until warm rather than hot.
- Fold the mango puree into the milk. Add the cardamom and the saffron milk. Stir gently until the colour is even.
- Pour into glasses or small moulds. Leave uncovered in the refrigerator for the first 30 minutes, then cover loosely and chill for 3 to 4 hours until set.
- Run a knife round the edge if you used moulds, or serve in the glass. Serve cold with a few thin mango slices, a saffron strand or a little crushed pistachio on top.
Chia pudding and other variations
A no-cook version skips the stove. Soak 3 tablespoons of chia seeds in 250 ml of milk or coconut milk for 20 minutes, stir in the mango puree, pour into glasses and refrigerate overnight. The texture is thicker and more textured than the agar-agar version, and it is a different dessert rather than a copy. We sell chia seeds and flax seeds if you want to try it; ground flax gives a nuttier note. Soaked chia adds fibre, and both seeds are sold through the year, so this version does not depend on the mango season if you use pulp.
- Firmer set. Agar-agar sets firmer than gelatine at the same quantity. Start with 1 teaspoon and add a quarter teaspoon more only if you want a sliceable pudding.
- Dairy-free. Replace the milk with coconut milk. The pudding sets a little softer and tastes of coconut, which suits mango well.
- With pulp. A tin of Alphonso pulp works through the year. Check the label for added sugar and cut the sugar in the recipe to match.
- Garnish. Keep it minimal. The saffron-gold colour of the pulp does most of the work; heavy cream or chocolate covers the fruit.
Storage, season and buying the fruit
The pudding keeps for two days in the refrigerator, covered. The texture is best on the first day. Do not freeze it; agar-agar weeps on thawing. If you are making it for guests, set it the night before and add the garnish just before serving.
Alphonso is harvested about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027. Outside the season we do not sell fresh Alphonso, and the pulp tin (850 g and 3.1 kg, from Rs 590) is the honest substitute. Fresh fruit sells from Rs 1,849 per dozen, and a dozen weighs roughly 1.8 to 3.3 kg depending on grade. Three fruits of a mid grade give the 350 to 400 g of pulp the recipe needs.
We dispatch by Blue Dart, and about 65% of Indian PIN codes get next-day delivery. Check your PIN code at checkout. Alphonso from the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt is GI-tagged in India (GI No. 139); for Alphonso we hold GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139), listed on our Brand Facts page. For more desserts from the same box, see our mango kulfi recipe and mango panna cotta.
People also ask
How do you make mango pudding set without gelatine?
Use agar-agar. Warm 500 ml of milk, dissolve the sugar, then stir in 1 teaspoon of agar-agar powder for 3 to 4 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, fold in the mango puree and chill for 3 to 4 hours. Agar-agar sets firmer than gelatine, so start with 1 teaspoon and adjust next time.
Can I make mango pudding with mango pulp from a tin?
Yes. Use 350 to 400 g of Alphonso mango pulp in place of the fresh puree and skip the blending. Tinned pulp may carry added sugar, so read the label and reduce the sugar in the recipe to match. The pudding sets the same way and keeps for two days in the refrigerator.
Why does my mango pudding turn watery?
The usual causes are under-dissolved agar-agar, milk that was boiled after the agar-agar went in, or fruit that was too wet. Stir the agar-agar for a full 3 to 4 minutes over low heat, let the mixture cool for 5 minutes before adding the puree, and use thick, non-fibrous pulp.
Which mango is best for pudding?
Alphonso suits pudding because its pulp is rich, creamy and non-fibrous, so it blends smooth without straining and gives a deep gold colour. Use fully ripe fruit that gives slightly near the stalk. Between seasons, an Alphonso pulp tin gives a close result.
Related searches
- Mango kulfi recipe
- Mango panna cotta recipe
- Indian mango pudding recipe
- Chia seed recipes
- More Alphonso mango recipes
- Buy Ratnagiri Alphonso mango online
- Alphonso mango pulp tin
- Buy chia seeds online
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango.
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, Regulation 2.3.5 (compendium version of 2 April 2025).
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.