Mango Fool Dessert Recipe | Cooking with Nana Ling

Mango Fool is an easy and creamy dessert made with fresh mangoes and just a few other ingredients.

Don’t be “fooled” by its simplicity though – serve it in a pretty glass and garnish with mint leaves and white chocolate and it could be served at a fancy dinner party! Best of all, you can catch up a day or two in advance.

Why call a dessert a “fool”?

The word “fool” used in this context probably comes from the French word “fouler”, which means something like “stomp or press”.

Contrary to meaning “stupid person”! Yes, there is nothing stupid about this dessert!

But that includes pressing (or sifting) mangoes… I’ll get to that later.

Mango Fool Recipe

Although the jester’s dessert originated in the UK, this mango version is most likely an Australian idea.

Mangoes grow well in Australia and are grown commercially in many regions. In high season, mangoes are relatively affordable and plentiful—perfect for making a mango dessert.

The UK climate on the other hand means mangoes are imported and much more expensive. If you treat yourself to a mango, you would probably just gobble it up as is.

But back to our dessert. The Mango Fool recipes I based on were found in Chef’s Cookbook compiled by the “Northern Agricultural Association Singleton Ladies’ Committee” in 1969 and the Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs GazetteDecember 27, 1933.

Here are those original recipes, but keep scrolling for the tested and tweaked version at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients for Mango Fool

You need mangoes, of course.

Fresh mangoes work best and this recipe uses just one mango to make two servings of dessert.

So you need to multiply the amounts (which can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post) to feed more people.

You can use any type of mango provided it is fresh and ready to eat.

In addition to mangoes, you will need:

• a little bit of sugar
• thickened cream (heavy cream)
• Pudding (store-bought or homemade is fine)
• fresh mint leaves and white chocolate chips (optional, for garnish).

How to make mango fool

Start by peeling the skin off the mango and cutting it into chunks.

You can either use a vegetable peeler or cut the mango with the skin on and scoop out the flesh.

Place pieces in a pot (including the seeds).

Cover the mango with water and add the sugar to the saucepan.

Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Check the pot occasionally – if it has reduced too much before the 20 minutes are up and could start to burn, turn off the heat immediately.

Once cool, strain through a sieve to make your steamed mango puree.

Whip the cream, then lightly mix together half the mango, half the cream, and half the custard to create a swirly mixture.

Fill this whisked mixture into two glasses, alternating with the mango puree, pudding and cream.

Decorate with mint leaves and white chocolate beans (optional).

Frequently asked questions about recipes

Q. How do I peel a mango?

You can either use a vegetable peeler or cut the mango with the skin on and scoop out the flesh.

Q. How long will Mango Fool last?

Store in the fridge and use within a few days.

Q. Can I prepare Mango Fool ahead of time?

You can do it up to a day or two in advance if needed. Garnish just before serving.

Q. Can I use frozen mangoes?

I haven’t tested the recipe with frozen mangoes, but you could certainly try the equivalent of a mango! Let me know how you feel about making it with frozen mango in the comments below.