Over the years my mum and I have lived in and visited some pretty spectacular (sometimes scary) places.
For a time, we lived in North Queensland, where I have fond memories of the giant mango tree in my grandfathers backyard. I remember standing under the tree and eating freshly picked mangoes, the sticky, sweet juice dribbling down my arms, while Grandad grumbled about the fruit bats getting to the fruit before he did.
I suppose this is where my mango love affair began, but this was only the beginning. My true love (and I guess you could say obsession) of the delicious sweet cheeks of the mango was cemented and fully established when we went to live in Papua New Guinea.
I remember going to the markets and seeing boxes and benches filled with what seemed like hundreds of different varieties of mangoes, red bananas, various types of tropical fruit and coconuts.
I have one very vivid memory, it’s quite a nothing moment, but I can still taste the sweetness when I think of it now. My friends and I were walking home from the community gardens, conveniently past the row of mango trees that lead to the road. We each grabbed a mango and without a second thought, bit into them, skin and all! It. Was. HEAVEN!
The memory of that flavour and moment has inspired me to create this ‘ode to summer’. I hope you enjoy it and can find yourself transported to mango heaven! š
GINGER, COCONUT AND MANGO TART
Ingredients:
155g gingernut cookies (I use the Leda brand gluten free & vegan ones from Coles or Safeway)
60g Nuttelex or vegan spread of choice
500g mango purƩe/pulp
2/3 cup coconut cream
2-4 tbsp sugar of choice – can be maple syrup, white sugar etc… (adjust to desired sweetness)
Pulp of 1 finger lime or 1 tsp lemon/lime
3 sachets of Jel-it-in (vegan gelatin substitute)
2 mangoes – cheeks thinly sliced for the top
Passionfruit to serve (optional)
Method:
1. In a food processor combine the gingernut biscuits and the nuttelex and pulse until a wet sand mixture.
2. Line a springform pan with baking paper and press the mixture into the base, compacting it and ensuring an even coverage of the base. Place in the refrigerator to set.
3. Place 500g mango into a blender and purƩe, if using a finger lime add this now and purƩe.
4. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into a small pot and the rest of the mixture into a mixing bowl.
5. Add 1/3 cup coconut cream to the 1/3 of mango purƩe. Also add sugar.
6. Meanwhile, add 1/3 cup coconut cream to the remaining mango purƩe and combine (if using lemon/lime juice add this now).
7. Heat the mango, coconut cream and sugar that is in the pot until a gentle boil, add the three sachets of jel-it-in and whisk while it is boiling for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Then, working really quickly, add the mixture to the bowl of mango and coconut and whisk all elements together (it should thicken quite quickly).
8. Pour over the gingernut base and smooth over, place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
9. While everything is chilling in the fridge, cut the cheeks off your 2 mangoes and and slice thinly, then after 10 minutes, arrange them on the top of your tart. Place back in fridge for 2-4 hours or overnight for a better set (to speed up the process place in the freezer).
Optional: serve with fresh passionfruit drizzled over the top.
The Moss Larder 