Mango Mousse Cake

photo credit: lifemadesweeter.com


http://lifemadesweeter.com/?p=2675

MAKE THE SHORTBREAD CAKE OR PURCHASE A SPONGE CAKE, LIKE THIS BLOGGER DID......

This mango mousse cake definitely hit the spot. It is light and fruity but instead of a sponge cake, I made this with a tender almond shortbread crust with a soft crunch to contrast from the fruity pillowy clouds of mousse filling.

The mousse is just cream, mangoes and sugar but utterly delicious. I used fresh mangoes but frozen would work just as well.

I also garnished this with piped almond meringues for an extra crunch.

Mango Mousse Cakelette

Makes a 6-8″ inch cake (I actually used a 4″ pan and had plenty left over)

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Mousse

• 1 cup of mango puree (I made my own puree with fresh mangoes but you can use frozen)
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of gelatin powder
• 1/4 cup Cold water

**reserve 1/3 of the mango gelatin mixture for the Mango Jelly topping

• 1/3 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks

Optional Almond Meringues

• 1/2 cup finely ground almonds
• 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Method

Crust

1. Grease and line bottom of 6-8 inch spring form cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325°F
2. Grind almonds and granulated sugar in food processor. Blend until ground finely.
3. Add flour, powdered sugar and salt.
4. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns, until coarse meal forms.
5. Press dough evenly onto bottom of prepared pan.
6. Bake crust uncovered for about 25-30 minutes or until slightly brown and set (rotating pan halfway through).

Mango Mousse

1. In a small bowl, pour gelatin into 1/4 cup of cold water and let sit for 5 minutes until gelatin sets.
2. In a small saucepan on medium, heat mango puree and sugar until sugar dissolves and is warm.
3. Add the gelatin and mix well, till it is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Reserve 1/3 of this mixture for the Mango Jelly topping.
4. With a hand mixer, whip the whipping cream till stiff peaks form.
5. Gently fold the 2/3 of the cooled mango puree into the whipped cream.

Almond Meringues

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a food processor finely grind the slivered almonds. Place ground almonds lined baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place in a small bowl, toss in the cornstarch, and set aside to cool.
3. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites and pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
4. Fold in ground almonds until incorporated.
5. Transfer meringue to a Ziploc or pastry bag and pipe onto baking sheet.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave meringues in the oven until they’re completely dry. When cool, remove meringues from the baking sheet and enjoy.

Assembling

1. After the crust has baked, pour the prepared mango mousse over the crust. Let it set in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Pour the reserved mango jelly on top of the mousse. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
3. Gently remove cake from spring form pan.
4. Decorate and serve chilled.

 http://lifemadesweeter.com/?p=2675

Adapted from Canadian Living and Joy the Baker