Mango Cream

 

 

I came across this delectable dessert at Calgary’s Delhi Darbar the other night, and oh, I was impressed.  While theirs was done with dairy cream, I opted for coconut cream for our dairy avoiding friends tonight.

I can’t claim this is vegan though.  I used gelatin to set it, although it’s thick enough I think you could get away without the gelatin, if you are so inclined.

1 cup tinned mango pulp
2 Alphonso mangoes
1 tin coconut milk (400 ml)
1 tablespoon gelatin powder
3 tablespoons Limoncello (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice and extra sugar to taste)
3 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or regular sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla)
5 green cardamom pods, husked and ground to a fine powder

A few drops of rosewater
rosepetals
pinches of raw sugar crystals

Pour about half a cup of the coconut milk into a bowl, and microwave to get it hot.  Sprinkle the gelatin powder over it, and stir it in till dissolved.  Set aside.

Pour the rest of the coconut milk into a blender, along with the mango pulp, skinned and sliced Alphonso mangoes.  

Two things: 

Don't pitch the mango pulp container in the sink just yet.  Set it aside to use the remaining drops later.

Also, here in Calgary, mangoes are expensive, and not very reliable.  They travel such a distance that they’re sometimes on the feeble side, so I like to hedge my cooking bets with at least some tinned mango pulp from India.  If I’m not using the entire tin, I pour the contents into a container, and keep it safely in the freezer. It’s already sweetened, and packs an excellent flavour. 

I suppose you could make this dessert with only the tinned pulp, but I always like to include something fresh, as I’m sure it’s healthier. 

Turn your blender on liquefy and buzz and then taste for sweetness.  If you have Limoncello, add it now.  If you don’t, race out and buy some.  If this is impossible, add fresh lemon juice and sugar.  (Do not, do not, even think about using bottled lemon juice, or the rancid stuff from the plastic lemons.)  

Vanilla sugar, Limoncello and green cardamom --so fabulous!

Now that you have the best lemon flavours in there, buzz again and test for sweetness.  Add sugar a little at a time, until it tastes fabulous.  Add ground cardamom and a few drops of rosewater, along with the gelatin and warm coconut mixture, and buzz one last time.  

Pour into pretty glasses, decorate with remaining drops of the mango pulp, rose petals and a pinch of sugar crystals, and chill.

Buy dried rosepetals in Indian groceries, or pick your own!