Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa Recipe
Sweet, slightly tangy, this Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa offers a melt-in-the-mouth twist on the classic banana fudge experience, crafted to balance flavour, texture, elegance and a sense of occasion!
Delicious melt-in-your mouth dessert squares of Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa like never before. This fudge is easy to prepare with a few simple ingredients and makes a rich, firm and decadent treat. Every bite is sweet and slightly tangy with harmoniously balanced flavours from fresh bananas and mangoes. It makes a fantastic festive edible gift, offering a unique twist on the classic banana fudge | halwa experience.
Wheat Fudge is synonymous with Christmas in Mangalore where I grew up. In India, the term used is ‘halwa’ and forms an important part of the ‘kuswar’ platter.
Exchanging ‘kuswar’ is a tradition in Mangalore and that’s what we did the first thing when we returned home after religious services in the church on Christmas day.
India is a land of immense religious diversity and growing up in India, we lived harmoniously with all religions – Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains and many more. Exchanging kuswar was not faith – based, meaning, we would share kuswar with non-Christians also. This courtesy would be reciprocated equally during their festivals, of which there are many – Diwali, Eid, Dussehra, Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam and many more.
It was a matter of pride to share the homemade Christmas delicacies with each other back in the day. People really enjoyed giving and receiving Christmas sweets! Sadly, due to lack of time and patience, these days many people resort to buying the bulk of their Christmas sweets from the local bakeries.
A Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa was not something my mother made for Christmas, but we would almost always buy a box of wheat halwa from a local bakery. We would have just enough to go around and a little to share with our neighbours and friends. Sharing was very much a part of Christmas way back then and now!
Bananas and mangoes are popular tropical fruits. They are excellent in sweets either individually or as a combo. Both these fruits have a creamy texture and natural sweetness that complement in this Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa.
It helps that luscious mangoes are in season during Christmas in Australia and I love using seasonal fruits in my cooking – salads, curries, desserts, lassi and drinks.
So, this Christmas season, I got my two favourite fruits together, a pan and a ladle and set out to cooking this delicious Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa.
This fudge turned out creamy, deliciously sweet with a well-balanced, rich tropical profile. The smooth mellow flavour of banana pairs perfectly with the vibrant, slightly tangy sweetness of the mango intensifying each other’s fruity notes without one overpowering the other.
I am ecstatic to share this triple tested recipe and I hope you will love this Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa as much as I do!
Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa
Everyone has eaten a classic fudge and some of you might have even tasted a banana fudge | halwa but have you ever eaten a Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa before?
The answer is probably “no”!
This Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa is a unique twist on the classic Banana Fudge | Halwa. Made with fresh bananas, mangoes, brown sugar, nutmeg and a drizzle of lemon juice, this fudge is rich, smooth, firm and delicious.
Every bite is well-balanced with a tropical profile without overpowering each other’s fruity notes.
These little decadent squares are not only perfect to serve on your Christmas platter but also make a fantastic festive edible gift.
If this sounds like your taste, then, you are in the right place!
Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa
Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa – key ingredients
In this version of the Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa, most ingredients are pantry staples except for the mango essence, which gives this fudge the consistent tropical aroma which the natural pulp may not always deliver.
Here’s what goes into making this Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa:
- Ghee – Traditional and crucial ingredient in almost all festive Indian sweets (mithai) for a rich, nutty, caramel-like flavour and aroma. Ghee also gives a moist texture and a lovely sheen to this fudge | halwa.
- Brown sugar – Added for a deeper colour and more complex flavour than white sugar. Alternative: Equal or slightly less quantity of white sugar. Another alternative is jaggery, but I prefer brown sugar and hence have not tested this recipe with jaggery.
- Mango essence – Adds consistent tropical aroma and flavour, that the natural pulp alone may not always deliver. Alternative: Vanilla extract or essence, however, in this case you will have only a very mild mango flavour, but the fudge still tastes delicious. Find at: Specialised cake supplies shops and some specialty retailers. For Sydneysiders, Spotlight retailers have a dedicated baking section featuring mango flavourings. Online retailers such as, Amazon and specialised baking ingredient websites offer both water-based and oil-based mango essences in various sizes. Check out your local Indian grocers as they too stock flavourings from time to time.
- Nutmeg – Adds a sweet, earthy and subtly warm background notes and complements this fudge. Check to make sure the nutmeg is within the due date for best results. Alternative: Add ½ tsp. ground cardamom or even ¼ tsp., as cardamom is louder in flavour than nutmeg.
- Lemon juice – Added intentionally to balance the sugary sweetness and intensify the fruity flavours thus resulting in fresher, lighter and enhanced fruity flavours. Add only what’s called for in the recipe, as we don’t want the fudge to be a tarty mess!!!
- Flaked almonds – For visual appeal and a slight crunch. Can be lightly toasted before adding, but untoasted works well too. Alternative: 2 tsp. roasted and chopped cashew nuts.
- Ripe bananas – I have used Cavendish bananas for this recipe. Leave the ripe bananas on the bench for a few days until they develop sugar spots (little brown spots), are easily peelable with flesh that’s tender but not mushy.
- Sweet ripe mangoes – I have tried this recipe with Kensington Pride and Lady Jane mangoes. Use any sweet variety of ripe, sweet, fleshy mangoes with a slight tarty taste. The ratio of banana to mango is something like 1:1½ (1 is for banana and 1½ is for mango and a little more to bring up mango flavour). I have added 350g banana flesh and 575g mango flesh and this ratio balances the flavour of banana and mangoes. In other words, the mango does not get lost in the banana flavour. Alongside mango essence, this ratio works well. Alternate: If you must, use same quantity of canned mango slices in syrup/pulp. Discard the syrup and use only the mango slices. You may need to add 2 tsp. of mango essence, as canned mangoes have very little flavour. The final taste will vary with canned mangoes.
*Note: Please see Recipe Card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa: watch me cook
Creating Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa: Step-By-Step
Ready to create Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa? Follow these simple steps with images to guide you through the process.
This Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa is technically simple to make, however, you must allow yourself 35 – 40 minutes for the fudge to come together. The banana mango mixture will require constant stirring to prevent burning, which can be a good arm workout!
To make stirring effortless, I would recommend you use a medium size non-stick frying pan or saucepan. Further, if you have a spare pair of hands around the house while you make this fudge, please sing for help in stirring, while you take a short break. This way you are not only sharing the fudge but also sharing the arm workout!!!
Wear your gloves while stirring, if you see your banana mango mixture beginning to spit during cooking.
The full instructions, detailed quantities and a printable recipe for this Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa is in the Recipe Card below, but here are some helpful notes and tips to go along with the process photos.
Here’s a sketch of we are trying to achieve at each step:
get the platter ready
Lightly grease a small 8-inch round platter (as in images below) or shallow square 8-inch x 8-inch cake pan with a little ghee, making sure you have greased all the nooks and crannies. Set aside.
puree fruits
Place the mango flesh and the sliced bananas in a blender or a similar appliance and blend to a smooth puree.
Combine puree with sugar
Melt 2 tbsp. ghee (reserve the rest for later) in a medium non-stick frying pan or a non-stick saucepan on medium heat. Add the puree and sugar. Stir until sugar is well dissolved (approx. 3 minutes).
add flavouring & cook the mixture
Lower the heat, add the nutmeg/cardamom and the mango essence. Cook stirring regularly for 15 minutes. At the end of 15 minutes the mixture will look glossy as shown in the below right image (sorry! that’s the best image I could get as the fudge begins to change into a dark colour by this time and I have a black splashback that does not help!!!).
Add the lemon juice & flaked almonds
Stir in the lemon juice and 2 tsp. flaked almonds/cashew nuts, reserving the rest for garnish later. Continue to cook stirring regularly for a further 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has thickened, comes away from the sides and the ghee separates. Do a ball test (see video above to check if the mixture forms a little ball during the soft-ball-test). The fudge is ready to pour, if it forms a ball easily.
FINISH COOKING AND POUR
Stir in the reserved ghee until incorporated. Remove from heat. Using the spatula as a guide, pour the fudge carefully into the greased platter and level the top. Tip: I fold a piece of baking paper into a 3 layer, 2-inch x 2-inch square and use it to level the top, moving around as I level.
cool for 1 hour and then cut lines
Cool the fudge for 1 hour. Then, cut lines to make squares or diamond shapes but keep the fudge in the platter to cool completely. The fudge sets slightly in 1 hour, but it will take 4 hours for the fudge to set completely.
cool completely, garnish and serve
The fudge needs to cool completely before it can be cut into neat pieces. Remove the pieces carefully from the platter, garnish with remaining flaked almonds and a silver leaf if you want to get fancy!!
Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa garnished with flaked almonds and a silver leaf for a festive touch!
I hope you love my Banana Mango Fudge recipe, and that you will make this delicious fudge during this Christmas season for your loved ones. If you do, I’d love to know about it in the comments below!
Happy Christmas fudge making, see you here again soon in 2026!!
how to tell when Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa is ready
You can tell that the fudge is ready by doing one of the following:
- Observing the appearance: By observing the appearance and the texture towards the end of 25 – 30 minutes of cooking. The fudge pulls away from the sides of the pan into a mass, and the ghee separates from the mass during the final minutes of cooking; or
- Soft – ball test: Checking the consistency of the cooked mixture by doing the cold-water test also known as the ‘soft ball test‘.
-
- Fill a small glass or bowl with a few large ice cubes and pour a glass of water (keep this ready a couple of minutes before).
- Carefully drop ½ tsp. of the mixture into the cold water. If the mixture forms a small, pliable ball that can be flattened between your fingers, the fudge has reached the soft ball stage and is ready to pour (See video under heading “Banana Mango Fudge: Watch me Cook”) if in doubt.
The fudge is not ready:
- If the mixture forms thin threads that dissipate (thread stage). If this happens, repeat the test every 1 to 2 minutes using a clean spoon and fresh cold water, until you achieve the soft ball consistency. In the weeks leading up to publishing this recipe, my fudge was almost always ready within 25-30 minutes of cooking on medium low flame.
The fudge is overcooked when:
- the mixture forms a firm, hard ball when you are doing the soft – ball test.
If this happens, you may still pour the fudge into the prepared platter and level quickly. It will set faster and may or may not cut easily due to its hardness. Therefore, put the lines within 15 minutes of pouring, if you can cut through. Leave the fudge in the platter for 1 hour or until you can cut into pieces but do not leave for too long as it may not cut through easily. Remove the pieces and store. See “How to store Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa” below for details on storing the fudge.
how to serve Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa
- Keep it simple: In India, most halwas are simply cut into squares or diamonds or any shape you wish and served at room temperature. Yes, that’s it!!!
- Keep it stylish: Garnish with some flaked almonds or finely chopped cashew nuts for a bit of colour and crunch. Nuts make the fudge stand out and adds to the aesthetics!
- Add the sparkle: If you have access to a gold | silver leaf, you may decorate the fudge with it, like I have. It’s Christmas and a little bling goes a long way!
- Deck the halls: Add a colourful ribbon to enhance the colour of the fudge. Contrasting colours make the fudge enticing and eye-popping!!
how to store Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa
When properly wrapped, in cooler conditions, this Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa can last for up to 8 days at room temperature and up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator (if it’s not eaten by little hands).
- Store at room temperature: Line the base of a medium size airtight container with baking paper (prevents from drying out). Place the completely cooled, individual pieces a cm apart and place another layer of baking paper on the top. Stack layers like this until all the pieces are covered. Finally, place another piece of baking paper on the top, to prevent from drying out. Cover with the lid and store in a cool place away from direct sunlight.
- Store in the refrigerator: Cover the container with cling wrap and place the airtight container in the refrigerator. Cling wrap prevents the fudge from absorbing unwanted flavours from the fridge. Remove from the fridge and rest for 45 minutes. Serve at room temperature. In hot weather conditions, please store the fudge in the refrigerator after 24 hours of making it, to maintain maximum freshness.
Banana Mango Fudge|Halwa ready for storing
Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. / 40g room temperature ghee / clarified butter + 1 tsp. extra to grease the platter
- 3 large / 550g ripe bananas peeled and roughly sliced (I used Cavendish) (flesh weight 350g) (Note 1)
- 2 large sweet ripe mangoes 900g, cheeks sliced, flesh scooped (can use Lady Jane/Kensington Pride) (Note 2) (flesh weight 575g)
- 1 cup / 230g tightly packed brown sugar white sugar, if that’s what you have
- ¾ tsp. ground nutmeg/cardamom powder (Note 3)
- 1½ tsp. mango essence for a deep mango flavour or vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice optional (Note 4)
- 2 tsp. flaked almonds + 1 tsp. for garnish
Instructions
- Get the platter ready - Grease a small 8-inch round platter or an 8-inch x 8-inch shallow square cake pan with a little melted ghee. Set aside.
- Puree fruits - Add the bananas and mango flesh to a blender or similar appliance and blend to a smooth puree. Set aside.
- Combine puree with sugar - Melt 2 tbsp. ghee in a medium non-stick frying pan or a heavy bottom non-stick medium size saucepan over medium heat and add the blended puree and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved (approx. 3 minutes).
- Add flavouring and cook the mixture - Lower the heat and add nutmeg / cardamom powder and the mango essence / vanilla extract. Cook stirring regularly for 15 minutes or until the mixture looks glossy. Add the lemon juice and 2 tsp. flaked almonds and continue to cook for another 15 minutes (Note 5 on how to do the soft-ball test to check if the fudge is ready or not). You need to stir regularly to avoid the banana mixture sticking to the pan. Stir in the remaining ghee.
- Finish cooking - Continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until the mixture comes away from the sides easily, the ghee separates from the sides, and the fudge looks almost black. Remove from heat. Pour into the prepared platter/pan and flatten the top with a greased spoon or a piece of lightly greased baking paper (Note 6).
- Cool partially and then cut lines - Cool in the platter/pan for 45 minutes - 1 hour and then make lines to cut into equal squares or diamond shapes but leave in the platter/tin. The fudge will harden slightly at room temperature in 1 hour but will need to set fully before it can be cut into neat pieces. Set aside at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight before cutting and serving.
- Cut and serve - Cut into squares or diamond shapes and serve garnished with flaked almonds and gold leaf (for a festive touch). To store, read my blog on 'How to store Banana Mango Fudge | Halwa' for details on storing the fudge.
Notes
- I used ripe Cavendish bananas. Use any ripe bananas or overripe bananas with a very soft and tender texture. I have used ripe bananas with little brown sugar spots (and not overripe) as I do not want to overpower the fudge with banana flavour. In this recipe, we want to have a balanced banana and mango flavour.
- I have tried with Kensington Pride and Lady Jane (sweet with a slight tart taste). Can substitute with same quantity of canned mango flesh but mango flavour is not prominent.
- Check date of expiry! Fresh is best. You may grate fresh nutmeg from the pod, if you have one for the freshest flavour. If you are adding ground cardamom, add only ½ tsp. We do not want a very strong cardamom flavour.
- If the mango has some tartness to it, you do not need to add lemon juice. My mangoes were not tart and hence I added 3 tbsp. lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Fresh is best but add bottled, if you must!
- You know the fudge/halwa is ready when you can make a small ball with the glossy mixture (soft-ball test). To do this, fill a small bowl with ice cubes and add a cup of water. Carefully, drop half a teaspoon of the glossy mixture into the chilled water. Pick it up and gather into a tiny ball. If it forms a ball easily, then the mixture is ready to pour. You do not need to cook for another 5 minutes.
- To make it easy to level the fudge after cooking, I cut a strip of baking paper and form into a 3 layered square shape. Grease it with a little ghee and keep it handy to level the top. Using my hand, I slowly work the mixture until it is levelled. I find this technique works well for me. If you have an easier technique, please do so!
- In Step 4, the halwa is formed to a soft halwa consistency, after stirring for 15 minutes. If you wish the halwa to be of a firm consistency, continue to cook on low heat for another 15 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid lumps.
Hi, I’m Catherine!
I’m all about creating tasty Indian dishes with whatever’s on hand, even when I’m short on time or budget. I love turning simple ingredients into flavorful delights. Join me on this culinary adventure where we’ll explore the magic of Indian cuisine, one delicious dish at a time!
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