champorado blogger: Mango Cream Pie

(this pie needs to be chilled well as it melts at room temperature.)

Mango cream tart

My mother just could not resist leaving Conti’s without buying a cake. I got her to grab the mango cream tart as we’ve never tried their version before. We have always been crazy for anything mango. In fact, during the height of Red Ribbon’s 80s success, we would always buy their mango cake, mango cream pie and mango tart.

In case you’re wondering, we did not pick the Mango Bravo (although I had to convince my mom from doing so), because I have serious issue against this thing. No, I don’t have allergies to it. But I think it does not have any right calling itself a “cake.” It is merely a toasted ground-nut meringue, iced with cream and decorated with mangoes. And oh, they put chocolate syrup on top! Sacrilege!!!

To my disappointment, their mango cream tart was just, well, mango cream in a tart shell! I was expecting something more elaborate – just like the ones at Red Ribbon. (I don’t know if they still have it.) The ones at Red Ribbon had a shortbread crust, a layer of pastry cream, I think it also had a bit of whipped cream, then a layer of mangoes, and lastly a layer of gelatin.

Today, we had some over-ripe mangoes and someone had to intervene! I did not have much time, so I made my mango cream tart in the fashion of Conti’s, but of course, mine tasted better and less commercial.

Shortbread Crust
Preheat oven 350°F.

In a bowl, mix together 2 cups flour with ½ cup confectioner’s sugar and a pinch of salt. Add in ¾ cup melted butter. Mix until mixture comes together. We are not making a traditional pastry crust here so we don’t have to worry about cutting the butter – that is why we add it in melted. This is not a flaky crust.

Press on a tart pan (8 or 9-inch round pan) and bake for 20 - 30 minutes until edges begin to brown, and surface is lightly browned. Cool on pan.

For the mango cream tart, you need to

Filling
Make some pastry cream: on a saucepan on medium heat, scald 2 cups milk (you can use half and half, or even all-cream). Add sugar (usually ½ cup or more, depending on how sweet you like it), and also around two tablespoons of powdered gelatin. Be sure to mix the gelatin with the sugar before adding them, or the gelatin will clump together.

Meanwhile on a bowl, beat together three yolks and one whole egg. When milk is about to boil, pour the milk over to the eggs while whisking to prevent them from coagulating. Pour this mixture back into the pan. Now switch gears to a wooden spoon and mix constantly until this mixture thickens to coat the back of a spoon. When thick, remove from pan and pour onto a bowl. Stir in ¼ cup of cold butter. This will help cool the mixture. Continue stirring until combined. You may also add in one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Cool completely.

When custard is cool/ room temperature, whip one cup of very cold cream until fluffy and doubled in volume. Fold in the custard. The gelatin in the custard will “gel” the whole mixture together.

Pour this mixture on to the chilled crust. Chill. When completely set and firm, decorate top with some sliced mangoes.