Fruit mousses take a bit of work, but the technical frills are worth the extra-silky and luxurious result. Mango is very nice, but many kinds of fruit will work (see the below recipe). Start by peeling two large, ripe mangoes. Yes, I know this is a composite shot, but as you already know, I only have two hands.
This aftermath of this attempted action shot required a bandaid.
Oh well, live and learn. Slice and/or scoop the mango flesh away from the pit.
Combine the flesh with the sugar in a food processor and purée until smooth.
Pour the purée into a fine mesh sieve…
…and using a spatula, press it through until you have nothing but about a tablespoon of fruit fibers left. This step will take you 5-10 minutes, but you want to take the time, trust me.
Add the lemon juice to the sieved purée and stir.
Now pour one third of the purée into a small saucepan and bring it up to a simmer. Sprinkle on the gelatin…
…and stir it in. Keep stirring until it melts completely.
Pour the mixture, along with the rest of the purée, into a medium bowl and whisk it together thoroughly. Allow this to sit at room temperature while you whip the cream.
The next part of the process is like a little dance. The idea is to have the purée at the perfect temperature and the cream at the perfect consistency right at the same time. Since cooling the purée all the way right away will cause the gelatin to set up prematurely, and whipping the cream all the way right away risks a semi-melted or over-whipped end product, you want to do each in stages. So, while the purée is cooling, pour the cream into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whip.
Whip it. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath for the bowl of mango purée. When the cream is whipped more or less to soft peaks…
…place the purée bowl into the ice water bath.
Keep scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to keep the mixture from setting up in large clumps. When you see these sorts of “curds” starting to form, you’re ready to complete the mousse. Remove the purée bowl from the ice water bath.
Promptly whip the cream to stiff peaks…
Then whip in the purée.
Whew! You’re done. Pour the mousse into the mold you’re prepared.
Or, spoon it into bowls and eat!
Hi Joe,
This mango mousse looks glorious. I have a question–i’m looking to make a guava chiffon cake, was wondering if this mousse will stiffen well enough for me to use it as a layer? I would probably pour it into cake pans and refridgerate it overnight and then stack it in-between layers – - do you think that would work? I’m cake stacking challenged, my filling always runs out the sides and i need something fool-proof. Thanks for any help.
Hi June! Thanks for the question. Yes, it does firm up quite well. You shouldn’t have a problem with it as a layer in your cake, provided you make it in a mold…this Bavarian has the texture of whipped cream at first, so it might squish out the sides if there wasn’t a mold around it to support it. After a few hours, however, it will hold its own.
Hi Joe,
This looks excellent! I was planning on making a Charlotte Royale for a birthday party this weekend, but it turns out that the birthday girl doesn’t much care for mango. Any idea how this might be adapted to other fruit? (Maybe lemon or strawberry?)
Thanks!
Hi Adam! I just put up a post on the subject…have a look! (And sorry for the delay).
Hi Joe–I love your blog! I was wondering if you could give any advice for substituting gelatin sheets for the powdered stuff and vice versa. I know that the sheets are supposed to be more reliable and I find them easier to work with, but the powdered is much easier to find.
Hi Claire! Yes, I understand completely. Sheets and powdered gelatin can get a little confusing. I consider four sheets of gelatin to be the equivalent of one 2 1/2 teaspoon packet of the powdered stuff. Some people say five, but I’d rather err on the side of caution. In my universe 1 sheet of gelatin = 1/2 teaspoon powdered.
Posting from Hawai’i, mango country. You can extract the flesh from the mango more easily if you don’t peel. There’s a good set of instructions, with pix, at:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookbasics/ss/cutmango_7.htm
Thanks Zora! I’m certainly no expert in these matters. – Joe
I always made mango milk shakes while they are in season..will try mousse this season before it runs dry..thanks for the recipe joe.
I promise you’ll like it! – Joe
This was very nice. All of us liked it very much. I substituted gelatine with china grass. Thanks for the recipe Joe. Nice was to cool off our hot summers here…
I’m very glad it worked so well! It’s hot here too…
I think most Asians are wary of heating fruits since that will make the fruit more sour. I guess one can also melt the gelatin with some water and then add it to uncooked mango puree to preserve the natural flavour of the mangos?
I can appreciate that, however remember that the technique involves heating only a portion of the purée, and then only to the point that the gelatin is melted. I generally prefer that over diluting the purée with water. However there’s no problem soaking the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water, then melting it over medium heat on the stove. Whisk that into the fruit purée and continue as normal.
You have more useful info than the Britsih had colonies pre-WWII.
That’s the sort of compliment that really speaks to me, Loren! I greatly appreciate it!
- Joe
Hi Joe–I am going to make a raspberry version of this for a party and was wondering how long it can sit at room temperature before the mousse begins to soften too much. Also, what do you think about folding fruit into the mousse before pouring it into the mold? Would the fruit release too much water? Thanks for the inspiration!
It depends on the temperature of the room. However I set my mango Charlotte out on a buffet table in an un-air conditioned room for about 3 hours and it held up fine. It was about 80 in there. Mousse like this shouldn’t completely collapse unless it’s really, really hot. As for mixing whole berries into it, that’s fine. Cut berries and/or fruit will release enough moisture to do some damage to the gel.
Best of luck with it!
- Joe
Thanks a lot! I actually tried to make this, following a different recipe but texture of the mousse quite right, however I got it perfect following yours!
Great news, Rob! Thanks for the note!
- Joe
I have been making Mango Mousse for about 10 years! But I make it a little easier.
I peel the mangoes like you and put in food processor then thru a sieve
but i put 3 tablespoons of water and 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin in microwave for 30 seconds~ cool and add to mango puree along w/ 1/2 cup of sugar.
Then I whip my cream and fold. I put 3 raspberries at bottom of a glass bowl and add mousse then top with raspberries to garnish.
It saves a lot of time and appears would be much easier.
To each their own. This isn’t necessarily the definitive method, I don’t claim that any of my techniques and recipes are definitive. They’re simply the ones that I think deliver the best result for the amount of effort I put in. There are many ways to do almost everything on the site. Glad you have a method that works for you!
- Joe
One more thing Joe~ I have also made Raspberry mousse also and it is to Die for!!!!
Whoa…sounds fantastic! I may have to do that one soon…
Thanks Michele!
Hi I love the way that mousse looks. But where is the recipe I want to use it in my individual cakes. I’m in culinary school and next week on Wednesday is my day to make a dessert for our schools restaurant. I also would like to know do you have a mirror mango glaze recipe?? I was going to make a geniose with mango mousse.thank you.
Hey Courtney! Just go over to the menu on the left, go to Pastry Components and look for “Mousse” then “Fruit Mousse.” You’ll find the general recipe for fruit mousses at the bottom, under the photo tutorial. RE: your other question, I should have a mirror mango glaze up, but I don’t. Sorry ’bout that!
Good luck!
- Joe
Thank you
Hi Joe,
Can i use pectin in place of gelatin and still get the same mousse consistency and taste. If i can use pectin then can you give the amt of pectin i need to substitute.
I wish pectin were strong enough to hold up a mousse, Rari. Unfortunately it isn’t. A higher amount of a fish-bone gelatin, of the kind used in Kosher recipes, may work. Would that sort of ingredient be acceptable to you?
- Joe
Hey Joe just wondering if you had tried this with agar agar instead of using gelatin?
Hi Linda!
I haven’t but some readers have. The report is that it’s not strong enough, but as I said, I haven’t tried it myself. Best of luck with it!
- Joe
Hey Joe! Just wanted to shoot you an update. I tried it with the agar and it actually held up just fine
Maybe the others didn’t adjust according? Not too sure! But it is defin. different in textured and structured. I think it would be a great blog post worth try 
Thanks Linda! Very glad to hear that. I’ll give it a try.
- Joe