Fresh mango chunk topped with fluffy whipped cream, then wrapped with a thin, moist and elastic crepe, pillow-shaped mango pancake is a dessert to die for.
During my holidays in China I always enjoy visiting a popular dessert chain in Beijing. It’s called Honeymoon dessert (满记甜品), a brand which originated in Hong Kong selling both Chinese traditional and Asian fusion desserts. I love its signature dish Mango Pancake (芒果班戟) so much I tried to replicate it in my own kitchen. It’s surprisingly simple to make! Soon, this light, refreshing and good-looking dessert became the best-loved dessert in our Red House.
Commonly known as mango pancake, this dessert doesn’t appear to be what its name suggests. It’s actually whipped cream and fresh mango chunks wrapped in a thin pillow shaped crepe (It’s more like a french crepe than an American pancake).
Mango pancake is not typically Chinese and its place of origin remains a mystery. According to my online research, mango pancakes are very popular in many Hong Kong bakeries and dessert shops. They are pillow-shaped like the ones I had in Beijing. Whereas in Australia, mango pancakes come in a roll shape (like spring rolls) and are commonly severed in Chinese restaurants (especially yum cha restaurants).
I love fresh fruit and I appreciate a light dessert after dinner, but I don’t have a sweet tooth. Mango pancake is a perfect choice for me. I adore its three layers of texture: moist and elastic pancake; light and fluffy whipped cream; soft and slippery mango. It tastes divine! When I figured out how to make it at home, I was delighted!
Make the pancake
The pancake should be very thin, smooth, moist and slightly elastic. I have a few tips to help you achieve the desired texture:
- Prepare the batter following the recipe that I’ve tested many times. It should have a smooth, runny consistency.
- Pour the batter through a sieve to get rid of the lumpy parts.
- Keep the frying pan at the right temperature: low enough to allow the batter to swirl into a nice round shape, yet high enough to cook the crepe in a short period of time without drying it out. You might find it a bit tricky making the first 1 or 2 pancakes. I’m sure you will soon figure out the best level of heat for your pan.
Whip the cream
Add some vanilla extract to the cream then whip until stiff peaks form. Icing sugar is optional. Personally I don’t add any as I find the sweetness from the pancake and the mango is perfect for my taste.
Slice the mango
Choose ripe mango then cut its flesh into chunks. For a better presentation, I suggest using one single piece of mango for each pancake. When you cut the pancake through, a nice neat look will appear on each side.
Shape the pillow
Be gentle! When wrapping, use minimum pressure on the pancake. Otherwise you might tear the pancake or push the cream to the side then end up with a very flat pillow.
Why not try other fruits?
Apart from mango pancakes, durian pancakes are also very popular in the Honeymoon dessert chain. Since durian is not commonly available in the UK, I picked other fruits as filling. Strawberry and kiwi are my favourites. They both have sweet, soft flesh and they look stunning when cut through. Banana, melon and ripe peach also work for this recipe.
Colour the pancake
Believing in “we eat with our eyes first”, I experimented with several ways to colour the pancakes. To match the yellow / orange colour of mango, I replace corn starch with custard powder (Bird’s Custard) which gives the batter a yellower look. For strawberry, I add a little juice from beetroot to achieve a pink colour. Matcha powder (finely ground powder of green tea, commonly used in Japanese cuisine) is added for a green appearance to match kiwi fruit.
Fresh mango chunk topped with fluffy whipped cream, then wrapped with a thin, moist and elastic crepe, pillow-shaped mango pancake is a dessert to die for.
Ingredients
- 240ml (1 cup) milk
- 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour (see note 1)
- 30g (1/4 cup) corn starch (or custard powder, see note 2)
- 25g (1/4 cup) icing sugar
- 3 medium-sized eggs, lightly beaten
- 10g butter, melted
- 300ml (1 1/4 cups) whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon icing sugar (optional)
- 2-3 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: Pour milk into a mixing bowl. Sift flour, corn starch (or custard powder) and icing sugar into the bowl. Mix with a ballon whisk until well combined. Add lightly beaten eggs and melted butter into the mixture. Mix well. Through a sieve, pour the mixture into a bowl / measuring cup (ideally with pouring spout).
- Cook the pancakes: Heat up a non-stick frying pan over a low heat. Pour small amount of batter onto the pan then swirl quickly to form a very thin disk. When small air pockets appear under the pancake, remove the pancake and place on a plate to cool (no need to cook the other side). Repeat the procedure until you finish the mixture (see note 3).
- Whip the cream: While waiting for the pancakes to cool, whip the cream and vanilla extract (and icing sugar if using) until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the pancakes: Lay one pancake on a flat surface (clear, smooth side facing down). Spoon some whipped cream onto the middle of the pancake. Place one piece of mango on top. Wrap the filling from four sides of the pancake to form a pillow-like shape. Place it on a plate with the folded side facing down. Repeat the procedure (see note 4).
Notes
1. Please note that measuring flour, starch (or custard powder) and icing sugar by cup is less accurate then by weight.
2. I use custard powder (Bird's Custard) instead of corn starch for my mango pancakes. This is in order to produce a yellow colour.
3. This recipe is for making 12 pancakes (each measures about 15cm / 6 inches in diameter). However, please feel free to adjust the size according to the pan size that is available to you.
4. You may serve the pancakes directly. However, I suggest that you refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before serving. This way the cream will be firmer thus the pancakes will look better when cut through.
5. Use other fruits as filling: Apart from mango, you can choose other soft flesh fruit as the filling. Durian is a classic choice. Strawberry, kiwi fruit, banana, ripe peach and melon are great too.
6. Colour the pancakes: You can make the pancake in different colours to match the fruit. I add a bit of beetroot juice to the batter to achieve pink or some matcha powder for green (Tip: It’s better to mix matcha powder with a little hot water before adding to the batter).
Voilà! This is my long post about a very simple yet delectable dessert. If you’ve already tasted mango pancake, don’t hesitate to give my recipe a try. It will taste as good as the ones you paid for (if not better). If you are new to this delicacy, this is a great chance for you to discover a wonderful dessert.
If you are looking for Chinese dessert ideas, please check out another two scrumptious recipes on my blog (see links below).
Happy cooking !
Oh my goodness! This is bringing back so much memories! I love those mango pancakes growing up, and I still do! Miss them so much. I will have to give this a try. Thank you for sharing! Btw, love your blog. 😉
Thank you very much Lokness! Food is all about memories, isn’t it? I’m sure mango pancakes will be a regular dessert on your dinner table after trying out this recipe. Hope this will make you feel nearer to home place. Have a lovely day!
Wei, I love this blog post. Beautiful photos, and such an interesting recipe that I had never heard of before! I like the variations you made too, with the strawberry and kiwi. The look perfect. Nice work!!
Thank you Heddi! You know very well how much I enjoy creating colourful and cute things. These pancakes are so yummy (and light). You’ll definitely love them.
I love how you used different ingredients for the color. Is there any reason you didn’t use food coloring?
Thank you! Food colouring will do the trick too. But I always prefer using natural ingredients when possible.