A desi dessert with a videshi twist- the mango Sandesh pudding is sure to appeal to both kids and adults alike, and I can personally vouch for this since both my husbands and kids cannot get enough of this dessert. Sandesh is a quintessential Bengali dessert made with cottage cheese and sugar, flavoured with fresh fruits or dry fruits. As a result, it is relatively lighter and contains fewer calories as compared to the other indulgent Indian sweets.
Typically in the summer months, I like to use mangoes for this recipe. I tend to favour the Alphonso mango, which I feel work best with this recipe, as these pack a punch of the delicious sweet flavour, unlike the other varieties of mango. However, if you like this recipe, don’t worry about the Mango season ending! The mangoes can just as easily be substituted to strawberries during the strawberry season.
Do give this recipe a try, and indulge guilt-free in this dessert. Let me know in questions or feedback you have in the comment section below.
| Course | Dessert |
| Servings | 6-7 persons (makes 6-7 ramekins) |
| Prep time | 10 Mins |
| Cook time | 10 min. (plus 2 hrs. to chill) |
Ingredients for the Mango Sandesh Pudding
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| 14 nos. | Digestive biscuits |
| 3 tbsp | Powdered sugar |
| 5 tbsp | Melted butter (Amul) |
| 1 ltr | Milk, full fat |
| 1½ cups | Vanilla ice cream softened |
| 3 med sized | Alphonso mangoes, diced |
| 1 tsp | Vanilla essence |
| 2-3 tbsp | Chopped green pistachios for garnish |
| 1 no. | Lemon |
Instructions for the Mango Sandesh Pudding |
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| 1. | Boil milk on medium flame. When the milk begins to boil, lower the flame. Add the Lemon juice and stir. When all the milk curdles, switch off the flame. |
| 2. | Line a bowl or pan with a muslin cloth (cheese cloth). Pour the entire content in the lined muslin cloth. Squeeze the whey, and collect the curdled chenna (paneer) in the cloth. |
| 3. | Rinse the chenna in water very lightly to remove the sourness. |
| 4. | Take the chenna in a plate and knead well with the knuckles of your palm. It should be free of lumps and smooth. Keep aside for further user. |
| 5. | Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or in a food processor. |
| 6. | Add 1 tbsp powdered sugar in the biscuit mixture. Add in the melted butter and mix well. |
| 7. | Set the biscuit mixture in individual ramekins (approx. 2 tbsp in each). Set to chill in the freezer for 10 minutes. |
| 8. | Meanwhile in a bowl mix in the chenna, softened ice cream, 2 tbsp sugar and vanilla essence. Mix the mixture well.. |
| 9. | Add in 2 chopped mangoes. Reserve 1 mango for garnishing.
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| 10. | Remove the ramekins with the biscuit base from the freezer. It should be set by now. Add in the chenna ice cream mixture on top. |
| 11. | Garnish with diced mangoes and sliced pistachios. |
| 12. | Chill the ramekins in the refrigerator (please note not the freezer) for 1-2 hrs. Can be kept overnight too before a party.  |
| 13. | Serve chilled. |
