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Created by Chef Remy
Sweet mandarin oranges and pineapple folded with toasted Louisiana pecans, fluffy marshmallows, and clouds of vanilla whipped cream, the way my grandmother made it for every Boudreaux family gathering since before I was born.
Some dishes don't need to be complicated to be perfect. My grandmother Evangeline made this ambrosia for every holiday, every reunion, every Sunday dinner that mattered. She'd stand at the counter in her little Lafayette Parish kitchen, folding fruit into whipped cream with the patience of a woman who understood that good things take time.
Ambrosia means food of the gods, and I won't argue with that. This isn't fancy cooking. It's generosity in a bowl. The sweetness of pineapple and mandarin oranges, the chew of coconut and marshmallows, the crunch of toasted pecans, all held together by cream that's been made tangy with sour cream. That sourness is the secret. It keeps the dish from being just sugar on sugar.
At Lagniappe, we serve this at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and people always ask for the recipe. I tell them the same thing I'm telling you now: drain your fruit properly, toast your pecans, and don't rush the folding. The technique is simple, but respect it. This is the kind of dish that makes people feel welcome at your table, and that's worth doing right.
Quantity
2 cans (15 ounces each)
well drained
Quantity
1 can (20 ounces)
well drained
Quantity
1 can (20 ounces)
well drained
Quantity
2 cups
Quantity
2 cups
Quantity
1 cup
lightly toasted and roughly chopped
Quantity
1 jar (10 ounces)
drained and halved
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
2 cups
very cold
Quantity
3 tablespoons
Quantity
1 teaspoon
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| mandarin orangeswell drained | 2 cans (15 ounces each) |
| pineapple chunkswell drained | 1 can (20 ounces) |
| crushed pineapplewell drained | 1 can (20 ounces) |
| sweetened shredded coconut | 2 cups |
| miniature marshmallows | 2 cups |
| pecan halveslightly toasted and roughly chopped | 1 cup |
| maraschino cherriesdrained and halved | 1 jar (10 ounces) |
| sour cream | 1 cup |
| heavy whipping creamvery cold | 2 cups |
| powdered sugar | 3 tablespoons |
| pure vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
This step matters more than people think. Open all your cans and drain the fruit in a colander set over a bowl for at least fifteen minutes, pressing gently with a spatula to release trapped liquid. Excess juice will make your ambrosia weep and turn soupy by the time you get to the church potluck. Save that juice for drinking or discard it, but keep it out of your salad.
Spread the pecan halves in a single layer in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan every thirty seconds or so, watching carefully. When they smell nutty and have darkened slightly, about four minutes, transfer them immediately to a cutting board. Pecans go from toasted to burned in seconds. Let them cool, then chop roughly. You want pieces, not dust.
Pour the cold heavy cream into a large chilled bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about two minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, then continue beating until you reach stiff peaks that hold their shape when you lift the beaters. The cream should be billowy and cloud-like, not grainy or weeping.
Add the sour cream to your whipped cream and fold gently with a large rubber spatula, cutting down through the center and sweeping up the sides. This is where ambrosia gets its tang, that subtle sourness that keeps all the sweetness from becoming cloying. Twenty strokes should do it. Stop when you see no more white streaks.
In your largest mixing bowl, combine the drained mandarin oranges, both pineapples, shredded coconut, marshmallows, toasted pecans, and halved cherries. Toss gently to distribute everything evenly. The colors should be beautiful already: orange and yellow and white and red and the golden brown of the pecans.
Add the whipped cream mixture to the fruit bowl. Fold everything together with the same gentle technique: down through the center, up and over the sides, rotating the bowl as you go. Work slowly. You want every piece of fruit coated in that creamy cloud, but you don't want to deflate your cream or crush the delicate oranges. Stop when you see no more bare fruit.
Transfer the ambrosia to a pretty glass serving bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight. The flavors marry as it chills, the marshmallows soften slightly, and everything becomes one harmonious, creamy whole. Serve cold, with a big spoon and generous portions.
1 serving (about 200g)
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