Mango Passion Jelly Pudding is a sophisticated, jewel like layered jelly, made with fresh mango, agar-agar powder (plant-based gelatine), sugar, mango-passion fruit yogurt and water.

It’s a fabulously summery sharing dessert because it is light and not too sweet.

Much of the inspiration for this dessert came from my friend’s friend, who taught her the steps to make this glamourous jelly pudding. My most sincere gratitude to my friend for sharing her tips with me, without which, I would not have been able to post the recipe for this luscious pudding.

If you are bored doing that usual dessert for that special someone on Valentine’s Day, this Mango Passion Jelly Pudding is just what you need to whip up!! It’s fun to make and you can make it 3 days ahead of time, and that means, you will have plenty of time for all of the other romantic gestures you have planned.

Serve this pudding on its own or topped with custard and a drizzle of fresh or canned passion fruit pulp (both are optional garnishes). With its stunning presentation, this pudding makes a fantastic and romantic finish to set the tone for an evening to remember!

I hope you try this Mango Passion Jelly Pudding, and I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Although both agar-agar and gelatine are setting agents to give structure to desserts, puddings, yogurt, jellies and a variety of other recipes, I have discovered that they are not the same. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, it is worth noting some of the glaring differences:

Agar-agar

• Agar-agar is derived from a flavourless red seaweed and is an algae-based vegan/vegetarian alternative.
• Agar-agar has stronger setting properties and sets at room temperature.
• Agar-agar will not melt if left in warm surroundings, although it might lose a small amount of liquid if left on the kitchen bench for a long time.
• Agar-agar has a sturdy yet brittle or clunky texture. It is not flexible.

Gelatine

• Gelatine is a purified protein, made of collagen extracted from the tissues, bones and skin of domesticated animals by partial alkaline and/or acid hydrolysis and/or enzymatic hydrolysis, or by thermal hydrolysis. It is not suitable for those on vegetarian and vegan diet.
• Gelatine will partially set at room temperature but needs to be chilled in the refrigerator for hours to set to a firm texture. In other words, gelatine is wobbly and will not set fully at room temperature.
• Gelatine will melt if left in a warm environment, as it has a fairly low melting point.
• Gelatine is wobbly, has a smooth texture and it is flexible.

As you can see from the image below, I have used an intricately designed 8-cup capacity non-stick bundt cake pan (see below image) that I use for baking my bundt cakes. You may use an 8-cup capacity jelly mould, if that’s what you have.

So, what’s a bundt pan?

Bundt pan is a fluted baking pan, which means it has decorative sculpted shapes. In the baking world, it is used to bake beautifully shaped cakes, which do not call for any fancy icing or frosting.

How do I know the capacity of my bundt pan?

If you already have a bundt pan and are not sure of its capacity? All you got to do is, using your measuring cup, fill your pan with water all the way up to the rim, leaving about 1cm for expansion. The number of cups of water you use, will give you the capacity of your pan.

What do I use if I do not have a bundt pan?

If you do not have a non-stick bundt pan, but have a jelly mould, then an 8-cup capacity jelly mould will also work. Again, if you are not sure of its capacity, do the same as for bundt pan to get its capacity.

Can I use a cake tin to do this Mango Passion Jelly Pudding?

If you do not have an 8-cup capacity non-stick bundt pan or jelly mould, you may experiment with non-stick square, round or heart shape cake tins, if that’s what you have on hand. Unfortunately, I have not tested my Mango Passion Jelly Pudding with any of these shapes and so, I cannot guarantee that it will unmould as well as my non-stick bundt pan.

Important:

• It is important to remember that, whether you use a non-stick bundt pan or a jelly mould, or any cake tins, you must grease the pan or mould, lightly with a little oil because greasing makes unmoulding easier.

• If you are concerned that the oil might change the flavour of jelly, you may like to rinse your bundt pan or jelly mould with water. Wipe any excess water before you use the pan/mould.

8-cup capacity non-stick Bundt Pan

Although agar-agar and gelatine both act as stabilising and setting agents because of their ability to retain a substantial amount of water, while maintaining a solid like structure, it is good to note that the puddings made with agar-agar set very differently to gelatine puddings.

For this recipe, I have used the Swallow Globe Brand agar-agar powder, which I bought from a large Asian Grocery store (Miracle Asian Supermarket) at Macquarie Shopping Centre.

This agar-agar is a colourless powder (Tanpa Warna) and unsweetened. The ratio of agar-agar to water 7g:900mL (7g of agar-agar powder: 900mL water) is mentioned on the back of the packet.

I have used the same ratio to prepare my Mango Passion Jelly Pudding. I have used 2 packets of agar-agar 14g:1,500mL water + 300g mango passion yogurt. Unlike the traditional puddings, the texture of this Mango Passion Jelly pudding is explained below:

• It is firm and sturdy.
• It is not wobbly or jiggly.
• It is brittle and in fact feels quite clunky while cutting.
• It is more of a biting consistency rather than a chewing consistency.

This 5 ingredient Mango Passion Jelly Pudding is made using agar-agar (the plant-based setting agent), sugar, water, mango and unsweetened mango-passion fruit Greek yogurt.

While making this Mango Passion Jelly Pudding, it is important to remember to buy the correct agar-agar powder. I have used the unsweetened, colourless Agar-agar for this recipe.

I have added a little yellow liquid food colouring to give golden hues to the jelly layers.

Some large Asian grocery stores stock sweetened agar-agar in different colours. The most popular colours are red, orange, green and chocolate. Do not use the sweetened agar-agar for this recipe as it won’t work.

Here’s what goes into making this easy Mango Passion Jelly Pudding:

• Agar-agar colourless powder – Most important vegetable-based ingredient. The packet is labelled Tanpa Warna (meaning colourless) Find at: – Large supermarkets such as Woolworths and Coles, placed next to Gelatine or in their health food shelf. Also available at Harris Farm Markets. I bought mine from ‘Miracle’ Asian grocery store at Macquarie Centre (near the escalator going up to Aldi and Panetta’s. Many Indian supermarkets also store Agar but ask the shop assistant before you enter the shop to guide you.

• White sugar – Added for sweetness and to strengthen the structure of the jelly. As a guide, I have added 300g and it works well for me. Tastes vary remarkably, that’s why it’s important to use this as a guide only. Add sugar to taste before you pour jelly mixture and the mango passion yogurt mixture into the pan.

• Water – Agar-agar when blended with water creates a gelatine like texture, which is the base of this pudding. You will need 1.5 litre (5 cups) of tepid water to make this Mango Passion Jelly Pudding.

• Yellow liquid food colouring or gel – Tint the jelly to the hue desired. I like to create a contrast of gold and yellow to showcase the two layers. As a guide, I have added 2 tsp.

• Mango – Honey Gold mangoes are Australian grown. They are large, firm, sweet, juicy with a honey-like fresh mango flavour and most of all fibreless. Use mangoes that are firm and 90% ripe. Overripe mangoes will be mushy when you cube them. In season from November to March (Australian summer). Find at: Woolworths, Coles or Harris Farm markets. Also, at your local green grocers. Substitute: Your favourite ripe, juicy, firm and sweet mango. If mangoes are out of season, use good quality tinned mangoes in syrup, as we want them sweet for this recipe.

• Mango passion fruit yogurt – I have used ‘Chobani’ No Added Sugar variety Greek yogurt, as I was looking for a creamy yet healthier option for the second layer. If using sweetened yogurt, you may like to decrease the sugar to taste. Remember not to omit sugar totally, as the jelly mixture will require sweetener, without which it will be totally bland and inedible.

• Passion fruit pulp in syrup (optional garnish) – Added for a tropical flavour garnish for this jelly. Sprinkle a tablespoon over custard just before serving. Find at: Woolworths or Coles on their tinned fruit shelf (170g small green cans). Substitute – Scooped flesh of 2 fresh passion fruits.

• Custard (optional garnish) – Adds colour, texture and light sweetness.

• A little oil – Helps with unmoulding. Dip a small piece of paper towel in very little oil and wipe the inside of the bundt pan, including all the crevices. Alternative: Rinse the bundt pan with cold water and dab any excess water with paper towel.