A Frozen Mango Torte fitting for mango season, plus Frozen Whipped Cream Latte [VIDEO]

The combination of crisp meringue, melt-in-the-mouth whipped cream, and sweet Philippine mangoes makes this Frozen Mango Torte a real treat!

I had initially planned to post this in time for Independence Day last Saturday, because it’s a recipe that celebrates one of the Philippines’ most prized “jewels”, at least in my opinion. I’m talking about Philippine mangoes of course. It’s unfortunate I couldn’t finish the video in time, but you know what they say, better late than never! While we generally have mangoes all year round, this is when they are at their peak so I’m taking advantage.

Last year my Mom and I made tons of burong mangga with green mangoes, and those jars of pickled mangoes lasted us for months and months. This year the preference seems to be on ripe mangoes, and for once we had more than enough for both enjoying on their own and in several desserts.

My Dad managed to get mangoes from Guimaras this year– the ones with a “G” sticker on them– and I have to say, these are different from any mango I’ve eaten so far. I’ve actually been to Guimaras but none of the mangoes I ate while there were this juicy and big. They were sweet and delicious as usual, but a little thin and just a bit more fibrous. These, with the perfect yellow hue and tons of mango flesh to work with, were definitely of a higher quality. I heard these were supposed to be exported but somehow ended up being stuck here. (Thank goodness?) I certainly cannot deny that the premium was worth it.

And obviously, when you have such gorgeous mangoes and a request for Frozen Mango Torte is made, you simply do not say no. Plus, I had just the recipe in my to-do folder. I had cut this recipe out so many years ago from Yummy Magazine, back when they weren’t fully digital and were still printing their magazines. For some reason, I never quite got around to it. It’s probably because it used to be so easy to just go out and pick up some Frozen Mango Torte from Dulcelin. I mean, technically it’s not hard to buy from them even now, but lately I’ve been challenging myself to make homemade versions of things we normally buy from the outside, and so Frozen Mango Torte went into the baking schedule.

As far as I know, Dulcelin is the most popular maker of the Frozen Mango Torte here in Manila. I have no idea if they are the “pioneers”, but I do think they were the ones who made this popular. At the very least, I will credit them for introducing me to this lovely dessert. They do make a mean Mango Torte.

To tell you the truth, pavlova topped with pastry cream and fresh fruit is my favorite way to serve meringue, but I think it’s safe to say Frozen Mango Torte comes in second place. Whoever thought of this dessert is a genius. A sweet, melt-in-the-mouth, slightly nutty meringue base is topped with whipped cream and sweet juicy mounds of mangoes, creating a rather delightful and balanced dessert. My family actually demolished this dessert in one sitting.

This recipe actually makes two Frozen Mango Tortes so I sent the other one off to my grandma. She and my aunt had some pretty good things to say about this dessert too, and maybe if I had known they would like this so much I would’ve doubled the recipe. There was certainly more than enough mangoes.

Interestingly enough, the meringue base this recipe produces is similar to macarons in that it has a nice crisp shell that gives way to a melt-in-the-mouth sort of interior. Dulcelin’s version is a bit more nougat-like because as you eat it, it kind of turns into this candy inside your mouth that occasionally sticks to your teeth. You can probably achieve that soft interior by baking the meringue for just 1-1/2 hours rather than 2. I personally went the 2 hour route this time around.

Now while this is a good recipe overall, my personal issue with the meringue base here is that it’s a little too sweet for me. It didn’t occur to me at the time I was making this that the egg white to sugar ratio was a little off. I know that recipes differ depending on who’s writing them and what they hope to achieve, but this recipe did not follow the generally accepted sugar to egg white ratio for meringues so no wonder it’s on the sweet side. Frankly though, no one commented on it except me.

I suppose you’ll have to make this as is and be the judge lol. (I have some adjustment suggestions below.) Nonetheless, I do agree that whatever sweetness the base has, it gets balanced out nicely by the toppings. I just personally would’ve liked the base to be a little nuttier than sweet, so I’m thinking next time I’ll experiment with using the meringue from this Silvanas recipe as the base.

Now let’s talk about the genius discovery I made thanks to making this Mango Torte recipe: Frozen Whipped Cream Latte. I used to think of leftover whipped cream as a nuisance but now I’ll be looking forward to every opportunity for it, because wow, I had no idea you could actually use it for this purpose. Why didn’t I think to check the internet before? This is literally the easiest way to cheat your way to a cup of coffee with nice thick foam on top, and it’s so simple it’s almost mind-blowing.

You basically just freeze your leftover whipped cream in the form of single-serving dollops. If you feel fancy, you can use a star tip to pipe out said dollops to make them look prettier– just make sure to place them on a piece of parchment for easier removal. The point is to freeze them into mounds that will fit into your mug as a drink topper. I managed to make about 8 dollops with my leftover whipped cream.

So after dropping the leftover whipped cream in dollops on my parchment paper, spacing them just slightly apart, I put the paper straight into a freezer-safe container with a lid. Other people like to freeze them on a tray first (like cookie dough), then transfer them to a ziplock bag once they’ve frozen into individual solid lumps. Either way, once frozen, just drop the lumps of frozen whipped cream into your hot beverage, and then let it melt. The aerated cream will create a foam that is akin to the one created by frothed milk. Mind = blown.

For someone who loves coffee and coffee drinks like me, I was incredibly happy to have discovered this neat little trick! You can use these little frozen whipped cream dollops on hot cocoa as well. Since the whipped cream isn’t too sweet, feel free to add your sweetener of choice. (I like a bit of condensed milk in my lattes so that’s what I use for sweetness and extra milkiness.) Enjoy this drink with whatever the heck you want! It’s good with the Mango Torte too; just make sure not to drink the coffee while it’s too hot while eating the dessert frozen because you might hurt your teeth.

Recipe notes

• DO I NEED TO USE A STAND MIXER FOR THIS RECIPE? You may use a hand mixer for this recipe, however because of the way the attachment is shaped, it will take longer to whip the egg whites as opposed to using the balloon whisk attachment of the stand mixer. This attachment incorporates more air into the mixture so it’s the best option. I do not recommend doing this recipe manually. You will exhaust yourself. It will also be much easier to whip the cream later on with equipment.
• WHAT KIND OF PREP SHOULD I MAKE FOR MY EGG WHITES? Generally, you must make sure that your equipment is dry and clean. There should be no trace of egg yolks in your egg whites before you start as this will affect how the whites whip up, so be careful when separating the eggs. Also, room temperature egg whites will whip up more easily. If you want, add 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon lemon juice to the egg whites to help stabilize them as you whip. (That’s 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice for every egg white.) Check this link out for more tips.

• CAN I USE LESS SUGAR FOR THE BASE? As mentioned, I personally think this recipe uses a lot more sugar than necessary in the meringue when I had my first taste and thought it was too sweet. I think you can safely cut down to 2/3 cup sugar following the rules of meringue making, where you will need 2 parts sugar to 1 part egg white. 2 egg whites is about 1/3 cup, so 2/3 cup sugar should be enough. Also, make sure you add in the sugar slowly so the sugar has a chance to really dissolve into the mixture. You don’t want whole pockets of sugar in your finished product! Stream sugar in a heaping tablespoon at a time. (Sometimes I do two tablespoons worth and give it a little more time to whip.) To see if the sugar is properly incorporated, you can rub some of the mixture between your fingers. It should not have any grit to it at all.

• HOW CAN I TELL IF MY MIXTURE HAS WHIPPED TO STIFF PEAKS? The easiest way to tell is to lift up your whisk and see if the meringue mixture can hold a stiff shape. Not necessarily that the point will stand straight, but the body of the meringue should be stiff enough that it doesn’t move or wobble in any way. It should be so stiff that even if you flip your mixing bowl, the mixture inside doesn’t move even a little. You can start checking for stiff peaks when you see that the whisk starts creating these solid lines in the mixture as it goes around. Visually, the egg white mixture will look very white, opaque, and super shiny. If will take some time to reach this stage so be patient. Likewise, do not overbeat your egg whites
• DO I NEED TO SWITCH TO A SPATULA WHEN ADDING IN THE FLOUR? When adding in the dry ingredients, you can generally also use the mixer. I just personally prefer manually folding in the flour so I can get a better feel of the mixture. This also helps me make sure there are no unmixed bits at the bottom and sides of the bowl. The key is to maintain the aeration in the mixture even as you make sure everything is incorporated properly, so it’s important to not overmix at this stage. The easiest way to prevent this is by doing it manually.

• HOW LONG IN ADVANCE CAN I MAKE THE MERINGUE? Once your egg whites have reached stiff peaks, it’s better to move quickly to get the meringue into the oven as soon as possible. The longer it sits out, the more chances it will lose its fluffiness and volume. Immediately add in the dry ingredients and place onto the baking sheets and straight into the oven.
• DO I HAVE TO BAKE THEM FOR SO LONG? Baking meringue is a “low and slow” process. You must use lower oven temperatures to dry it out gently. If you like your meringue to have a softer interior, I suggest baking for 1-1/2 hours only. For a crisper and drier interior, go for the whole 2 hours.

• WHAT KIND OF MANGOES SHOULD I USE? I’m biased so I’m always going to tell you to use Philippine mangoes if you can get them. (Obviously, for Philippine readers this is a no-brainer.) But in the end, use whatever is available to you. Make sure to use ripe mangoes.
• CAN I USE WHIPPED CREAM FROM A CAN? I absolutely do not recommend canned whipped cream for this! (The only place it belongs is maybe atop pancakes and when you really want fast whipped cream on top of drinks.) Canned whipped cream is not stable enough for desserts. Do yourself a favor and buy some heavy whipping cream (at least 32% fat) from the grocery. It’s worth the investment, I promise. Make sure it’s cold when you whip it. Again, the fastest way to whip will be using the balloon whisk attachment of the stand mixer. Do not skip the sugar because it will help your whipped cream have a more stable structure when you pipe it. (Add in the sugar slowly so it doesn’t fly all over the place!) If you really must, then use all purpose cream. It will not have the same smooth and silky mouthfeel as heavy cream and it will probably freeze into harder lumps on the finished product, but it’s definitely a better option than anything from a can.

• HOW DO I STORE THIS DESSERT? This needs to be frozen immediately right after you make it. Keep it stored in the freezer until ready to serve. How much you thaw it when you’re ready to eat will be up to you, but I give it about 5 minutes in this hot weather, just enough to remove the chill from the mangoes.
• IS THIS A DULCELIN COPYCAT RECIPE? Short answer, no. As I mentioned, the meringue base in this recipe is a lot sweeter than their version. It needs adjustments in terms of using less sugar and more nuts. I’ll let you know when I do discover a copycat recipe, but this dessert as is is solid. Just don’t expect a copycat version.
• BONUS SERVING SUGGESTION: Drizzle with chocolate sauce or top with chopped bits of fresh mint if desired! Serve with the Frozen Whipped Cream Latte (below).

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Frozen Mango Torte

Makes two 8-inch tortes

The combination of crisp meringue, melt-in-the-mouth whipped cream, and sweet Philippine mangoes makes this Frozen Mango Torte a real treat!

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar*
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or cashew nuts
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 4 large mango cheeks, balled

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200ºF (100ºC). Fit a large 15 to 16-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an 8-inch cake pan, trace two 8-inch circles onto the parchment paper at least 2 inches apart to make a stencil for the meringue base. Return to the baking sheet, stencil side down, then lightly grease the exposed part of the parchment if desired.

Make the meringue

• Place egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until soft peaks form, then slowly add in the sugar, a heaping tablespoon at a time, allowing sugar to incorporate before adding in the next tablespoon. Beat until mixture is shiny and stiff peaks form. (To test, stop the mixer and detach the whisk attachment. Dip it into the mixture briefly. When you lift up the whisk, the meringue should hold a stiff pointy peak. To test further, you can flip the bowl and the mixture will not budge even a little.)
• Reduce speed to low. Gradually stream in the nuts, mixing until well combined. Remove bowl from stand mixer and switch to a spatula, then fold in the flour just until combined. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as you mix. Do not overmix so the mixture stays light and airy.
• Divide the mixture in half and place into the center of the stenciled circles you made earlier. Using an offset spatula, spread the meringue out into a even layer, taking care to stay inside the circle and following the shape of the stencil as closely as you can. Repeat with the second round of meringue.
• Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meringue has hardened into a dry and crisp-looking shell. If you try and gently lift up a part of it, it should lift easily. Turn off the oven and leave meringue inside to gradually cool down for at least 30 minutes, then remove from oven to cool completely. (Exposing them to sudden temperature change may crack them.) Meanwhile, ball your mangoes if you haven’t. Keep them in the fridge until needed.

Make the whipped cream

• In the bowl of your stand mixer, whip cream on high. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream into a piping bag with your tip of choice.

Assemble the torte

• Place the meringue base on a cake board or cake tray, or straight into your freezer-safe container where you plan to store the tortes. If desired, flip the meringue so the flat side faces up. This will create a more even surface for your toppings to sit on.
• Pipe the cream in ripples in one direction until the entire surface of the meringue is covered. This will require about 1 cup of whipped cream for each meringue base. Place the balled mangoes in a staggered pattern between ripples, spacing them how you want. If you have a lot of mangoes you can place them close together, in which case the design of the piping doesn’t really matter. If desired, pipe more cream along the edge of the torte to make it decorative. (See below for what to do with leftover whipped cream!**)
• When you’re finished with the first torte, immediately place in the freezer to set before working on the second torte. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Leave a few minutes at room temperature to thaw before slicing and serving. Drizzle with chocolate sauce or top with chopped bits of fresh mint if desired! Serve with the Frozen Whipped Cream Latte (below).

Notes

*I followed the amount of sugar as stated in the original recipe when I made this, but for those who really want to scale down on the sugar, here’s a little tip: Since the rule of thumb for meringue is to use a ratio of 1 part egg whites to 2 parts sugar, you can scale down the sugar to 2/3 cup. 2 large egg whites is approximately 1/3 cup, so following the rule, you should use at least 2/3 cup sugar.
**Got leftover whipped cream? Don’t throw it out! Use it as a coffee/hot chocolate topper! (See recipe box below for instructions.)

Adapted from Yummy PH

This is hands down the best and most delicious way to put that leftover whipped cream to good use! Just follow the instructions below!

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Frozen whipped cream coffee or cocoa topper

This is hands down the best and most delicious way to put that leftover whipped cream to good use!


Ingredients

• Leftover whipped cream

Instructions

• Take a freezer-safe container with a lid and line with parchment. Dollop about 2 heaping tablespoons of leftover whipped cream onto the parchment in mounds, making sure they don’t touch each other. (You can also pipe it onto the parchment if you like it pretty.) You want these mounds in single-serving portions. Cover and freeze overnight.
• If you don’t have a freezer-safe container with a lid big enough for your leftover whipped cream, freeze mounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then once frozen, peel and transfer to a ziplock bag or other container with a seal. Do not leave this out on the open in your freezer for more than 1 day as it will start picking up freezer scents!
• Once frozen, these whipped cream mounds can be used in your favorite hot cocoa or hot coffee drink. Just pour your drink into a mug and drop a mound right in. Wait for it to melt, give it a stir, and instantly you’ll have a foamy, slightly creamy drink! I love this with my morning coffee, where it’s almost like you’re drinking a latte with steamed foamy milk on top. If I’m feeling especially indulgent, I add about 2 teaspoons of condensed milk to sweeten it up a little. This is the best way to use up leftover whipped cream, in my opinion! Feel free to also use these on top of your desserts. Leave it to thaw for about 15 minutes.
• Frozen whipped cream mounds can be stored up to 3 months but are best used within 1 month.

Notes

With inputs from Simply Recipes

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