Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Mango Mousse Illusion Cakes
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
2 hours
14 mins
30 hours
Serves:
8 individual mango cakes
Mo created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. Alphonso mango mousse is molded into the shape of a whole mango around a center of fresh fruit, then sprayed with cocoa butter for a soft, velvety skin. Each mango sits on a crisp almond biscuit. The judges called it genius and said it wou...
Read more
Ingredients
FOR THE FRESH MANGO CENTERS: 1/3 cup (100 g) canned Alphonso mango pulp 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar (omit if the pulp is sweetened) 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water 1 tsp (3 g) powdered gelatin 1 cup (150 g) ripe mango, peeled and finely diced (fresh Alphonso if in season)
FOR THE ALMOND BISCUIT BASE: 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar Pinch of fine salt 1/2 large egg (25 g), beaten 1/4 tsp (1 ml) almond extract (optional) 1/3 cup (30 g) almond flour 3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
FOR THE ALPHONSO MANGO MOUSSE: 1 1/4 cups (300 g) canned Alphonso mango pulp 2 tbsp (27 g) granulated sugar (halve if the pulp is sweetened) 2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water 1 2/3 tsp (5 g) powdered gelatin 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lime juice 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp (200 ml) heavy cream, cold
FOR THE COCOA BUTTER VELVET SPRAY: 3 1/2 oz (100 g) cocoa butter 3 1/2 oz (100 g) white chocolate, chopped Oil-soluble yellow food color, to shade A few drops oil-soluble orange and red food color, for the blush
EQUIPMENT: Silicone 3D mango mold with 8 cavities of about 4 oz (120 ml), or two 4-cavity molds Small half-sphere silicone mold with 8 cavities of about 1 oz (30 ml) Paint sprayer or chocolate spray gun suitable for cocoa butter Instant-read thermometer Stand mixer or hand mixer Piping bag with a large round opening Oval cutter close to the footprint of the mango mold, or a paper template Rolling pin and parchment paper Baking sheet Palette knife Large cardboard box lined with parchment, as a spray booth Freezer space for both molds at 0°F (-18°C) or colder
Method
STEP 1: SET THE FRESH MANGO CENTERS
Day 1. Warm the mango pulp and sugar in a small pan until steaming. Meanwhile, sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the cold water and leave for 5 minutes to bloom. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature, fold in the diced fresh mango and divide among the 8 half-sphere cavities. Freeze until solid, at least 3 hours.
STEP 2: MAKE THE ALMOND BISCUIT DOUGH
Beat the butter, powdered sugar and salt until smooth. Beat in the egg and almond extract. Add the almond flour and all-purpose flour and mix on low until the dough just comes together. Flatten between two sheets of parchment, roll to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
STEP 3: MAKE THE MOUSSE
Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the cold water and leave for 5 minutes to bloom. Warm 1/3 cup (80 g) of the mango pulp with the sugar until steaming, then take off the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved. Whisk this into the remaining pulp with the lime juice. Leave until cool and just beginning to thicken, about 75°F (24°C). Whip the cold cream to soft peaks and fold it into the mango base in two additions until even and streak-free.
STEP 4: FILL THE MANGO MOLDS
Spoon the mousse into the piping bag. Fill each mango cavity halfway, tapping the mold on the counter to release air. Press a frozen fruit center into each, flat side up, then top up with mousse and level the surface, which becomes the base. Freeze overnight. The mousse must be frozen hard for clean unmolding and for the spray to set as velvet.
STEP 5: BAKE THE ALMOND BASES
Day 2. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C), or 300°F (150°C) fan. Cut 8 ovals the size of the mango footprint and set them on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until pale golden at the edges. Cool completely on the sheet.
STEP 6: PREPARE THE VELVET SPRAY
Melt the cocoa butter and white chocolate together to about 113°F (45°C) and stir until smooth. Pour about 1 oz (30 g) into a small cup and set aside for the blush. Stir yellow color into the main batch until it reaches a mango-skin shade, strain it into the sprayer cup and bring it to 90 to 95°F (32 to 35°C). Tint the reserved portion with a few drops of orange and a touch of red, and keep it warm.
STEP 7: UNMOLD AND SPRAY
Unmold the frozen mangoes onto a parchment-lined tray and work quickly, straight from the freezer. Inside the lined box, spray each mango from about 12 inches (30 cm) in light, even passes until fully coated in yellow. Rinse the sprayer with hot water, fill it with the warm blush color and mist one shoulder of each mango. The spray sets on contact into a soft, matte velvet. If it looks glossy or runs, the mousse is not cold enough; return it to the freezer for 30 minutes and spray again.
STEP 8: ASSEMBLE AND DEFROST
Lift each mango with a palette knife onto an almond base. Transfer to the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours to defrost, until the mousse is soft and the center is fully thawed. Serve chilled, within 24 hours.
What next?
Tell us what you'd like and we'll send what you pick.
Video walkthrough
Simpler recipe version
Printable recipe
Weekly recipe digest
Instructions
FOR THE FRESH MANGO CENTERS:
1/3 cup (100 g) canned Alphonso mango pulp
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar (omit if the pulp is sweetened)
1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water
1 tsp (3 g) powdered gelatin
(/interesting-ingredients/gelatin-powder)1 cup (150 g) ripe mango, peeled and finely diced (fresh Alphonso if in season)
FOR THE ALMOND BISCUIT BASE:
4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
Pinch of fine salt
1/2 large egg (25 g), beaten
1/4 tsp (1 ml) almond extract (optional)
1/3 cup (30 g) almond flour
(/interesting-ingredients/almond-flour)3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
FOR THE ALPHONSO MANGO MOUSSE:
1 1/4 cups (300 g) canned Alphonso mango pulp
2 tbsp (27 g) granulated sugar (halve if the pulp is sweetened)
2 tbsp (30 ml) cold water
1 2/3 tsp (5 g) powdered gelatin
(/interesting-ingredients/gelatin-powder)2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lime juice
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp (200 ml) heavy cream, cold
FOR THE COCOA BUTTER VELVET SPRAY:
3 1/2 oz (100 g) cocoa butter
3 1/2 oz (100 g) white chocolate, chopped
Oil-soluble yellow food color, to shade
A few drops oil-soluble orange and red food color, for the blush
EQUIPMENT:
Silicone 3D mango mold with 8 cavities of about 4 oz (120 ml), or two 4-cavity molds
Small half-sphere silicone mold with 8 cavities of about 1 oz (30 ml)
Paint sprayer or chocolate spray gun suitable for cocoa butter
Instant-read thermometer
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Piping bag with a large round opening
Oval cutter close to the footprint of the mango mold, or a paper template
Rolling pin and parchment paper
Baking sheet
Palette knife
Large cardboard box lined with parchment, as a spray booth
Freezer space for both molds at 0°F (-18°C) or colder
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: SET THE FRESH MANGO CENTERS
Day 1. Warm the mango pulp and sugar in a small pan until steaming. Meanwhile, sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the cold water and leave for 5 minutes to bloom. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature, fold in the diced fresh mango and divide among the 8 half-sphere cavities. Freeze until solid, at least 3 hours.
STEP 2: MAKE THE ALMOND BISCUIT DOUGH
Beat the butter, powdered sugar and salt until smooth. Beat in the egg and almond extract. Add the almond flour and all-purpose flour and mix on low until the dough just comes together. Flatten between two sheets of parchment, roll to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
STEP 3: MAKE THE MOUSSE
Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the cold water and leave for 5 minutes to bloom. Warm 1/3 cup (80 g) of the mango pulp with the sugar until steaming, then take off the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved. Whisk this into the remaining pulp with the lime juice. Leave until cool and just beginning to thicken, about 75°F (24°C). Whip the cold cream to soft peaks and fold it into the mango base in two additions until even and streak-free.
STEP 4: FILL THE MANGO MOLDS
Spoon the mousse into the piping bag. Fill each mango cavity halfway, tapping the mold on the counter to release air. Press a frozen fruit center into each, flat side up, then top up with mousse and level the surface, which becomes the base. Freeze overnight. The mousse must be frozen hard for clean unmolding and for the spray to set as velvet.
STEP 5: BAKE THE ALMOND BASES
Day 2. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C), or 300°F (150°C) fan. Cut 8 ovals the size of the mango footprint and set them on a lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until pale golden at the edges. Cool completely on the sheet.
STEP 6: PREPARE THE VELVET SPRAY
Melt the cocoa butter and white chocolate together to about 113°F (45°C) and stir until smooth. Pour about 1 oz (30 g) into a small cup and set aside for the blush. Stir yellow color into the main batch until it reaches a mango-skin shade, strain it into the sprayer cup and bring it to 90 to 95°F (32 to 35°C). Tint the reserved portion with a few drops of orange and a touch of red, and keep it warm.
STEP 7: UNMOLD AND SPRAY
Unmold the frozen mangoes onto a parchment-lined tray and work quickly, straight from the freezer. Inside the lined box, spray each mango from about 12 inches (30 cm) in light, even passes until fully coated in yellow. Rinse the sprayer with hot water, fill it with the warm blush color and mist one shoulder of each mango. The spray sets on contact into a soft, matte velvet. If it looks glossy or runs, the mousse is not cold enough; return it to the freezer for 30 minutes and spray again.
STEP 8: ASSEMBLE AND DEFROST
Lift each mango with a palette knife onto an almond base. Transfer to the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours to defrost, until the mousse is soft and the center is fully thawed. Serve chilled, within 24 hours.
Comments, or questions, for this recipe
Add a new comment