Mango Tres Leches Cake

Mangoes will never be local fare in New York, but the best ones start to come into American markets in April. Peaking in May and June, mangoes from India, the Caribbean, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Mexico will fill the bins at produce markets, daring even the most entrenched New York locavore to pass them by. Florida mangoes will hit the stores a little later, in June, in varieties beyond the ubiquitous red and green Tommy Atkins mango, a familiar if slightly forlorn site in supermarkets.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more to grease pan
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, more to taste
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon plus a pinch fine sea salt
• 6 large eggs, separated
• ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 cups cubed very ripe mango
• 1 can (15 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup Spanish brandy or Cognac
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (18 servings)

    321 calories; 16 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 28 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 105 milligrams cholesterol; 157 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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18 servings

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, melted butter, 3 tablespoons of the milk and vanilla.
2. Using an electric mixer set on medium, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until thick, fluffy and white but before peaks form. Add 1/4 cup of sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm peaks form when the beaters are lifted.
3. Whisk half the flour mixture into the yolks (it will seem like paste). Whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in another quarter of the whites. Sift half of the remaining flour mixture over the batter and fold in. Fold in another quarter of the egg whites followed by the rest of the sifted flour and finally the rest of the whites. Scrape batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool.
4. Meanwhile in a blender or food processor, purée the mango with 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste depending upon how sweet your mango is.
5. When the cake is cool, use a fork to poke holes all over the top, then cut the cake into 18 pieces, but don’t take the pieces out of the pan.
6. In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together the coconut milk, condensed milk, remaining 1/3 cup milk, brandy and a pinch of salt. Heat until steaming, then pour it evenly over the cake. Cover and chill the cake for at least 1 hour or overnight.
7. Just before serving, whip the cream with the cinnamon and half of the puréed mango until thick and mousse-like. Taste and add more sugar if it tastes flat. Spread the mango cream on the cake, then dollop on the remaining mango purée. Use a spatula to swirl the mango purée into a marble-like pattern. Or use the purée as a sauce when you serve the cake.

2 hours