The Delicious Mango 'Candy' You Only Need Two Ingredients To Make

Do you love mangoes but wish there were more creative ways to incorporate this tropical fruit into your repertoire of daily foods? Luckily, you can transform raw mango into a chewy dried snack with the help of your oven. While homemade fruit leather is easy to make with canned ingredients like applesauce, you can make a simplified version of dehydrated fruit using only raw, sliced mango and Tajín seasoning. The combination of sweet mango and dried chili peppers, lime, and salt produces a contrasting flavor that's sure to please. Additionally, using an oven set to a low temperature causes mango to lose water and take on a chewy, candy-like texture.

Even though there are three easy ways to cut a mango, your best bet is to first peel the entire fruit. Then, cut thin, even sheets of flesh from the cheeks or portions of fruit on either side of the mango's central pit. Lay the mango slices on a wire rack over a baking sheet, sprinkle them with Tajín seasoning, and bake until mostly dry. For a chewy snack that retains a small amount of moisture yet pulls apart easily, bake the mango slices at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours. However, for a fully-dried snack that won't stick together when stored in a glass jar or resealable plastic bag, bake the mango for a longer stretch of time and at a slightly lower temp: approximately five hours at 175 degrees Fahrenheit.

Instead of using only Tajín to level up this simple snack, feel free to add even more flavor by using other ingredients. For extra Mexican flair, before drying mango in the oven, brush each slice of fruit with a thin layer of chamoy sauce, which is typically made of stone fruits, dried chilis, and lime. Then, add a sprinkle of Tajín and bake. The added chamoy sauce gives dried mango a savory, concentrated flavor.

On the other hand, if you're after a chewy snack that has a tangier bite, upgrade your dried fruit with a sour candy twist. If your mango has a bit of excess moisture and stickiness, simply dip each piece in a mixture of sugar and citric acid. Make sure to use more sugar than acid. On the other hand, if your mango is fairly dry, first dip each piece of fruit in a simple syrup of water and sugar, and then in the citric acid.

You can also transform dried mango into a more worthwhile dessert by dipping each piece of fruit in melted chocolate. Melt chocolate chips with a bit of added oil like coconut or avocado to make the consistency smoother and better for coating, then dunk each piece of mango in the sweet stuff. For added flavor, add a dash of Tajín or flaky salt. On the other hand, to give your chocolate-covered fruit extra texture, sprinkle crushed pistachios or dried coconut on top.