Mango Tiramisu

Mango Tiramisu and a Better Life

by Victoria Challancin

At the risk of sounding trite, I confess that I have long thought that life is just a little better once mango season begins.  A bit brighter, a little more healthy, substantially more poetic.  In addition to admitting that I love to eat flowers, I can also say that I like to eat mangoes for similar reasons:  They taste like perfume, they evoke poetry, they give me an excuse to wax philosophical, if a bit silly.

Nowadays, we can get mangoes all year long.  Before our own glorious season begins here in Mexico, they happily sneak their way up from South America even during the winter.  No more waiting anxiously for the Mexican season to start.  No more guessing will it be Manilas or Ataulfos that make their first appearance.  No more biting fingernails dreading the end of the season.  I buy more kilos than I care to say each week...eating them with abandon, putting them in everything, relishing the juice running down my chin...and just generally being a hedonist.

Building the tiramisu:  a layer of soaked savoiardi 

So when I saw a similar recipe to this one online last week, I knew I would have to make this mango tiramisu for the stunning conclusion to an Italian Cooking Class I was teaching to Mexican cooks.  No, you probably won't find it in Italy.  Yes, it was divine.  Cream, mascarpone, orange liqueur, and mangoes? Seriously, what is there in this inspired combination that won't inspire weeping?

Tiramisù

I looked at a number of recipes, and cringed a bit when I saw it called "Mangomisu."  Really, why do we do that?  Tiramisù is an Italian word that actually refers to  "pick me up," "cheer me up" or "lift me up."  So what then would a "mangomisu" do, though I can't deny that mangoes in general lift and cheer me to no end.  The dessert in Italy, loved throughout the world, consists of layers of sponge cake or savoiardi (ladies" fingers) soaked in coffee and brandy or liqueur with powdered chocolate and mascarpone cheese.

And for those of you who love words as I do, tiramisù in Italian can be used in non-food related ways to express sincerity in any given situation, especially when trying to convey a true level of genuineness.  And wait, there is more:  the word can also be used to indicate a feeling of being misunderstood, particularly when feeling that genuineness and honesty is being impugned.  How great is that?

A layer of mango filling

A Few Facts about Mangoes:

(Some of this is from mango.org, but other bits are from around the web)

• Mangoes originated in India over 5000 years ago
• Mangoes seeds started their journey around the world via humans from Asia to the Middle East, East Africa, and South America beginning around 300 to 400 A.D.
• Mangoes are related to cashews and pistachios--is it any wonder they are so tasty?
• A mango tree can grow as tall as 100 feet
• The bark, leaves, skin and pit of the mango have been used in folk remedies for centuries
• Mangoes are often considered to be a sacred fruit in India because it is believed that Buddha meditated under a mango tree
• There are over 1000 (yes, one thousand) cultivars of mangoes
• Mangoes can cause contact dermatitis to the lips, gums, or tongue of susceptible people (I remember fondly how my father would peel mangoes for my mother--we had our own tree--just for that reason; she could eat them, but would break out if she touched the outside part)
• Mangoes are the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines and the national tree of Bangladesh
• The paisley pattern, which developed in India, is based on the shape of a mango
• In Hinduism, the perfectly ripe mango is often held by Lord Ganesha as a symbol of attainment (i.e. of perfection)

Nutrition:

• Mangoes provide 100% of the daily vitamin C, 35% of vitamin A and 12% of daily fiber
• A one-cup serving is 100 calories
• Mangoes are fat-, sodium-, and cholesterol-free.  Whoopee!
• Mangoes are antioxidant rich --think carotenoids such as alpha-carotene and beta-carotene and phenolic compounds as well
• Mangoes contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals, which makes them a superfood
• Mangoes contain a variety of nutrients, such as copper, vitamin B6, folate, and more
• Mangoes are diet-friendly--they are naturally sweet, so eating them can help quash cravings for sugary sweets
• Mangoes consist of about 83% water, which helps you feel full
• Like pineapples and papayas, mangoes have a natural tenderizing properties, making them a popular ingredient in marinades for meats and poultry

Selection and Ripening:

• Gently squeeze a mango to judge its ripeness; it will give slightly when ripe and will ripen further at room temperature over a few days
• Ripe mangoes smell like heaven (my words, not the Mango Board's)
• Color is not a determinate of ripeness--red does not mean ripe.
• Like peaches or avocados, mangoes become softer as they ripen

Eating Mangoes and Mango Cuisine:

• Mangoes are often sold in Latin American countries on a stick with the skin peeled back (often with chile; often cut into a beautiful design)
• Mangoes are used unripe or green in chutneys, pickles, and even salads
• Mangoes make a great addition to smoothies
• Mangoes are used in curries and dahls
• In Mexico, mangoes are often eaten with chile, salt, and lime juice
• Mangoes are used in sweet preparations such as drinks, ice cream, pies, cakes, and more
• For Mexican cuisine aficionados, mangoes make a great salsa and also are wonderful when added to guacamole

Spelling:  

• Both "mangos" and "mangoes" are acceptable spellings for the plural form of mango, and thought I prefer the former, for inexplicable reasons I have forced myself to include the "e" in this post.  Go figure.

The beginnings of some mango "roses"

The finished masterpiece--of which the students were justifiably proud

Cook's Notes:  This recipe, as written, didn't provide enough soaking syrup for our dish.
We had to make extra.  I think using two mangoes and two pits and doubling the other syrup ingredients would take care of that.  The extra mango pulp in the filling would not detract.  The flavor is heavenly with only one mango, but delicate.  A bit more pulp would simply give it some "punch." 

The original recipe does not include liqueur, but of course I had to add it, and it worked beautifully.  We also shaved the mango with a vegetable peeler go get the strips to make the "roses."  If you don't have a round glass dish like this or a bowl for trifle, simply make it in any ceramic mold.  I love the look of the mango roses atop the dish, but cubes ore plain slivers would work if you don't feel "fiddly."

Mango Tiramisu

(Recipe adapted from floursandfrostings.com)

Serves 8

40 lady fingers (savoiardi) 

For the filling:

240 grams or 1 cup mascarpone chees , at room temperature

1 cup heavy cream or whipping cream, chilled

52 grams or 1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted

1 mango, pureed

For the syrup:

pit of the mango

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

360 ml or 1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur such as Controy

For decoration (optional):

1 mango, sliced thin

Prepare the syrup by boiling the pit with the water and sugar , and then simmering it until it reduces to about one cup. Strain into a wide bowl, add Grand Marnier, and cool to room temperature.

For the filling: whip one cup of the chilled cream to stiff peaks. Keep aside. Whisk together the mango puree, icing sugar and mascarpone cheese until smooth. Fold this mixture into the heavy cream. Keep chilled until required.

For the assembly : dip the lady fingers one by one in the syrup, tap out excess and line in your serving dish or plate. Spread a layer of the filling (about 1/2 cup). Lay down another layer of soaked lady fingers , topped by the filling. Continue with as many layers of lady fingers as you want. Spread the remaining filling on top.  Chill 4 to 6 hours.  Top with mango slices if desired.

Not just a pretty face...this dessert was just a delicate taste sensation

Parting Shot:  Simple Mexican Beauty

In Mexico it seems that I can always find understated beauty in the nicest of ways...

©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Flavors of the Sun Cooking School

San Miguel de Allende, México