It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 5 years since I started Mango Madness.  Mango Madness 2018 was actually going to be my last year of doing this, because I was legitimately running out of ideas.  Yet. the mangoes flowed so heavily this year that I got all sorts of inspired!  Seriously, I got mangoes from all different directions, and LOTS of them.  It turned out to be one of my most productive Mango Seasons yet!

As per the usual, Mango Madness 2018 will only feature NEW ways to use mango that have not been covered in previous posts.

Similar to the cobbler, mango crisp is a great choice for you fans of pies or related desserts.  Served warm with a scoop of ice cream (cream cheese ice cream, in this case) is a real treat.

For those that are into the sweet and savory pairings, try mango pulled pork.  I make it in the pressure cooker.  The sweetness of the mango really adds something special to the pork.

Making mango souffle was actually only my second time making souffle.  The first time was a cheese souffle that was an absolute disaster.  This mango souffle was light, airy, and delicious.

Fill some pate a choux (cream puff shells) with mango pastry cream!  And, for extra texture, dip your cream puffs in caramelized sugar for a sweet crunch.

Mango empanadas are a cinch of you use refrigerated pie dough.  Just fill with mango compote, seal, and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Mango shortcake was something that my friend and I sort of came up with by accident, but it turned out so delicious that we decided to pass it along.  Just layer your shortcake with fresh mango slices.  Instead of whipped cream, we drizzled with mango Creme Anglaise.  A little bit unconventional, but SO GOOD.

I have made mango flan before, but adding mango to flan always altered the texture in a way that was not too appealing to me.  The solution to that, I found, was not to make “flan” at all.  Now, I instead make mango purin (Japanese style flan), which is set with gelatin instead of baked.  Comes out smooth and creamy every single time!

It was actually shocking to me how well mango works in ceviche.  I know that eating mango with lime juice is a thing, but that is usually done with mango that is not ripe yet.  This ceviche uses ripe, sweet mangoes, but the tartness of the ceviche balances the sweet of the mango in each bite.  You can find the recipe for this awesome ceviche here.

When a Filipina friend of mine suggested that I use mango to make halo-halo, I had no idea what she was talking about.  I won’t try to explain it to you.  Just Google it.  You will thank me later.  Since I wanted the mango to be the star, I didn’t get too crazy with the ingredients.  My halo-halo consisted of nata de coco (coconut gel), candied sugar palm fruit, shaved ice, coconut milk, fresh mango chunks, a drizzle of condensed milk, and a scoop of mango ice cream.  Truly the culmination of all things Mango Madness!

Mango Madness 2018 was a great addition to the Mango Madness tradition!  It also inspired me to keep it going for an extra year.  Let the Madness continue!