Mango Mousse Recipe: How to Make Mango Mousse

Mango mousse is a gluten-free, no-bake dessert made with mango purée. There are many ways to thicken the tangy, sweet, and tropical-tasting mousse, including adding gelatin to the purée or folding in whipped heavy cream. Sweeten mango mousse to taste with simple syrup, condensed milk, or any preferred sweetener.

Serve this easy dessert as-is, topped with ice cream, or layered with sweetened whipped cream, fresh fruit, and cubed vanilla cake to make a layered trifle, a favorite summer dessert.

Here are some ingredients you can use to thicken mousses and puddings:

1. 1. Agar-agar: A vegan alternative to gelatin, agar-agar is a seaweed extract that sets liquids into gels quickly. Acidic liquids or ones with lots of enzymes, like pineapple or papaya, require more agar because of how it reacts with the acids. Agar works best for setting sweeter juices or purées. Learn more about the differences between agar vs. gelatin.
2. 2. Cornstarch: You can add a slurry of cornstarch and water to your fruit purée, but keep in mind that it has to boil for the starch to activate and thicken the mousse.
3. 3. Egg yolks: Adding egg yolks to liquids to thicken them requires some cooking. Egg yolks provide thickening power to custards, lemon curd, and classic cheesecake.
4. 4. Gelatin: Unflavored gelatin is a popular thickening agent for many desserts, including mousse, panna cotta, and pudding. Buy gelatin as a powder or in sheets. (You’ll need to soak the sheets in water to bloom the gelatin.)
5. 5. Whipped cream: Whipping cream into firm peaks and folding it into purées is a quick way to thicken them while adding creaminess. This technique is common for classics like homemade chocolate mousse. Try whipping coconut cream for a plant-based version.

Here’s how to make a quick, eggless mango mousse at home.

1. 1. Use sweet mangoes. You’ll find a variety of mangoes at the grocery store. Ataulfo and Alphonso mango varieties tend to be the sweetest, while Keitt and Tommy Atkins mangoes are on the more acidic side.
2. 2. Choose ripe mangoes. Underripe mangoes are acidic and can curdle the whipped cream during the mixing and chilling process. For a sweet and smooth mango dessert, choose mangoes that are soft to the touch and deep orange in color when sliced.
3. 3. Keep the mixture chilled. As it warms, whipped cream begins to weep, as the air suspended within the cream gets released. Cold whipped cream keeps its shape and will stay set when chilled.
4. 4. Sweeten to taste. Different varieties of mango will have varying levels of sweetness. Mangoes are naturally tangy, and you might want to add a few tablespoons of simple syrup or sweetened condensed milk to the mango purée if you like your desserts on the sweeter side. To get the essence of sweetness without added sugars, try adding half a teaspoon of vanilla extract or cardamom powder.