From My Kitchen

Ok so this one isn’t simple, and it isn’t quick, but it is delicious. Mangoes are my second favourite fruit (after raspberries) and this is mangolicous. It needs to set in the fridge overnight so it’s one to make ahead of time, although you could just make the bavarois (the mousse bit) and eat it with slices of mango in which case no waiting will be necessary….

Ingredients

Cake:

110g caster sugar

2 large eggs

110g self raising flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

Mango gel:

400g mango puree (from a tin, sweetened)

20g cornflour

12g sheet gelatine

Bavarois:

170ml mango puree

4 sheets gelatine

85g caster sugar

85ml milk

4 large egg yolks

250ml double cream

Method: Cakes

1. Heat oven to 170C, grease and line the base of two 22cm (ish) springform tins with baking paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs in one at a time, adding in a spoonful of flour each time so that it doesn’t curdle.
4. Stir in the essence, then fold in the rest of the flour gently until well combined.
5. Divide the batter equally between the tins (yes I weigh it, I can’t seem to help it), and bake for around 14 mins until golden and bounce back to a light touch.
6. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 mins then gently remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
7. Wash up both tins, you’re going to need them again.

Method: Gels

1. Line one 22cm (ish) springform tin with baking paper, and if you have one, set out a half sphere silicone mould (I used one with 12 mini half spheres). If you don’t have one, use both tins perhaps?
2. Soak the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water.
3. Put all bar a couple of tablespoons of the puree in a small saucepan and heat gently.
4. Mix the reserved puree with the cornflour, then add into the pan.
5. Keep stirring the puree until it thickens and when you taste it the puree no longer tastes of cornflour.
6. Remove from the heat, squeeze out the gelatine, add to the pan and stir until dissolved.
7. Pour half of the gel into the prepared tin (or both of them) and half into the half sphere moulds. Level the tin(s) by tipping them in all directions and use a palette knife to level the moulds.
8. Chill in the fridge until set.

Method: Bavarois

1. Soak the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water.
2. Heat the milk + puree gently in a medium sized saucepan until warmed.
3. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk using a balloon whisk) until pale.
4. Keep whisking, and pour the warm milk/puree into the eggs/sugar in a steady stream – keep whisking!
5. Pour the whole lot back into the saucepan over a low heat, swap to a wooden spoon, and stir until the custard thickens. If you have a food thermometer it should be around 75-80C. Well done! you’ve made custard!
6. Remove from the heat.
7. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine, pop the gelatine into the pan and whisk until dissolved.
8. Pour into a clean bowl, cover and chill to set.
9. In yet another clean bowl, whip the cream into soft peaks, then fold into the cold puree mix a little at a time, progressively adding more as the bavarois loosens.

Method: Construction

1. Line one 22cm (ish) springform tin with baking paper, and put a ring of acetate inside the tin too. Even better, if you have one, use a smooth sided cake ring with acetate and pop onto a board.
2. Put one of the cooled sponges at the bottom of the tin.
3. Gently release the half spheres from the mould and place flat side down on top of the sponge (or put the first circular gel in there)
4. Pour the bavarois over the top of the half spheres, level as best you can, then place the second sponge and gel on top.
5. Chill overnight in the fridge.
6. Ta-daaaaaaaaa!