Tasnia Hossain Monika is a trained professional baker. She joined culinary institution Tony Khan last year where she is able to pursue her passion in pastries.
HOMEMADE MANGO JAM
Ingredients
1 cup semi-ripe mangoes peeled and cut
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp citric acid
1 tsp saffron
Instructions
Put the cut mangoes in a bowl and add sugar to it. Let it sit for 30 minutes until the sugar is almost dissolved.
Take a heavy bottomed pot and pour the mango and sugar mix in it. Cook on medium heat, stirring gently for 10-15 minutes until the sugar syrup starts to thicken slightly.
Turn the heat off, add saffron and let it cool for 15-20 minutes. Once the syrup cools down, add citric acid to it and cook again for 5 minutes until the citric acid is completely dissolved. Turn the heat off and let the jam cool down. Bottle the jam in a clean-dry mason jar and keep refrigerated.
MANGO CAKE
Ingredients
For the Cake
6 large eggs (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp dried, sweetened coconut
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp coconut extract or vanilla extract
For the Mango and Cream
2.2 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract (or vanilla extract)
1 ½ cups whipping cream
Instructions
Make the Cake
Gather the ingredients.
Heat oven to 325 F. Line two (9-inch) cake pans with parchment paper
In a large bowl, beat eggs and 1 cup sugar on high speed 4 to 5 minutes or until a ribbon forms when you stop and lift beaters from the batter.
On low speed, add coconut, then gradually add flour, baking powder, salt, melted and cooled coconut oil or butter, and 1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract. Avoid over-mixing.
Pour batter into prepared pans distributing evenly.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until an inserted fork comes out clean. Run a butter knife around the circumference of each pan to loosen and then leave in pans to cool completely on wire racks.
Make the Mango and Cream. Gather the ingredients.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract until smooth.
In a separate medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form - about 6 to 8 minutes.
Fold whipping cream into cream cheese a little at a time.
Gently remove cakes from pans. Place 1 cake on a plate and spoon over some of the cream - about 1/2- to 1-inch in thickness. Top with 1/2 of the diced mango. Gently set the second cake on top and smother with cream. Add cream to cover the sides of the cake. Decorate with more fresh mango and your choice of other fruit — blueberries, blackberries, red currants, and strawberries. Chill until ready to serve.
HOMEMADE MANGO SORBET
Ingredients
2 pounds ripe mangoes, peeled and diced, 5 cups
¼ cup water
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp lime juice, more or less to taste
½ teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
Instructions
Pack diced mangoes in blender with water and blend on high speed until very smooth, for about 30 seconds. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup, pushing the puree through a strainer with a spoon, until you have 3 cups.
Transfer the strained puree into a large bowl and whisk in sugar until well dissolved. Whisk in lime juice and salt in small increments, adding more to taste.
Chill puree in refrigerator until very cold, 2 to 3 hours. Churn in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, then transfer to airtight container and chill in freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.
CREAMY COCONUT MANGO PANNA COTA
Ingredients
¾ cup cold coconut cream
1 cup mango puree
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ¼ cup fresh cream/ heavy cream
1 + ½ tsp gelatin
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cold water
Pinch of salt
Instructions
In a bowl, put the cold coconut cream and 1 teaspoon gelatin. Let this mixture bloom for 5 minutes.
In a pan, heat the fresh cream along with the sugar. Mix well until all the sugar has melted and then fresh cream comes to a mild boil. To this, add the coconut cream and gelatin mixture and mix well. Cook this mixture for 5-7 minutes or until all the gelatin has dissolved and the mixture comes to another mild boil.
Add the salt, vanilla essence and mix well.
Switch off the flame and divide the mixture into 2 parts.
In a small bowl, add the remaining ½ teaspoon of gelatin along with a tablespoon of cold water. Let this bloom for 2-3 minutes.
Take one part of the prepared panna cotta mixture back onto the heat. Add the mango puree and bloomed gelatin (1/2 teaspoon gelatin) and mix well bringing it a mild boiled making sure all the gelatin has dissolved. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Place transparent empty glasses at an angle in a muffin baking tray and pour the 1st layer (mango panna cotta layer) and refrigerate for 25-30 minutes or until firm.
Once firm, add the coconut panna cotta layer (white in color) over the set mango panna cotta layer, making sure the glasses are now upright. Refrigerate for an hour or until firm. Top up with cut mango pieces and serve.
