Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe

Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe is a bright Southern dessert that swaps the heavy canned cream for a light, homemade whipped topping. This chilled salad uses fresh citrus and toasted coconut to create a much cleaner flavor than the traditional marshmallow versions.

The first time I made this, I rushed the step where you toast the coconut. Now I always watch the pan like a hawk because those thin flakes go from pale to burnt in about ten seconds flat. If you catch them right when they turn golden, that nutty crunch is what stops the fruit from feeling too mushy in the bowl.

Alton Brown’s approach here is all about getting the moisture levels right. Most recipes just dump everything together, but he has you drain the citrus segments thoroughly so the cream doesn’t turn into a watery mess. It’s the addition of a little bit of sour cream to the whipped heavy cream that adds a sharp tang. Once you taste that balance against the sweet pineapple, you’ll never go back to the cloying marshmallow fluff versions again.

Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe Ingredients

For the Toasted Topping

• 1 cup (75g) sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup (60g) pecans, chopped

For the Fruit Base

• 3 clementines or tangerines, peeled and segmented
• 1 cup (165g) fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 1 cup (150g) maraschino cherries, drained and halved
• 1/2 cup (30g) mini marshmallows

For the Cream

• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp (30g) sour cream
• 1 tbsp (12g) sugar
• 1/2 tsp (3ml) vanilla extract

How To Make Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe

• 1. Toast the coconut: Place the shredded coconut in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir it constantly for about 3 minutes. Remove it from the pan immediately once it smells nutty and looks golden brown so it doesn’t continue cooking.
• 2. Prep the fruit: Peel the clementines and pull the segments apart, making sure to remove as much of the white stringy pith as possible. Pat the pineapple chunks and halved cherries with a paper towel to remove any extra juice that might thin out the cream.
• 3. Whip the cream: Pour the cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla into a chilled metal bowl and beat it with a hand mixer. Stop as soon as you see firm peaks that hold their shape when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
• 4. Add the tang: Gently mix in the sour cream using a rubber spatula until it’s just combined with the whipped cream. This adds enough acidity to keep the dessert from tasting like a giant pile of sugar.
• 5. Fold in fruit: Toss the clementines, pineapple, cherries, and marshmallows into the cream mixture. Use a slow folding motion to coat everything without crushing the air out of the whipped topping.
• 6. Chill the salad: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours before you plan to eat it. This resting time lets the marshmallows soften up slightly and helps the different fruit juices blend into the cream.
• 7. Add the crunch: Sprinkle the toasted coconut and chopped pecans over the top of the bowl right before you bring it to the table. If you add them too early, the moisture from the fruit will make the nuts and coconut lose their crispness.

Recipe Tips

• Use fresh pineapple. The enzymes in fresh fruit are different than canned, and it provides a much firmer texture that won’t fall apart when you stir the salad.
• Chill your equipment. Putting your metal bowl and the beaters in the freezer for ten minutes helps the heavy cream whip up faster and more stable.
• Drain the cherries well. If you leave even a little bit of the red syrup on the cherries, the entire salad will turn a muddy pink color instead of staying bright white.
• Keep the nuts separate. Only toss the pecans on at the very last second because they soak up liquid faster than almost any other ingredient in the bowl.
• Pick small citrus. Clementines are usually sweeter and have thinner skins than large navel oranges, which makes them much easier to eat in a fruit salad.
• Don’t over-whip the cream. If you go past the firm peak stage, the cream will start to turn into butter and get a grainy texture that feels oily on the tongue.

What To Serve With Ambrosia

This works best as a side dish for a heavy holiday meal like glazed ham or roasted turkey. The cold fruit and tangy cream act as a palate cleanser between the savory bites of meat.

If you’re serving it as a light dessert, some plain shortbread cookies or thin ginger snaps are good for dipping into the cream. A hot cup of Earl Grey tea provides a nice floral note that matches the citrus in the bowl.

How To Store Ambrosia

• Fridge: Store any leftovers in a sealed container for no more than 24 hours. After a day, the fruit starts to release too much water and the whipped cream will begin to deflate and separate.
• Reheat: You shouldn’t ever heat this dish because the whipped cream will melt into a puddle of oil. If it’s been in the fridge and looks a little flat, you can gently stir in a few more marshmallows to help give it some body.
• Freeze: This recipe doesn’t freeze well at all because the cream will break and the oranges will turn mushy when they thaw out. It’s best to make a smaller batch if you don’t think you can finish it in one sitting.

Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 6):

• Calories: 290 kcal
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Sugar: 24g
• Sodium: 45mg

FAQs

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in this Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe?

Yes, you can swap them out as long as you use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt to keep the consistency thick. Avoid using low-fat versions because they have more water and might cause the whipped cream to collapse.

Why did my ambrosia turn watery in the fridge?

The most likely cause is that the fruit wasn’t dried well enough before being added to the cream. Make sure you pat the pineapple and cherries with several paper towels to remove every drop of leftover juice or syrup.

Can I make the Alton Brown Ambrosia Recipe a day in advance?

No, it’s best to make this only a few hours before serving so the cream stays fluffy and the fruit stays firm. If you need to save time, you can prep the fruit and toast the coconut the night before and just whip the cream right before you eat.

Is it possible to use canned mandarin oranges instead of clementines?

Yes, but you have to be extremely careful when folding them in because canned segments are very fragile. Drain them in a colander for at least twenty minutes to make sure they’re as dry as possible.

How do I stop the marshmallows from getting too soft?

If you prefer a firmer marshmallow, wait to stir them in until about 30 minutes before you serve the dish. Chilling them for the full two hours makes them take on a texture similar to the cream itself.

Try More Recipes:

• Alton Brown 7 Minute Frosting Recipe
• Alton Brown Almond Recipe
• Alton Brown Allspice Dram Recipe