Mango Mousse

A king asked a sage to explain the Truth. In response the sage asked the king how he would convey the taste of a mango to someone who had never eaten anything sweet. No matter how hard the king tried, he could not adequately describe the flavor of the fruit, and, in frustration, he demanded of the sage "Tell me then, how would you describe it?" The sage picked up a mango and handed it to the king saying "This is very sweet. Try eating it!"

Summers are here. 

The good part is that the layers are off- but more recently- I have discovered that this is my not so favorite time of the year. The peak of the allergy season, the health issues, and there is a dull limp in the air that just seems to bring everyone/everything down? Where is the freshness of summer like it used to be?

However, one of the nicer things about summer is the Mangoes. Luckily, being in Delhi, we get the best variety of mangoes through the year, and that is something I truly cherish about the summers. And, I am one of those people who can eat a mango a day to keep the doctor away! My childhood training from Dad, has me equipped to recognize the variety of mangoes available, the time of the year they come in and how best to eat them. We had a stash of wonderful alphonso mangoes, which I utilized quite aptly, if I may say so- in the form of a mango mousse. Alphonso mangoes come from the western India belt, and are known for their pulpy nature and a dark yellow colour. I have come to learn over many years, that the best use of an Alphonso is in the form of a milk shake. In more recent times, I have used it for a mango cheesecake and icecream too- truly, it is a fruit to be used in its pulpy form.

We had a formal dinner for my K side of the family- and I planned to utilize the fruits available for desserts. Since it was my parents anniversary as well, A cake was planned along with some sort of a shot dessert helping. I went in for the strawberry shortcake, for its fanciful look, and decided to use the mangoes for a mango mousse. The recipe is adapted from the Chocolate Mousse here. Original can be found here. I have never had such wonderful feedback for a dessert that was literally made in about 20 minutes. Even people who don’t have a sweet tooth- could not stop raving. This dessert is a definite recommendation for a light sweet bite!

3 Medium Sized ripe Alphonso Mangoes (I used only 2 alphonso and cheated a bit by using 1 of another variety- since I didn’t have 3 ripe alphonso mangoes at hand)

4 Tbsp Gelatin

1/4 cup cold water and 1/3 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

2 cups (300 ml) cold whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Some Pistachios to garnish

Cut mangoes to garnish

Puree the mango in a mixer to get a smooth pulp. (The word smooth is extremely crucial)

Combine sugar and mango pulp in large bowl; add whipping cream and vanilla. Mix rigorously with a big spoon folding the ingredients in. Scrape the bottom of the bowl occasionally, until mixture is stiff.

                Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl; let stand 2 minutes to soften. Add boiling water; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and mixture is clear. Cool slightly. Pour in gelatin mixture into the mango mixture and mix until well blended. Spoon into dessert dishes and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Garnish a few hours before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.