Mango Pudding with Strawberry Sauce

I know.  It's winter.  Why am I cooking with mangoes?  That's so.... summery!  Well, after the holiday cookie-baking-binge, I wanted to make a dessert that was not a baked good.  And not butter-laden.  We had some pots de crème for our holiday dinner and it got me thinking of other desserts utilizing my lovely ramekins.  Why not a pudding?

And with the winter solistice comes the lengthening of days.  I know it will be awhile before the days don't make me want to hibernate, but I like to think of the solstice as a turning point and leading towards summer.  A bit delusional?  Yes, but it helps me get through the gloom of a Pacific Northwest winter!  So, it's time to bring the sun inside with some mangoes!

Okay, the mangoes at my local grocery store looked positively pitiful.  So I had to be resourceful and I used an organic substitute of canned mango chunks with no added sugar.

I wanted a topping of sorts as well, for presentation as well as taste.  Cue another of my favorite fruits - strawberries!

Mango Pudding
(adapted from Eating Well)
Yields twelve 4 oz. servings

2 1/4 to 2 3/4 lb very ripe mangoes (4 or 5) OR 3 cans of mango chunks, drained
1 (1/4-oz) envelope unflavored gelatin
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup canned evaporated milk

Peel and pit mangoes OR drain 3 cans of mango chunks, then purée in a food processor until smooth (you should have 2 1/3 cups purée). Force through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any fibers, scraping bottom of sieve with a rubber spatula (discard fibers).

Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat sugar and remaining cup water in a small saucepan over moderately high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, then add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Add puréed mango and heat, stirring, just until mixture reaches a bare simmer. 

Remove from heat, then stir in evaporated milk until combined well. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Divide among 12 (1/2-cup) ramekins and chill, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 24 (for flavors to develop; puddings will be softly set). 

 Strawberry Sauce

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 cups fresh strawberries, washed and chopped

dash of lemon or orange juice, to taste

dash of lemon or orange zest, to taste

8 whole strawberries, for garnish

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch; mix well.  Add water; mix well.  Add strawberries and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in zest and juice and let it cool a bit.  Purée in food processor or blender to make it smooth.  Let cool until room temperature and then divide among the ramekins.

Wash remaining strawberries, and leave green stems and leaves intact.  Hold stem with one hand and slice almost all of the way up the strawberry, 1/8 inch slices, and as many times as the size of the berry allows.  Press open/sideways with hands to fan it out - a lovely garnish!

The resulting flavor reminds me of a smoothie, and next time I think I might add some rum for a more adult dessert.  Yum.  Rum.  :-)

Enjoy!