I spent two glorious weeks in Mexico City last year, and nearly every day I bought a large cup of the juiciest mango, all chopped up and sprinkled generously with a bright-red powder that I quickly learned was called Tajín. This is a ready-made spicy mix of chilli peppers, lime and salt that transforms mango into a perfectly sweet, spicy, tangy snack with which I soon became obsessed. I’ve channelled those flavours into this semifreddo for a refreshing, no-bake pudding.
Mango and Tajin semifreddo
Prep 30 min
Freeze 6 hr
Serves 8
2 large eggs, separated
80g caster sugar
300ml double cream
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
180ml mango pulp – I used tinned
100g fresh ripe mango, plus 80g extra to finish, roughly chopped
2 tsp Tajín – from large supermarkets, specialist food shops and online
Line a 2lb loaf tin with two layers of clingfilm, leaving 5cm or so of overhang on each side.
Put the egg yolks and 40g of the sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale. In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites to foamy soft peaks, then beat in the remaining 40g sugar bit by bit, until the egg whites turn white and are just about holding soft peaks; they don’t need to be stiff.
In third bowl, whip the double cream and lime zest to soft peaks, then fold in the mango pulp until evenly combined. Spoon into the egg yolk bowl and fold in gently but thoroughly. Add the egg whites and fold in again until everything is well combined.
Pour a bit of the eggy mixture into the lined loaf tin, sprinkle over some of the chopped mango, then repeat the layers until you’ve filled the tin right to the top. Fold over the overhanging clingfilm so the surface of the semifreddo is well covered, then freeze for at least six hours, or until firm.
To serve, take the semifreddo out of the freezer and leave it to sit on the counter for 10 minutes. Turn it upside down and unmould on to a serving plate. Top with the extra chopped mango, dust generously with Tajín, then slice and serve.
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