Category: Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal

Mango Popsicles With Cream Cheese | Homemade Summer Snack

Mango Popsicles With Cream Cheese
Summer Dessert with Mangoes

If you grew up in South Asia you would agree that leftovers are not just treated like leftovers. What it means is if you ate dal for dinner, it is quite possible the leftover dal would find its way to your breakfast or lunch plate as a paratha. Similarly, leftover steamed rice would be turned into ghee fried rice and leftover alu sabzi would become a sandwich or alu paratha. Needless to say, that particular gene has been passed onto me as well. More often than not I find myself trying to create something new and interesting with leftovers.

So, here is the story behind my Mango Popsicles With Cream Cheese.

Now, if you have seen my previous posts you know that we celebrated a birthday and there was a homemade cake with delicious cream cheese frosting. As always I went a bit overboard while making the frosting and once I was done with the cake I realised I had tons of cream cheese frosting left. Now, there was no way I was going to make one more cake to use that frosting, and just binning the remaining frosting seemed like an unbearable idea too.

Voila! I had an idea!

Around the same time, some good folks on Instagram were organising a contest inviting entries for great leftover creations. I sat deciding unsure what would my entry be when my youngest came to me. He reminded me I still had not made the mango popsicles I had been promising him for days now. And just like that, I had the idea to create these amazing mango popsicles with cream cheese. And what a dreamy creamy beautifully textured dessert it was! Now, each time that I have leftover frosting in the future, I am going to try these popsicles for sure with different kinds of flavours. The demand for the strawberry version has already been put through.

Anyhow, coming back to the popsicles, although I used the leftover cream cheese frosting, it doesn’t mean you absolutely need to use this frosting in order to make this popsicle. You can just use cream cheese, greek yogurt, and mango puree to make delicious popsicles too. I have shared the recipe for both versions. If you decide to make the cream cheese frosting, you can find the recipe in this post.

Useful tips to make a great quality popsicle

  1. Use softened cream cheese. Basically, the cream cheese should have sat outside the fridge for at least an hour. This helps to avoid any lumps in the popsicle.
  2.  Next, add a few strands of saffron to the popsicle mix as it really elevates the flavours. If you would like to skip it you can add some lemon zest.
  3. Juicy and pulpy Alphonsoes work best in this recipe. If you cannot find any, the next best option is using canned Mango Pulp.

Making Mango Popsicles with Cream Cheese

Ingredients

  1. Cream cheese softened – 1.5 cups
  2. Mango puree – 1.5 cups
  3. Roughly chopped mangoes – 3/4 cup
  4. Greek Yogurt -2 tbsp
  5. Roughly chopped pistachios and almonds – 2 tbsp
  6. Saffron, one small pinch of lemon zest – 1 tbsp
  7. 1 tbsp milk to steep the saffron in
  8. Sugar or Honey as per taste

Method

  1. In a deep bowl whisk the cream cheese and sugar/honey (if using) until smooth
  2. Then add the mango puree and greek yogurt and blend gently on medium speed
  3. Fold in the steeped saffron, chopped mangoes, and nuts
  4. Transfer to popsicle moulds, add popsicle sticks, and freeze overnight or a minimum of 5 hours
  5. Just before unmoulding tilt the moulds slightly and run under tap water or dip for 30 seconds in warm water. This helps to bring the popsicles out smoothly without breaking.

Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles

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Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

    Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with Cream Cheese
    Ingredients
  • Cream cheese, softened - 1.5 cups
  • Mango puree- 1.5 cups
  • Roughly chopped mangoes- 3/4 cup
  • Greek Yogurt-2 tbsp
  • Roughly chopped pistachios and almonds - 2 tbsp
  • Saffron, one small pinch or lemon zest- 1 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp milk to steep the saffron in
  • Sugar or Honey as per taste
    • Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with leftover Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Cream cheese frosting, softened - 1.5 cups
  • Mango puree- 1.5 cups
  • Roughly chopped mangoes- 3/4 cup
  • Greek Yogurt-2 tbsp
  • Roughly chopped pistachios and almonds - 2 tbsp
  • Saffron, one small pinch
  • 1 tbsp milk to steep the saffron in

Instructions

    Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with Cream Cheese
    Method
  1. In a deep bowl whisk the cream cheese and sugar/honey (if using) until smooth
  2. Then add the mango puree and greek yogurt and blend gently on medium speed
  3. Fold in the steeped saffron, chopped mangoes and nuts
  4. Transfer to popsicle moulds, add popsicle sticks and freeze overnight or a minimum of 5 hours 
  5. Just before unmoulding tilt the moulds slightly and run under tap water or dip for 30 seconds in warm water.This helps to bring the popsicles out smoothly without breaking
    6. Making Mango Cream Cheese Popsicles with leftover Cream Cheese Frosting
    Method
  6. In a deep bowl whisk the cream cheese frosting until smooth
  7. Then add the mango puree and greek yogurt and blend gently on medium speed
  8. Fold in the steeped saffron, chopped mangoes and nuts
  9. Transfer to popsicle moulds, add popsicle sticks and freeze overnight or a minimum of 5 hours  
  10. Just before unmoulding tilt the moulds slightly and run under tap water or dip for 30 seconds in warm water.This helps to bring the popsicles out smoothly without breaking
https://onewholesomemeal.com/mango-popsicles-with-cream-cheese-homemade-summer-snack/

Enjoy this fun video showing the making of these mango popsicles

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Number Birthday Cake | 4th Birthday | Vanilla Sheet Cake

Number Birthday Cake
Vanilla Sheet Cake for 4th Birthday

Very excited to share with your how I prepared my first number birthday cake for my son’s 4th birthday!

So, in continuation of the last post, this one is going to be all about how I put my littlest’s fourth birthday cake together. His only request was a vanilla ninja cake. The vanilla cake was easy considering my favourite Joy of Baking has the easiest vanilla cake recipe with a delicious cream cheese frosting. And I am a diehard fan of that combination so choosing that flavour was a no-brainer. But making a Ninja Cake seemed to be an uphill task which involved either spending hours to create a cake which looked like an actual Ninja- there was no way I could devote that kind of time! The other option was to roll out oodles of fondant but then I am not much of a fan of when it comes to coating sugar with some more sugar, most of which eventually gets chucked away. So, there was no way I was going to do that either. Incidentally, I happened to chat with a friend and she gave me a few quick-fix ideas and hence this Number 4 Birthday Cake!

The 5 Basic Steps to Make Your Number Birthday Cake

Broadly speaking there are five steps to making this easier than it sounds Number Birthday Cake:

  1. Creating your number stencil. In my case, it was 4.
  2. Baking the vanilla sheet cake.
  3. Making the strawberry compote.
  4. Preparing the frosting.
  5. Bringing it all together and decorating.

So, without any further ado, let us begin!

1. Creating your number 4 stencil

There are a couple of ways you can do it. But the easiest way is to choose the longest side (both length and breadth would be the same size) based on the size of your cake pan and of course based on the size of the cake you eventually want. For example, I did not have a rectangular cake pan which would be ideal but an 8-inch square cake pan. This meant I needed to make two square cakes, place them together to make a rectangle with the long side measuring 16 inches. Leaving some margin, I decided to make the final cake with 12 inch long sides. With that decision out of my way, it was easy to create a stencil with the following measurements:

Number 4 Birthday Cake | Easy Number Cake | Vanilla Sheet Cake

 

 

2. Baking the vanilla sheet cake

I followed the recipe by Joy of Baking to the T except I doubled it as I wanted to make a two-layered cake. So, using my 8-inch cake pan I baked 4 cakes. Two square cakes made the base rectangle and the two others made the top layer. In between sat the delicious strawberry compote the recipe for which I shared in an earlier blog post.

Vanilla Sheet Cake Recipe:

INGREDIENTS (for four 8 inch square cakes)
  • All-Purpose Flour: 710 grams
  • Baking Powder: 22 grams
  • Salt: 4 grams
  • Butter at room temperature: 450 grams
  • Eggs: 8
  • Sugar: 600 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 20 grams
  • Full Fat Milk: 480 ml
METHOD
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees centigrade
  • Butter your 8-inch square cake pan or  9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan and line it with parchment paper and set aside
  • In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  • Add sugar and pure vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy
  • Next, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition and scraping sides whenever needed; beat until colour lightens
  • In alternate additions add milk and flour  and continue to whip as you do so until the mixture reaches a homogenous consistency
  • If using the 8 inch square pan, divide the batter into 4 equal parts and bake one part at a time for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If using 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan, transfer half of the total prepared mixture into it and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Repeat the same for the remaining half of the batter
  • Once all the cakes have cooled down to room temperature, wrap them individually with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. This makes the cake easier to frost and work with.

3. Making the strawberry compote

You can make the compote a day or a few hours ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Since it is without preservatives it stays good in the refrigerator just for a few days so try and make it just a day prior. You can find a detailed recipe here.

4. Making the frosting

I decided to make the cream cheese frosting as it tastes great even with little sugar and with the lime added to it, brings in tons of fresh flavours to the cake. It is also not as heavy as the buttercream frosting. And because I was going to be using minimal frosting just for flavour and not for decoration it was a better option. Use only full fat cream cheese at room temperature for best results

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

INGREDIENTS
  • Butter at room temperature: 100 grams
  • Castor Sugar: The original recipe calls for 180 grams but I used 150 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 4 grams
  • Lemon Juice: 4 grams
  • Lemon Rind: 1 tbsp
  • Cream Cheese, really soft and at room temperature: 340 grams
METHOD
  • In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  • To softened butter add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy
  • Then add softened cream cheese in gradual additions, scraping sides as needed
  • Add vanilla, lime juice, and lemon rind and mix well
  • Refrigerate for half an hour before frosting

5. Bringing it all together and decorating

I made a quick video to share how I brought it all together which is attached below. I followed the steps in the following order :

  1. The four refrigerated cakes were brought out. Two 8 inch cakes were put next to each other and then the other two stacked on top
  2. The number 4 stencil was placed on top and the cakes were shaped accordingly (please refer to the video to see how I did it)
  3. Then the layers were separated and strawberry compote filled in; holes poked for the compote to seep through and absorb well through the cake
  4. The top layer was placed back and the cake was frosted
  5. Kit Kats were used to make the fence
  6. Because the Kit Kats were taller than the actual cake, so Maltesers were added to adjust the height
  7. Finally, the smarties were added on top

Now, at this stage, you can refrigerate the cake (or not) depending on when you are going to be cutting it. I finished making the cake late at night. To s and we were going to be cutting it early the next morning I decided to just let it chill in a really cold room with an air conditioner on at 18 degrees. Before cutting the cake I added some Ninja figures. So, this way I exceeded expectations- the birthday boy got a Ninja cake topped with his favourite candies and shaped like number 4 !!

Here is the video which will give you a better idea as to how this Number Birthday Cake was put together :

Print
Number 4 Birthday Cake | Easy Number Cake | Vanilla Sheet Cake

Prep Time: 8 hours

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 10 hours

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 12-14

Ingredients

    For four 8 inch square cakes
  • All Purpose Flour: 710 grams
  • Baking Powder: 22 grams
  • Salt: 4 grams
  • Butter at room temperature: 450 grams
  • Eggs : 8
  • Sugar : 600 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 20 grams
  • Full Fat Milk: 480 ml
    • For Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Butter at room temperature: 100 grams
  • Castor Sugar: The original recipe calls for 180 grams but I used 150 grams
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: 4 grams
  • Lemon Juice: 4 grams
  • Lemon Rind: 1 tbsp
  • Cream Cheese , really soft and at room temperature : 340 grams

Instructions

    For Vanilla Sheet Cake
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees centigrade
  2. Butter your 8 inch square cake pan or 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan and line it with parchment paper and set aside
  3. In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  4. Add sugar and pure vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy
  5. Next add eggs one at time beating well after each addition and scraping sides whenever needed; beat until colour lightens
  6. In alternate additions add milk and flour and continue to whip as you do so until the mixture reaches a homogenous consistency
  7. If using the 8 inch square pan, divide the batter into 4 equal parts and bake one part at a time for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If using 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) cake pan, transfer half of the total prepared mixture into it and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Repeat the same for the remaining half of the batter
  8. Once all the cakes have cooled down to room temperature, wrap them individually with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. This makes the cake easier to frost and work with.
    9. For Cream Cheese Frosting
  9. In a deep bowl using your electric mixer beat the butter until smooth
  10. To softened butter add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy
  11. Then add softened cream cheese in gradual additions, scraping sides as needed
  12. Add vanilla, lime juice and lemon rind and mix well
  13. Refrigerate for half an hour before frosting
    14. Bringing it all together and decorating
  14. Bring out the four refrigerated cakes. Place two 8 inch cakes next to each other and then stack the other two on top placing them in the same manner as the base
  15. Place the number 4 stencil on top of the stacked cakes and cut out the shape accordingly (please refer to the video to see how I did it)
  16. Then separate the layers and fill in the strawberry compote in the centre; poke holes for the compote to seep through and absorb well into the cake
  17. Place the top layer back and frost the cake
  18. Add Kit-Kats to make the fence
  19. Then place the Malteasers on top to adjust height 
  20. Finally place Smarties on top
  21. Refrigerate and bring out two hours before cutting the cake
https://onewholesomemeal.com/number-birthday-cake-4th-birthday-vanilla-sheet-cake/

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Strawberry Compote For Cake In 15 Minutes

Strawberry Compote for Cake
Strawberry Compote for Cake

My strawberry compote for cake recipe is perfect for a simple vanilla butter cake. You can even try it with pies and puddings for.

I have a friend who calls cakes that have too much going on, “fufu cakes.” You know the kind which is all gooey, chocolatey, with all kinds of mousse inside but there is no real cake in it? Simply put, the sponge is lacking and when you take a bite, your teeth and tongue just glide through the entire cake. It is basically like eating a smoothie. It is delicious no doubt but it is not the real deal, in my opinion.

A Family That Takes heir Cake Seriously!

When it comes to birthdays at home we make sure we have the real deal. And hence this strawberry compote aka strawberry filling happened. We are a family of five. Therefore I bake at least 4 cakes every year for the others. For my birthday, I always get one from the store. My favourite is the Signature Mille Crepe Cakes from Lady M and the Mango Cake from COVA Pasticceria. The kids usually ask for something chocolate. So almost all kinds of chocolate cakes and cupcakes have happened including red velvet and the latter with some cream cheese frosting remains our family favourite.

This time however I decided to go with a simple butter vanilla sheet cake layered with my youngest’s favourite fruit filling – strawberry. And because everything was homemade, the strawberry compote had to be made at home too. Considering how easy it is to make, getting a store-bought filling sounded criminal. I had some gorgeous fresh strawberries in the refrigerator. So in they went into a saucepan with a dash of butter and brown sugar on a low flame. Spiked with some lime juice, they were thickened with corn starch and cooked until the berries turned soft and mushy.

Strawberry Compote | Strawberry filling for cakes | Easy Recipe

I let it cool before spreading it over the cake of course. The sweet tangy flavour of the strawberry compote went so well with the cake. Also, it kept the layers moist without having to add any sugar syrup or frosting in between. I highly recommend this strawberry filling to take a basic vanilla cake to the next level.

Strawberry Compote For Cake Recipe

Ingredients 

  1. Fresh or frozen strawberries- 2.5 cups; if using fresh, wash well, remove the green stem and chop fine; if using frozen no need to thaw, add frozen berries straight to the pan
  2. Butter – 1tbsp
  3. Brown sugar – 2 tbsp or as per taste
  4. Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
  5. Corn starch – 1 tbsp

Method

  1. Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan and reduce heat
  2. Add chopped strawberries along with brown sugar and cook till sugar dissolves
  3. Next, add lemon juice and continue to stir and cook on a low flame for another minute or so
  4. Now add corn starch and mix well; cook for 5 minutes on a very low flame with intermittent stirring till the compote thickens in its consistency. It will thicken further on cooling so make sure to leave it a little watery
  5. Taste and adjust sweetness
  6. Take it off the heat and using a potato masher, mash it to a smoother consistency
  7. Cool and transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate and use within 2-3 days

Watch a quick video here to guide you better:

Strawberry Compote | Strawberry filling for cakes | Easy Recipe

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Strawberry Compote | Strawberry filling for cakes | Easy Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 90%

Serving Size: Makes approx 1 cup compote

Ingredients

  • Fresh or frozen strawberries- 2.5 cups; if using fresh, wash well, remove the green stem and chop fine; if using frozen no need to thaw, add frozen berries straight to the pan
  • Butter- 1tbsp
  • Brown sugar - 2 tbsp or as per taste
  • Lemon juice- 2 tbsp
  • Corn starch - 1 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pan and reduce heat 
  2. Add chopped strawberries along with brown sugar and cook till sugar dissolves 
  3. Add lemon juice and continue to stir and cook on a low flame for another minute or so
  4. Add corn starch and mix well; cook for 5 minutes on a very low flame with intermittent stirring till the compote thickens in consistency. It will thicken further on cooling so make sure to leave it a little watery
  5. Taste and adjust sweetness
  6. Take it off heat and using a potato masher, mash it to a smoother consistency
  7. Cool and transfer to an air tight container, refrigerate and use within 2-3 days
https://onewholesomemeal.com/strawberry-compote-for-cake-in-15-minutes/

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Mango Milkshake Recipe With Healthy Options

Mango Milkshake Recipe | Fresh Mango Shake
Mango Milkshake recipe with healthy options

And last but not least in the Mango Trilogy – Mango Milkshake! If you are a South Asian, is there a possibility that you have not heard of Mango Milkshake?

Food has a way of bringing back the most precious memories, don’t you think? A freshly made glass of Mango Milkshake for example. It transports me back to my summer holiday break when sultry afternoons would become more bearable with the air cooler blowing mogra scented cool breeze (yes, I belong to the Desert Cooler era ;)), a stack of books issued from the library, and a chilled glass of Mango Shake to go with it!

I tried to recreate that magic again when I finally received the first batch of Alphonso Mangoes of this season. And it did not disappoint. Oh! What bliss is that magical glass of mango milkshake! Now, technically milkshakes are made with ice creams, vanilla, or chocolate most commonly. However, there are some alternatives to using just ice cream to make it a tad healthier.

Ice cream alternatives one could use:

  1. Whipping cream- full fat or low fat based on your preference in combination with milk.
  2. Almond milk
  3. Oat Milk
  4. Soya Milk
  5. Full fat or reduced-fat milk
  6. Combination of ice cream, milk, and whipping cream in 3:2:1 ratio

Some useful tips in making a Mango Milkshake par excellence :

  1. Use varieties of mango which are very pulpy and juicy. No “pulp fiction” aka fibrous, juice only, no pulp kinda varieties. That would lead to a very watery milkshake with only a mild mango flavour. If you are looking for a creamy, loaded with mango flavour milkshake, then use Indian varieties like Alphonsoes, Dussehri or Malgova. Read here to find out more about Indian mango varieties. If you are unable to find any of these then your next best bet is canned mangoes. But never and I repeat never use fibrous varieties for Mango Milkshake
  2. Use only ice to thin out the milkshake and not water
  3. When using vanilla ice cream, you do not need to add sugar as both the ice cream and mango should be sweet enough
  4. If you do decide to add sugar, try swapping it with raw sugar, it enhances the flavours manifold
  5. When using just milk to make the mango milkshake, using pure vanilla essence for flavour is recommended

So, with these tips under our belt, we are all set to make the best Mango Milkshake in town!

Ingredients :

  1. Milk (you can use any kind) – 1 cup
  2. Vanilla ice cream-2 large scoops or swap it with one cup milk
  3. The pulp of two medium-sized mangoes
  4. Chopped nuts (optional)
  5. Sweetener of choice – As per taste 
  6. Ice cubes- 1 cup

Method:

  1. In a high-speed blender blend all ingredients till smooth
  2. Garnish with some more chopped nuts if desired and serve chilled 
  3. You could add more ice cubes if desired, right before serving.

Print
Mango Milk Shake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 2 tall glasses

Ingredients

  • Milk (you can use any kind)- 1 cup
  • Vanilla ice cream-2 large scoops or swap it with one cup milk
  • Pulp of two medium sized mangoes
  • Chopped nuts (optional)
  • Sweetener of choice - As per taste 
  • Ice cubes- 1 cup

Instructions

  1. In a high speed blender blend all ingredients till smooth
  2. Garnish with some more chopped nuts if desired and serve chilled
  3. You could add more ice cubes if desired, right before serving
https://onewholesomemeal.com/mango-milkshake-recipe-with-healthy-options/

And before you leave, do not forget to check out some more delicious mango recipes:

https://onewholesomemeal.com/custard-apple-mango-pudding/

Mango Yogurt Oats Parfait To Start Your Morning

Beaten-Rice Yogurt Mango Parfait

https://onewholesomemeal.com/custard-apple-mango-pudding/

 

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Aamrakhand | Alphonso Mango and Yogurt Dessert

Mango and Yogurt Dessert Aamrakhand
Aamrakhand

Summer and mango are synonymous with each other in the Indian subcontinent at least, don’t you think? What is also very well-loved in the subcontinent is yogurt. And Alphonso mango and yogurt are a match made in heaven.

Keeping in the spirit of Mango Mania here is another recipe that involves the King of Fruits. Amrakhand is a spin-off on Shrikhand which is typically made with hung curd flavoured with cardamom and sugar. It is a popular Indian dessert in the western states of Gujarat and Maharashtra and tastes great with piping hot pooris and chapatis.

Aam is Hindi for Mango and that is how the dish gets its name. Amrakhand combines the goodness of yogurt and alphonso mango and creates the perfect summer dessert which when enjoyed on a muggy summer afternoon, is just heavenly! This recipe was one amongst the few others that I had shared on Sassy Mama Hong Kong last year celebrating summer desserts.

A few tips to keep in mind:

  1. if using regular yogurt or homemade curd, make sure to tie it in a cheesecloth and place it in a strainer over a bowl and refrigerate overnight so excess water is drained. If not overnight, at least for 3-4 hours.
  2. as I mentioned plain greek yogurt is a quicker alternative. If using that, place the yogurt in muslin and let it hang for 30-45 minutes to remove excess water
  3. fresh Alphonso mangoes work best for this recipe, but if that is unavailable, use canned mango pulp; if using the latter, discard the water and use just the pulp
  4. honey works great as a sweetener instead of brown sugar but it does alter the taste of the final dish
  5. using coconut greek yogurt adds an interesting dimension to the dish. In fact, you can also add freshly grated coconut while blending the yogurt and alphonso mango puree if you would like to
  6. use of saffron strands is optional

Ingredients for Aamrakhand:

  1. Hung curd or greek yogurt (water drained completely)- 2 cups
  2. Pureed Mangoes -1 cup
  3. Brown or raw Sugar (powdered) or Honey- 1 tbsp or as per taste depending on the sweetness of the mango pulp
  4. Saffron-3-4 strands steeped in 1 tbsp warm milk
  5. Freshly pound cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
  6. Slivered nuts(pistachios/almonds) and mango cubes for garnish- As desired

Method to Make the Perfect Mango and Yogurt Dessert:

  1. In a deep bowl place the hung curd and pureed mangoes and blend on a low speed using a hand blender or a regular whisk
  2. Add sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron steeped in milk (including the milk) and mix well
  3. Spoon the mixture into serving bowls (small tequila shot glasses work great here) and refrigerate for an hour or two
  4. Garnish with chopped nuts and mango cubes and serve chilled.

Print
Aamrakhand|Summer Dessert with Yogurt & Alphonso Mango

Prep Time: 5 hours

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

  • Hung curd or greek yogurt (water drained completely)- 2 cups
  • Pureed Mangoes -1 cup
  • Brown or Raw Sugar (powdered) or Honey- 1 tbsp or as per taste depending on the sweetness of the mango pulp
  • Saffron-3-4 strands steeped in 1 tbsp warm milk
  • Freshly pound cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
  • Slivered nuts(pistachios/almonds) and mango cubes for garnish- As desired

Instructions

  1. In a deep bowl place the hung curd and pureed mangoes and blend on a low speed using a hand blender or a regular whisk
  2. Add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron steeped in milk (including the milk) and mix well
  3. Spoon the mixture into serving bowls (small tequila shot glasses work great here) and refrigerate for an hour or two
  4. Garnish with chopped nuts and mango cubes and serve chilled
https://onewholesomemeal.com/aamrakhand-alphonso-mango-and-yogurt-dessert/

Aamrakhand

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Vegan Dessert With Mango | Manco Pots

Vegan Dessert with Mango and Coconut Cream
Manco Pots

Today is a special vegan dessert with mango and whipped coconut cream. After all, it is summertime!

Mango season is in full swing in India. However, the way things are currently we are unable to enjoy the seasonal deluge of desi mangoes. We are making do with whatever little we can find of Thai and Philipino mangoes. Sadly, I have to admit the taste is just not the same. The richness of the mangoes from our Indian subcontinent is unmatched.

The Mango Originated In India

Mangoes originated in India about 6,000 years ago. Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese scholar visiting India seems to have first brought it outside of India to China around the 7th century. The fruit then spread to East Africa as early as the 10th century AD. The mango then traveled to Philipinnes, Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica, and Hawaii where it quickly became a part of their culture.. The tropical climate in all these countries helped them grow and develop various varieties of mango and today we have more than 40 species across the world.

It’s More Than Just a Tropical Fruit

The tastes and flavours of this luscious fruit are popularly known but did you know that Ayurvedic and other ancient texts describe it as an aphrodisiac and stamina and vitality enhancer? The leaves are considered auspicious and used in religious ceremonies too. With so many qualities no wonder, the mango tree has been called Kalpvriksha or wish-granting tree in ancient Indian scriptures.

Mangoes have to be my favourite summer fruit. Not only do they taste great but are also loaded with health benefits. Their high content of Vitamin C, Antioxidants, and Folate make them a perfect fruit to start your day with, snack on, or even indulge your sweet-tooth with! 

It is certainly odd that I do not have many mango recipes on the blog considering we do overindulge in its gooey goodness through summer. Alphonso in April/May and Langdas/Maldas in June/July keep us happy and we eat to our heart’s content until we bid goodbye to mango season in July only to eagerly awaiting the next.

Vegan Dessert With Mango: Manco Pots

Last summer I did a series of Mango recipes for Sassy Mama Hong Kong and today’s recipe of Manco pots was one of them. This gluten-free and vegan recipe received a lot of praise. I have been meaning to share it on my blog ever since.

It is really very simple and easy one and all you need is mango chunks/pulp (fresh or canned; albeit nothing like freshly cubed ripe Alphonso mangoes), a good quality coconut cream (not coconut milk as we need a nice creamy texture), and some homemade thandai powder and chopped nuts of choice. I also used brown sugar for sweetness and vanilla extract and rose petals for flavour and garnish respectively but they are all optional and you can skip if you like.

Useful Tips For The Perfect Vegan Dessert

  1. The recipe will not work with low-fat coconut milk
  2. Watch here how to whip coconut milk well
  3. Chilling the bowl in the freezer is an important step before whipping so make sure not to miss it
  4. If you do not have dried rose petals handy, add chopped mint leaves

These little pots of taste and health are perfect as breakfast or even a midday snack. They help to maintain blood sugar levels, keep you satiated and avoid the afternoon slump. Try this vegan dessert with mango and coconut cream now.

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Manco Pots

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 4-6 small pots

Ingredients

  • Home-made Thandai powder- 4 tbsp
  • Full fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight to separate the liquid from fat layer)- 250ml
  • Medium sized mango, cubed- 1
  • Brown Sugar-2 tbsp or as per taste
  • Pure Vanilla Extract -1/2 tsp
  • Dried rose petals for garnish-1 tsp (optional)

Instructions

  1. Chill a deep bowl (preferably steel) in the freezer for half hour
  2. Spoon out the coconut cream (discarding the coconut milk) into the steel bowl and to it add sugar and pure vanilla extract
  3. Whip with a hand blender till stiff peaks form, then spoon it into desired serving bowls
  4. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours then sprinkle generously(approximately 1.5-2 tsp) with the thandai powder, spoon over the mangoes and garnish with dried rose petals if using
  5. Serve chilled
https://onewholesomemeal.com/vegan-dessert-with-mango-manco-pots/

Manco Pots