Mangoes have long been a companion to coconut and curry powder in classic kama’aina-style chicken or shrimp curry. Still, Kent Thompson’s first-place winning entry in the baked goods division of the Mangoes at the Moana Recipe Contest yesterday (July 9) carried the idea a bit further. His second first-place Mangoes at the Moana win featured those two ingredients, as well as lime, in a sprightly sauce served over a cream puff filled with homemade mango-ginger-cream cheese ice cream.
We’ll leave you to come up with your own cream puffs — buy them frozen or fresh from a bakery — but here’s how to make the ice cream and sauce and compose the dish.
Mango Cheesecake Ice Cream
4 cups half-and-half
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups mango puree
2 cups sugar (plus or minus, depending on sweetness of mango variety used)
3 tablespoons ginger juice
4 egg yolks
6 ounces softened cream cheese
2 cups diced mango
Gradually whisk cornstarch into half and half. In a saucepan, combine half-and-half with mango puree, sugar, ginger juice and cook until heated through; cool to warm. In a bowl, beat egg yolks; temper egg yolks by spooning a little half-and-half mixture in with them until yolks are warm, then add remaining hot liquid. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, bring custard to a high steaming point, whisking constantly, so yolks cook without curdling. Remove from heat. Blend in cream cheese and turn into airtight container. Cool, then chill, covered, for at least 8 hours. Stir in diced mango and churn in ice cream maker.
Curry Lime Coconut Sauce
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup coconut syrup
2 teaspoons curry powder
Whisk together all ingredients. Chill.
To compose Mango Cheesecake Ice Cream Puffs:
Split miniature or standard-size cream puffs and fill with ice cream. Pipe sauce over ice cream.
Coming as soon as I can get it: The salsa the judges couldn’t stop snacking on.
Tomorrow: A lu’au of leftovers.