Mango Mousse

I received so many ideas, suggestions,and recipes, for mangoes...plus researched some new ones online. I thank each and every one of you, and appreciate all of them so much . With all the mangoes still on the tree, there will be plenty of time this month to try out new recipes.

One recipe recipe and single perfect photo that I wanted to try out was my dear friend Ping's, @ping's pickings  in Malaysia... that called for agar powder, a replacement for gelatin, (which is animal based powder)...compared to agar that is pure vegetarian-vegan. I also had a small portion of agar powder, sent to me, as a gift...among a lot of other useful baking gifts, from my other dear friend, Amelia, @Amelia's De-ssert...also, from Malaysia. I'm so fortunate to have such amazing friends from all over the globe.

 Well, since I apparently have used up the agar powder from before, I did discover another powder, which will surprise my American friends. It is the ever so commonly used; PECTIN...which is also a vegetarian-vegan based thickening agent, mostly used for jams, and jellies. Let me tell you, it worked perfect. I did my homework, once again researching the Internet for replacing agar powder, and came up with pectin. It is really very nice, a light white powder; very affordable, and you only need to use a teaspoonful to slightly thicken your pudding, or mousse. Also, I created my own mango mousse, using the simple method, without the use of eggs, and just simple basic ingredients...it worked, and turned out amazing.

 Now, I have 2 amazing simple recipes for you, one is mine, and the second one is Ping's, which she featured in her June 25, 2012 post. Please visit her beautiful blog, and you will find other wonderful recipes from her, which are all her creative ideas (no source mentioned)...so I do believe they are all her secret recipes...sharing with you!

Mango Mousse
created by; Elisabeth

4 cups of  mango pulp
from 4 medium peeled, and diced mangoes
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoon pectin powder
2 Tbsp. cane sugar
1 pint heavy cream

In a blender, add the peeled, and cut up pieces of mangoes, along with the juice of 1 lemon, puree the  mangoes with the 2 Tbsp. sugar, and the  1 1/2 teaspoon pectin. In a medium saucepan, pour the mango pulp mixture and heat on medium-high, stirring, but not frequently; let it come to a slow bubble, take off the heat, to slightly cool. In the meantime whip up the heavy cream, and halfway through, add 1 or 2 Tbsp powdered sugar. Whip to a consistency, by testing with you finger to make sure that it has a "peak"...do NOT whip any further than that point, or it will become whipped butter!

Pour the cooled mango pulp into a large bow, and carefully fold the whipped cream incorporating it. Pour into dessert bowls, and place in fridge to cool, and set...about 2hrs, or overnight if you can wait that long. I will be very light, fluffy, not too "jelled"...but just the right consistency to enjoy as a beautiful and perfect summer dessert. Decorate according the way you like to, with pieces of mango, or whipped cream on top.

 
MANGO COCONUT CREAM AGAR

INGREDIENTS

200 ml milk

200 ml coconut milk

4 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp agar powder

1 medium-sized ripe mango (about 250 g uncut weight)

METHOD

Remove peel and seed of mango. Puree 3/4 of the flesh in a food processor with a little milk until smooth. (I had about 1/2 cup pureed flesh). Cut remaining flesh into slivers or cubes ... your preference. Set that aside.

Place milk, coconut milk, sugar and agar powder into a pot.

Stir over medium heat until sugar and agar have dissolved.

Stir in pureed mango and turn the heat off. Mix well.

Pour into moulds or cups.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 - 2 hours, depending on how big your moulds are.

Serve with mango slivers or cubes.

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Israeli Couscous, with Cannelini Beans

 When you are fortunate enough to have the basic herbs growing in your garden...as in my daughter's garden...even the basic basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and parsley, spells 'happiness'...I still have the get more parsley at the produce market, it's never enough; also my favorite, the dill, I also get a huge bunch at the market.

What is there not to love in these pearl-like perfect wheat little gems...can't ruin it when you boil it in water, as if you would cook pasta; it lets you know when its done, because it gets so puffed up, and you're ready to rinse it in cold water, and proceed with your recipe. You can serve this chilled, as a cold salad with vegetables of your choice, or you can serve it warm as a side dish, which how I made it with ingredients on hand in Lora's cupboard, and fresh plum tomatoes that I bought!

My sweet friend Jaime, @Mangiabella always raves about my Israeli couscous salad, and how she made it a few or more times for family and friends. She always mentions it to me...it's such an honor when someone makes your recipes, especially when its your own creation...and yes, both of these are my own creations. I first was introduced to Israeli couscous about 10 years ago, but only the last few years have I been making it more often. I guarantee you will love this, and so will your family.

Israeli Couscous with Cannelini Beans
created by; Elisabeth


16 ozs Israeli couscous
1- 14 1/2 cannelini beans
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
4 plum tomatoes diced small
fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano
and rosemary (sm. amt. chopped)
handful fresh Italian parsley chopped
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

First, heat olive oil in a wok or large skillet, cook the onion, garlic, until soft and wilted. Add your chopped herbs and stir a few minutes longer














...then add the fresh diced tomatoes, and saute for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime...you should have your couscous already cooked in boiling water, strained, and rinsed with cold water to keep from sticking, and cooking longer.
Keep the couscous in the strainer until ready to use.

Now, you can add the couscous to the tomato mixture, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the fresh chopped parsley.

Last you fold in the drained and rinsed beans, carefully fold in, and incorporate, and you are ready to serve. Adjust with more seasoning if you like, and more fresh herbs, as garnish, as well!...now wasn't this easy? I promise your will love this, and will make it over and over again, and you can substitute other vegetables just the way you would like to. The main thing is, that you have the couscous cooked first, and then you can be creative the way you desire!

Israeli Couscous...a guaranteed love at 'first bite'

 for recipe, click on link for,Israeli Couscous Salad

Mango Rum Cake

Here I am again, trying to get things done...at least, I did make something with the mangoes...not just any old mango cake, but added rum to it, and drizzled it with a light lemon glaze! I'm so happy I re-created my own recipe from a simple yellow cake mix...the second cake in the last two weeks, from a mix. So much easier to 'doctor; up a
mix cake, than to start from scratch.

Thank you so much for all your recommendations on the mangoes...each and every one of them sound so good, especially the salsa, which I have made last year, the jam, which is still waiting to be made, and also canning some, as well. The chutney, the salads, the puddings, and probably more cakes...all are so amazing with mangoes.



I just happen to find a box of yellow cake mix in my pantry, which I like to keep around for quick emergencies...and trust me, this one was an emergency...and why?...because I tried to make things easier on myself, since now, I'm a little bit clumsy with my left hand which requires to be used, but can't be lifting heavy things for a few weeks.


Well, remember when I mentioned in my last post that I got knocked on  the head with a falling mango, as I was picking the mangoes from under the tree?...I didn't mention that from the fall on my head, I lost my balance and awkwardly fell, over and kind of twisted my left hand...as a result, I noticed that my wrist was swollen the next morning, and for some reason my hand hurt...forget about the bump on the head, but can't ignore the swelling, so I went to get it checked, and x-rayed, and was told I have a sprained wrist. Last year, around this time, I sprained my left ankle...at least all the injuries are concentrated on the left side...left ankle, left side of the head bump, and left sprained wrist.!

...and NO, it didn't have anything to do with the rum..honest! I made the rum cake after my injury! What a "bummer'...could I be any more accident prone, other than my 6yr. old grandson vacationing in Italy, w/parents and sister, falling off from the 2wheeler bicycle, not once, but twice, learning to ride...Lora said he's got bruises from head to toe...poor baby!


...anyway, continuing with my rum cake!

Mango Rum Cake
My adapted version from yellow cake mix

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
pulp of 2 ripe mangoes mixed in blender
mixed with 1 Tbsp water  (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup vegetable, or canola oil
1/4 cup golden rum
1/4 cup water


(baking bundt pan is a 'thrift find' made in Germany
cost, $3.99)

Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bow, with an electric mixer. Spray bundt pan or 2- 9 inch cake pans, or a tube pan, rectangular, whichever you prefer. Spray, and flour the pan.

Just make sure you mix everything together, start on low, to incorporate, and then on high to mix together the ingredients, so it will be golden, and thick...just like in the photo...it should take about 3 minutes, maybe 4.

Pour into the cake pan, and with a rubber spatula, clean the bowl to add all into the cake pan.

Cake batter should look, just like that, in the photo.

After 45 minutes in the oven, your cake will look like this! For the round 9 inch cake pans, it takes 35 minutes, but in the bundt pan will take at least 45 minutes to be done.

After about 20 minutes still warm...but you can carefully flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool for another 30 minutes, before drizzling it with the lemon glaze.

I almost forgot to mention, that you can poke holes in the cake and pour 1/4 cup more, of the gold rum...(optional)

with a metal skewer, or bamboo stick, prick some holes, all around the cake.

Slowly, pour all the rum around the cake into the poked holes.

Note: just don't make the same mistake that I did...what a shame...I forgot to put the cake on a plate, and instead it went all over the counter...(messy job, and a waste of good rum)

Now, you're ready for the lemon glaze, or you can just dust it with powdered sugar.

 Here's a little tip when you frost, or glaze a cake:
Set out your cake platter, or plate, and take 3 strips of wax, or aluminum foil, about 3 or 4 inches wide and lay them crossing each other on the platter.

For the lemon glaze: 3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar. Add 1 the juice of 1 lemon...depending if you want a thin, or thick glaze (as for me, I only had about less than 3/4 cup sugar, so I ended up with a thin glaze)...for a nice rich thick glaze, use 1 cup of powdered sugar

Now you see, all the messy leftover glaze dripped on the paper, and not on the platter.



Drizzle cake with a spoon...it would look better, if the glaze was thicker.

You end up with a clean platter, and just dispose of the messy strips of paper.

I can't begin to tell you how amazing this awesome cake turned out. The Bacardi gold rum is the BEST rum I can recommend...so smooth, and mellow, just gave such a nice moistness and yummy flavor and texture to the cake...and the mango pulp?...oh, my, oh my...MANGO heaven!

I only had that one piece shown on the plate, and shared gave the rest of the cake to my ex, and my best friend~

I will be trying out your suggested recipes, and thank you so much for your gracious comments, ideas, and recipes...xo

Photo, courtesy of PINTEREST

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...AMERICA!...AND A HAPPY 4TH OF JULY to all! America is still the BEST of all the countries...LET FREEDOM PREVAIL THROUGHOUT ALL THE LANDS! GOD BLESS AMERICA ...AND GOD BLESS US ALL!

Strawberry Mimosas...Photo, courtesy of Pinterest

Ricotta Spiral Pastry

 

I am so behind with my post that I intended for Thursday...and here we are, it's Friday now, and way into the evening. I don't have any new things to post, except these perfectly yummy Ricotta Spiral Pastries that I got the idea from a food blogger friend Gizike from Hungary. @ Gizi Receptjei (Gizi's Recipes)...Click over to check her Ricotta Spiral Pastry with Bacon Bits...in English, but you will recognize it from the inviting photo of her yummy creation! While you're there, browse through her other amazing recipes, and lovely photos to illustrate them!

Hers is with crispy bits of bacon, and mine is with fresh chopped basil, and fresh chopped oregano. I used what my daughter had in her fridge, and freezer...she just diddn't have bacon. Lora and I are never without Pepperidge Farm  puff pastry, or phyllo dough, and other ingredients which for us are 'staple ingredients' such as ricotta, and Reggiano Parmigiana cheese.

Just reading the recipe in Hungarian, and knowing I had all these ingredients on hand, I got so thrilled about making it. Just thaw out the puff pastry and you're ready to start. Gizike's blog is in Hungarian, but she has a TRANSLATE option. Just 'sift' through some of the inconsistencies on the translator because some stuff may sound totally ridiculous, which does not fit correctly into the English language, or vica-versa, according to a Hungarian food blogger, constantly mentioning to me that the translate is humorous most of the time!

Speaking of which! Couldn't be any more humorous than, trying to translate from a Bulgarian food blog. Wonder who does these translations...because, that specific time, when I tried to get the recipe of a stuffed chicken, and was interested in the stuffing ingredients. I certainly was not about to print it out (in fact, I let the blogger know of the problem)...no response!......translate option said, instead of 'stuff the chicken'...'f--k' the chicken ...now I'm blushing! So just venture with the translate, carefully!

 Ricotta Spiral  Pastry
 adapted from,Gizike

1 sheet puff pastry
1 cup whole milk, or low-fat ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg
a few basil leaves, and oregano leaves, chopped
or herbs of your choice
2 cloves garlic chopped
salt, and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter, melted (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix together with a fork; the ricotta, parmesan, basil, oregano, eggs garlic, salt, and pepper.
With a rolling pin, roll the thawed out puff pastry lightly, and evenly. Brush some of the butter on it, and spoon the ricotta mixture evenly.

 Start to roll up the dough 'jelly roll' style.

Now, you can start to cut them with a sharp knife.

Cut the slices carefully about 1 to 1 1/2 inches.

(note: the little end piece on the right corner. I actually saved that too.)

Place the spiral rolls carefully in a round cake pan...(I used a pan with a removable bottom. Make sure you spray the pan with cooking spray!
You can also use a rectangular pan, depending if you use a single portion, or double portion!

Brush the rest of the butter on top, and with a soup spoon, pat them down lightly and shape them into rounds.

In a preheated 375 degree F. oven, bake for 35-45 minutes, until it gets golden brownish around the edges.

It turned out incredible, flaky, and oh, so ridiculously overly amazing!












Now, on to some other things to mention!

I received a small package the other day...a fabulous gift for Lora and I, from our dear friend,  Lizzy...the most amazing French soap, the fragrance alone, is breathtaking...one sniff, and you feel like you're in Paris...actually it was from Paris. This was her gracious token of gift to all of us who has guest posted for her, while she flew off to Paris...doesn't it sound romantic?...well it should, and I should be the one to go next time...LOL

Another thing:
I already announced the winner of my giveaway...which is Sissi, from With a glass ...Congratulations to Sissi!
Sissi was contacted and already responded by e-mail, and was very thrilled. I will soon have another giveaway, just can't decide yet, what it will be. Thank you Sissi, and thank you all for your kind comments, and participation!..xo

I wish you all lived closer, so I could give you some mangoes...I've been giving them to Lora's neighbors. Since we had that hard wind, and storm, the mangoes have been dropping from the tree like "dead flies"...oooh, not a good comparison. I even got one fall down and knocked me on my head...ouch!...got a nice bump...saw some 'stars'...even split the ripe mango open...ha,ha....just didn't want to post that photo.

Now, all I need is some ideas, and recipes to make mangoes with!...any suggestions?...please, send some my way!