Canned mangoes are excellent in this dessert if ripe fresh ones are unavailable. Use a drained (1-lb 14-oz) can of mango slices in syrup. If the canned fruits you buy are Alphonso mangoes (our favorite variety of mango), add an additional 1/2 cup cream.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6

　　1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

　　1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

　　3 large very ripe mangoes, flesh coarsely chopped (4 cups)

　　1/4 cup sugar, or to taste depending on sweetness of mangoes

　　3/4 cup heavy cream

　　Accompaniment: Chocolate-anise straws

　　

Step 1

Sprinkle gelatin over juice in a small heatproof cup and let stand 1 minute to soften. Purée mangoes with sugar in a blender until very smooth and force through a sieve into a large bowl.

　　

Step 2

Melt softened gelatin in cup in a pan of simmering water or in a microwave and stir into purée. Beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks and gently fold into purée.

　　

Step 3

Chill fool, covered, at least 8 hours.

　　Cooks' notes:

　　•Mango fool can be kept, chilled and covered, up to 2 days.

　　•There are two ways of getting to the flesh of a mango. The safest way is to cut the two wide, fleshiest sides of the mango as close to the pit as possible. Score cut sides of the pieces in a crosshatch pattern, turn them inside out, then cut the flesh from the skin. You can also remove the skin first with a vegetable peeler, then cut the flesh from the pit with a sharp knife. (Take care if you use this method; the mango's slipperiness can be tricky.)