These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of mango.  Yet, all good things must come to an end.  As the bombardment of mangoes from my coworker’s overly fertile tree winds down, I am taking a look back at all of the mango goodness that I was able to produce with my seemingly endless stream of mangoes.  Due to several requests from satisfied taste-testers, I have decided to try to compile a list of all of the mango dessert recipes that I attempted.  Unfortunately, going into “Mango Mad Scientist Mode” left very little opportunity for photo ops or step-by-step walkthroughs.  Still, I hope that my experiences can inspire others to get a little bit adventurous with mango, and perhaps do something those overripe mangoes besides throwing them in a smoothie. Let the Mango Madness begin!

Those of you that have visited the blog recently know that my first test was making mango mini cheesecakes.

Then, I went for a mango flan.  If you like custard-like desserts, but are afraid of baking, try making mango panna cotta.  Adjust the amount of mango puree to your taste.

If custards aren’t really your thing, then you can try this delightful honey mango pie.  If you don’t have cardamom, just use equal parts cinnamon and nutmeg.  And, if you’re as lazy as I am, skip the homemade crust and opt for frozen deep dish pie crusts.

You can easily make a mango sorbet by blending 4 mangoes, 1 cup of simple syrup, the juice of 1 lime, and a tablespoon of rum or vodka in a blender.  Throw that mixture in your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Or, if you’re feeling indulgent, make some mango ice cream!  Replace the milk in that recipe with half-and-half, and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.  You’ll thank me later.

Replacing the buttermilk with an equal amount of mango puree is all it takes to turn a regular rum cake into a MANGO rum cake!

While we’re on the subject of replacements and substitutions, scale back the amount of milk and sugar in your favorite rice pudding recipe and replace it with mango.  Viola!  Mango rice pudding!  Or, just follow the recipe outlined at the end of this post.  That also works.

Making a mango key lime pie is a lot easier than you might think, and gives you the satisfaction of not giving in to a certain grocery store’s monopoly on this seasonal favorite.  Use three whole eggs instead of the yolks if you don’t feel like having to find a use for leftover egg whites.  I didn’t add any diced mango, but that was a personal choice.

Making a silky, tangy mango curd would serve well to top puff pastry or fill tart shells with.  Or, if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, mix some of it up with some mascarpone cheese and use it to fill these mango macarons.

This was a fun and challenging experiment.  To be honest, I had no idea that I would discover so many ways to use a mango without ruining it.  A few closing thoughts to take away from all of this:

• A ripe mango is very, very sweet.  So, if you’re going to modify an existing recipe to include the addition of mango, make sure you scale back the sugar to account for this.
• For creamy desserts like custards and ice creams, strain your mango puree before using.  This removes most of the fibers and makes for a smoother consistency.
• Do not mistreat your mangoes!  Learning the proper way to cut and slice the mango will save time and headaches.  Chef Allen Susser will show you how it’s done http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvLdPjpELyU

I hope that I have inspired some of you to try your own mango creations!  If you’re looking for the Mango Rice Pudding recipe, here it is!

Mango Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice (washed)
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 stick of butter
• ¼ tsp of salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup mango puree, strained
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 5 allspice berries
• 6-7 whole cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

In a large pot, bring the rice, water, cinnamon stick, star anise, allspice, and cloves to a boil.  Continue boiling until most of the water has been absorbed.  Cover and reduce heat, then cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is soft (if the rice is still not soft, just add more water and continue cooking).

Add the butter, sugar, and milk, then cook on medium to medium-low until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes)

Add the condensed milk and salt.  Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to form large bubbles (about 15 minutes).

Remove the whole spices and stir in the vanilla.  Remove from heat and add the mango puree, stirring until no streaks of mango remain.

Pour into a heat-proof bowl (or bowls).  Can be eaten warm or cold.