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.
What is Hong Kong style mango pancake
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!
Step 1: cook 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.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: 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 pancakes
Believing in “we eat with our eyes first”, I experimented with several ways to colour the pancakes.
- Yellow: 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.
- Pink: For strawberry, I add a little juice from beetroot to achieve a pink colour.
- Green: Matcha powder (finely ground powder of green tea, commonly used in Japanese cuisine) is added for a green appearance to match kiwi fruit.
Hong Kong style mango pancake (芒果班戟)
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 240 ml milk - 1 cup
- 50 g all-purpose flour - ⅓ cup, see note 3
- 30 g corn starch or custard powder - ¼ cup, see note 4
- 25 g icing sugar - ¼ cup
- 3 medium eggs - lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoon butter, melted
For the filling
- 300 ml whipping cream - 1 ¼ cups
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon icing sugar
- 2 large mango, peeled & 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 balloon whisk until well combined.
- Add lightly beaten eggs and melted butter. Mix well.
- Through a sieve, pour the mixture into a bowl/measuring cup (ideally with a pouring spout).
Cook the pancakes
- Heat up a non-stick frying pan over a low heat.
- Pour a 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 it on a plate to cool (no need to cook the other side).
- Repeat the procedure until you finish the mixture (see note 5).
Whip the cream
- While waiting for the pancakes to cool, whip the cream, vanilla extract & icing sugar 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 serving plate with the folded side facing down.
Store & serve
- You may serve the pancakes straight away. 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.
NOTES
NUTRITION
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
Diana says
So easy to follow and were delicious!
Thank you!
Wei Guo says
You’re welcome Diana! Glad you liked them!
esme says
Hey there! I was wondering how many days it lasts, or should only be eaten within a few days?
can I make in advanced and place them in the freezer?
Wei Guo says
Hi Esme! You can store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. I assume it’s ok to freeze it but I’m not 100% sure as I haven’t tried that way myself.
Bart says
Thanks a lot, let’s see if that’s as easy as you make it seems for someone as unskilled in the cuisine as myself 😉
Mango pancake was definitely among the most surprising and memorable things we miss from our visit in HK few years ago. We haven’t find it anywhere in Europe 🙁
Wei Guo says
My pleasure Bart! Hope you’ll enjoy making and eating it!
K says
Thank you Wei for sharing. I have been using your recipes & will definitely try the mango crepe now that it is in season.
Do keep us informed if you are organizing food tours to China. Would love to join in
Wei Guo says
My pleasure! Thank you for your interest in my culinary tour. If you wish, you may fill the Enquiry Form to be added to the waiting list. I will inform you once the new program becomes available.
Michelle Brindle says
Great recipe, custard b prefer works a treat! Thank you!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
My pleasure to share!
Hope says
Can I freeze them after assembling?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
Yes, you can freeze them after assembling. Lay them on a tray (do not overlap) and store in the freezer until completely frozen, Then transfer into an air-tight container/plastic bag.
Alicia says
Thank you for creating this mango crepe recipe. I followed the recipe exactly using custard powder, and it turned out amazing.
My parents and I both love it. During this time, it’s hard to come across a place with the mango crepe and I was able to make 6 big crepes with fresh ripe mango and whipped cream!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You’re welcome Alicia! So happy to know you’ve enjoyed it!
Yasmine says
Hello , I want to ask you did you make one batter for all the crepes? In other words did you use custard powder in all of them of just the yellow one?
If I want to do chocolate flavor I substitute the custard powder with cocoa powder right?
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You can use either corn starch or custard powder for the basic batter. Then add other ingredients to change the colour. In your case, you should not replace custard powder with cocoa powder. Instead, add some to the basic batter.
Terah Mcdonald says
Is there anything you can use besides the corn starch? I have a corn allergy!!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
As I mentioned in the recipe, you may use custard powder to replace cornstarch. Otherwise, substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch.
Beans says
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I made these beautiful ‘mango pillows’ today and they were gone in no time. Very close in taste and texture to what we have had—on numerous occasions—at Honeymoon Dessert’s outlets in Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You are welcome Beans! I miss Honeymoon Dessert in China and hope to go back soon!
Khanhly says
THANK YOU Wei! You saved me LOTS of money! My family of six (with extended cousins of 20) LOVE these! We usually get them for $3.50/each and we generally eat more than two per person! This is the PERFECT recipe and so easy and quick to make! I have also been searching for a crepe recipe with this perfect consistency…soft but firm and malleable! Now I can throw all my other crepes recipe away and keep just this one! So, you basically help me killed two birds with one stone! 🙂
I have only one question. Can the crepe/pancake batter be kept over night or does it needs to be cooked/used the same day? My kids love crepes for breakfast but I don’t want to wake up to early to make crepes. 🙂
Thanks again!
Wei @ Red House Spice says
You are welcome Khanhly! So happy to know you and your family enjoyed my recipe. Yes, you can keep the batter overnight in the fridge. Just remember to stir it well before cooking as the starch tends to sink to the bottom over time.