Mango Jelly (without Gelatin) - How to Make Easy Mango Agar Agar

This mango jelly dessert is an easy jelly recipe. Made using fresh mango puree and agar agar powder, this homemade mango agar agar is quick and absolutely delicious.

You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this easy mango jelly - mangoes, agar agar powder, water, lemon juice and cream. Cooked and poured into individual jelly cups, this 2 layer mango jelly is a perfect dessert for mango lovers.

What is agar agar

Agar agar is a type of jelly, derived from seaweed. It is almost similar to konnyaku jelly and gelatin, with slight differences is texture.

Agar agar is often found in powder form or in strips/flakes. You can typically find it in Asian supermarkets or health food stores.

Given that agar agar jelly is plant based, this mango jelly recipe is a perfect dessert option for vegetarians. Substitute the fresh cream with coconut milk and this mango dessert is perfect for vegans too!

How to Make

Ingredients

• Mangoes (ripe)
• Granulated sugar
• Agar Agar powder
• Heavy Cream
• Lemon juice
• Water

Preparing the molds

• This is the first step you need to take when making jellies. Jelly sets very quickly as they cools down, and if the molds are not ready, you risk the jelly setting while you are preparing the molds.
• Hence it is advisable to get the molds ready first. Wash and pat them dry and set them aside while you cook the mango jelly.

Preparing the mangoes

For best results, you will need well ripened mangoes to make this jelly. Peel the skin and cut the mango flesh into cubes.

1. Weigh the cut mango pieces and place them into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
2. Measure the pureed mango as required in the recipe card and set aside.

Cooking the agar agar

1. Pour the water into a medium sized pot. Set aside.
2. Add the agar agar powder into the sugar. Mix well.
3. Pour the agar-agar and sugar mixture into the water. Stir to mix for about 30 seconds.
4. Place the pot over low heat and cook the jelly until it starts to boil. Stir constantly.
5. Pour in the mango puree and the lemon juice. Mix well, and let the mango mixture come to a simmer. Turn off the heat.
6. Transfer out one third of the jelly mixture into a separate pot. Add the cream to the remaining two thirds of the mango jelly. Mix well.

Assembling the jelly

1. Pour the mango cream jelly into the prepared molds. Place the jelly under the fan for a few minutes before placing them in the refrigerator to set.
2. Check the jelly after about 5 minutes to see if the top of the jelly is set. At this stage, the mango jelly will most likely not have completely set on the inside and that is fine. Suffice if the top surface is set. Remove the jellies from the fridge and very gently, pour in the second layer of the mango jelly, this time the portion without the cream in it.
3. Return the mango jelly cups into the fridge to set completely, between 2 to 3 hours.
4. To serve, chop some fresh mango into small cubes and spoon on the jelly for a fresh delicious topping. Garnish with mint leaves. The mango cubes are best added before serving and the jelly is best served chilled.

Notes

Use fresh mangoes

• You can use any type of mango to make this jelly, however, it is best made this variants that do not have too much thread or mango pulp.
• For best results, use juicy and ripe mangoes and avoid unripe green mangoes.
• You can also increase the amount of mango puree used in the recipe. And if you do, reduce the water by the additional volume of mango puree used to keep the ratio of agar agar powder and liquid measurement to 10g:1liter.

Why is it important to be very careful when pouring the second layer of the jelly

• When making layered jelly or agar agar, you will not have too much time for the first layer of agar agar to set. This is more so if your jelly layers are thick like in this mango jelly recipe.
• At best, you can only wait until the top surface of the jelly is set, and then you will need to pour in the second layer. This is to avoid the second layer of the jelly from cooling down too much and setting firm before being poured into the molds.
• Since only the top surface of the jelly is firm, if you pour the second layer too fast, it might break the surface of the first layer, causing both layers to get mixed up. To avoid this, pour the second jelly layer very gently onto the first layer.

How to keep the second layer of agar agar from setting while waiting for the first layer to set

• When making layered jellies like this mango jelly as well as my coconut jelly and pandan agar agar, you will have to keep the unpoured jelly solution warm while waiting for each jelly layer to set. This is because the jelly will set at room temperature.
• One way is to keep heating up the jelly solution intermittently so that it does not cool down too much. You cannot leave the heat on too much as well, as your jelly solution will evaporate and become concentrated. Make sure to stir the solution so that it does not form a layer of skin on the surface.
• Keeping the pot covered and placing it on a piece of warm cloth also helps to ensure the jelly remains hot and liquid as you assemble your layered jellies.

Best substitutes

• You can substitute the heavy cream with coconut milk. In fact, coconut milk pairs very well with mango jelly and makes a great vegan option for this mango jelly dessert recipe.
• Mango puree can be replaced with mango juice. Do note that you may need to adjust the sugar in the recipe if you are using sweetened mango juice.
• Agar agar powder can be substituted with konnyaku jelly powder to make mango konnyaku jelly. Simply replace the agar agar with konnyaku jelly in the same amount.
• Lemon juice in the recipe enhances the taste of the jelly. You can replace lemon juice with lime juice.

Can you increase the amount of mangoes used in the recipe?

• Yes you can. If you do, make sure the total liquid used in the recipe i.e., the mango puree plus water does not exceed a total of 1 liter.

Can this jelly be made into a jelly cake?

• Yes, it can. If you do not want to make this agar agar into mango jelly cups like I have done, you can pour and set it in a single large mold. Choose a mold that can hold liquid capacity of 1.2 liters or more.
• Once set, remove from the mold and cut into jelly slice or cubes or bars before serving.

Flavor options and serving suggestions

• Mango is a versatile fruit and this jelly recipe can be used to make layered jelly with a combination of mango and other flavors. To do this, divide the cooked jelly solution (before adding the puree) into 2. Reduce the mango puree in the recipe by half and add it to one part of the jelly solution. For the other half, you can add the following:
  • coconut milk to make coconut mango jelly
  • cooked sago to make mango sago jelly
  • pineapple puree or pineapple cubes to make pineapple mango jelly
  • peach puree or peach cubes to make peach mango jelly
  • lychee syrup or lychee puree to make mango lychee jelly
  • milk to make mango milk jelly
• Alternatively, you can make the mango jelly as is provided here and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a truly delectable dessert.

How long does this mango agar agar last?

• This mango jelly should be kept chilled. It can last for a good 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Like this recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out

• Mango Jam - 3 Ingredients Homemade Recipe
• Agar Agar Jelly Recipe (How to Make)
• Konnyaku Jelly - Easy 3 Ingredients Recipe
• Coconut Jelly with Palm Sugar (Coconut Milk Agar Agar)
• Pandan Milk - Flavorful and Easy
• Pineapple Nata Jelly
• Lychee Jelly
• Coffee Jelly

Recipe (Printable)

Here is the full printable version of my mango jelly recipe:

And that's my easy homemade mango jelly recipe for you.

Enjoy!