BAKING,  CAKES,  DESSERTS,  TEA CAKES

Mango Vanilla Bavarian Cream Cake … and a FOOT for MacTweets!

2010/07/16 / 54 Comments
“Through flour, sugar, butter and eggs, you’ve created the best recipe ever – friendship!“
Janet @ LaDue & Crew
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Yes, still summer here, with the rains that came and went, leaving us in a puddle of hot and humid misery. Not the perfect weather for macs, but then again, it was the finding my feet time of the month. Needless to say, they proved elusive again. The theme Jamie and I picked at MacTweets was ‘SING, SING A SONG‘, asking you to cook up something special, something toe-tapping, sing-along good! Sing I did, and the numbers being belted out in my mind were wide ranging. Primary of course the theme song from Friends, “I’ll Be There For You” which I was going to dedicate my macs to… had they found feet.

friends

It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear
When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month, or even your year
But … I’ll be there for you (when the rain starts to pour)
I’ll be there for you (like I’ve been there before)
I’ll be there for you (because you’re there for me too)

To Bina who mailed me egg white powder from the States, to Ednah {Janet} who posted the cutest friends card for me, Johnny Depp and all, {a joke we share on twitter at the laundry club}, to Jamie who is the spirit behind my macs, to Ken who inspired the yellow, to Mardi my partner in humid conditions failed macs, to Barbara who’s become a mac-pro …

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… and to all the gang at MacTweets for the inspired ‘feet‘ month after month! Thanks for joining Jamie and me at the ‘attack‘!

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Songs have always been part of my life. The medley that the juke box plays in my head these days includes Waka Waka, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Wind Beneath My Wings, Walk of Life, Hey Soul Sister, The Day I Died, Fast Cars, Hey There Delilah. Then Jamie mentioned Cat Stevens and Leonard Cohen; she had me nodding. Add to that Dire Straits, Eagles, Van Morrison, Beegees, Barbara Streisand, Eric Clapton … the list is endless, like failed feet sagas! So well, in my little world, I had many ugly feetless macarons, and one kind of respectable ‘foot’, but they were all delicious. So here, like Cinderellas glass slipper, is my vanilla macaron with a white chocolate ganache cushioned on this Mango Vanilla Bavarian Cream Cake that I made for my Dad’s birthday. The idea was to have a whole bunch of them adorning the cake. Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be …

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My Dad is as fruit obsessed as I am, though the choice of fruit differs. Summer means only mangoes for him, and though he doesn’t enjoy eating them, he is obsessed with buying kilos of them every other day. I know if the phone rings in the morning, it’s him on the other end, asking me to drive by and collect a bag of mangoes! I am mad about peaches and cherries, and it now appears that I inherited the fruit obsession from him!
MAKING
So he called the other day, excitedly to tell me that a new local variety of mango, ‘langda’, that hit the market, and he had bought me some! I don’t even bother buying them now because he has a keen eye for the well ripened good varieties, and always delivers the best! Since it was his birthday in 2 days, and me being the official cake baker at home, I knew just what I wanted to bake! – A Bavarian Cream Cake with mangoes, inspired by this Raspberry Rose Vanilla Bavarian Cream Cake I had seen ages ago on Tartlette.

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Baking the sponge is a cake walk {unlike making macs, sigh}, because there’s very little to the recipe. Use your favourite light sponge recipe, or use this one which I used for making ladies fingers in this Tiramisu here. I was going to make the cake in a jelly roll pan, and then decided to pipe it out since the piping bag for a macaron attempt was lying right there. The secret to a good sponge is to beat it well, and then try and retain as much beaten air as possible while folding in the flour. The measures for a 3egg sponge are in my head as I use the same recipe for making a Swiss roll often … 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup flour!

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The Bavarian cream is a little time consuming, but I think that’s because I don’t make it often enough. I’ve just made it twice in the past – in this Peaches and Cream Cake  and this Strawberry Bavarian Cream Cake. One vanilla bean would do fine in there to dispel off any eggy smells in the pastry cream, but I used 2 because I wanted a deeper vanilla flavour. Also, I have enough vanilla beans on hand,and love using them! I used low fat cream because we don’t get heavy cream here.I halved Helen’s recipe for the Bavarian cream, and used a combination of skimmed milk and low fat cream. You can make this cake with peaches, strawberries or raspberries too. Mango is in season now, so here we are… 
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Mango Vanilla Bavarian Cream Cake
Adapted from Tartlette

2 sponge bases
1 quantity Bavarian cream
1 quantity lime syrup
3 medium mangoes, diced into cubes

 For the sponge

3 large eggs separated 
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 sachet vanilla sugar 

Method:
Whip the yolks with 1/4 cup sugar till pale and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and beat again.
Sift the flour over the beaten yolks and leave.
wash the beaters clean, whip the whites with the salt to soft peaks, add sugar and whip to a stiff meringue.
Fold the whites into the yolks and flour in 3 goes. Do this gently so as not to lose volume. Divide it into half and bake in 2 parchment paper lined 8″ shallow baking tins, or pipe into 2 9″ circles drawn on parchment paper. The bases will be very thin. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar
Bake for 12-15 minutes till golden brown and spongy.
Peel off paper, and cool completely on racks.
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For the Vanilla Bavarian Cream
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 vanilla beans {One bean will do too. I wanted a DEEP vanilla flavour}
1 1/4 tablespoons powdered gelatin, sprinkled over 3 tbsps water {Can reduce to 1 tbsp in cool weather}
600ml low fat cream {25% fat}

Method:
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until very pale.
In the meantime, in a large saucepan set over medium heat, bring the milk, 200ml cream and the vanilla bean {split open and scraped over the milk} to a boil. Slowly pour the milk over the yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over medium low heat and cook until the cream coats the back of a spoon {as if making creme anglaise}. 
Remove the vanilla bean. Add the softened gelatin and stir until melted completely into the cream. Let cool to room temperature, or cool over an ice bath, stirring from time to time, till it just begins to set.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold it into the cooled cream base. Use immediately.

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Lime Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lime
Method:
Put all ingredients in pan over medium heat and stir till melted. Remove and cool.
To Assemble:
Trim both the sponges to an 8″ diameter {The idea is basically to fit snugly into the dessert ring, or Spring-form tin ring that you plan to use. It has to hold the Bavarian cream in place till it sets, else it will ooze out.}
Place the dessert ring on a serving platter, add one sponge base and brush with lime syrup. Top with the cooled Bavarian cream. Add the diced mango pieces uniformly over the Bavarian, and top with the second layer of sponge, keeping the vanilla sugar side facing up. Press down gently, cover the ring with cling-wrap, and chill for 6-8 hours, or better overnight.
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Posted by Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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54 Comments

  • Shea M.

    2010/07/16 at 9:54 am Reply

    There is just something so indescribably luscious about seeing all those vanilla flecks in the cream that just makes me want to lick my computer screen! Lovely… 🙂

  • Rosa's Yummy Yums

    2010/07/16 at 10:32 am Reply

    A splendid dessert! So refreshing and scrumptious! perfect presentation.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  • Mardi @eatlivetravelwrite

    2010/07/16 at 11:06 am Reply

    Deeba your dad is one lucky guy – wow!!! I think the one little mac with his little dainty feet is worth 100 of everyone else's ones with feet, just so you know. Why? Because yours truly are a labour of love. I think you have the hardest weather conditions of all of us to bake in and look what you do!! You are awesome and fabulous!

    PS: My macs don't *always* fail you know…

  • Sarah, Maison Cupcake

    2010/07/16 at 11:47 am Reply

    This is such a gorgeous post that we barely notice the macaron with tiny feet!

    Amazing looking cake, you are so good at decoration.

  • lora

    2010/07/16 at 12:18 pm Reply

    That cake is a work of art.I love that you started put making macs and came out with this masterpiece. Truly inspired!

  • shaz

    2010/07/16 at 12:36 pm Reply

    One foot is definitely better than no feet. Plus, it got to be the star on top of the cake: Well done again on your efforts deeba, and that cake is simply sensational. So bright and beautiful! Happy Birthday to your Dad.

  • lisaiscooking

    2010/07/16 at 1:15 pm Reply

    The mango and lime syrup sound summery and delicious! I've never made a bavarian cream cake, but I think I should!

  • Kathleen Valentine

    2010/07/16 at 1:51 pm Reply

    I just discovered your blog recently and absolutely LOVE it. Your pictures are gorgeous and your recipes to die for. Thank you!

  • Avanika [YumsiliciousBakes]

    2010/07/16 at 2:31 pm Reply

    Belated happy birthday to your dad. He got an awesome birthday cake 🙂 It looks scrumptious.

  • Vivian

    2010/07/16 at 2:56 pm Reply

    I love the theme song from Friends! That is my all-time favorite sitcom. You had me at Mango, and at Bavarian Cream, and at Cake. Oh, it all sounds so good to me 🙂

  • LaDue & Crew

    2010/07/16 at 4:19 pm Reply

    Awwwwww, you are the bombalicious buddy!! I sure love doing "laundry" with you, and stopping by here for a delicious treat too! YUM! This is FAB!

  • RamblingTart

    2010/07/16 at 5:31 pm Reply

    Your cake is OUTRAGEOUSLY beautiful, Deeba!! I love it so much. 🙂 It's like something out of a fairytale storybook. 🙂

  • Kitchen Butterfly

    2010/07/16 at 7:22 pm Reply

    It looks so gorgeous…….I love the golden yellows…..and I'm sure it was a fantastic one to share on your dad's birthday!

  • Junglefrog

    2010/07/16 at 10:02 pm Reply

    Your dad is a lucky guy to have such an amazing cake baked for him and o well, the one macaron with feet. I am sure they all tasted wonderful nevertheless right? And it all looks beautiful!

  • Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets

    2010/07/17 at 4:58 am Reply

    Lovely photos and baking, Deeba. You're such a pro at cake decorating. If only my hands were so steady :).

  • Twinsy Rachel

    2010/07/17 at 8:58 am Reply

    Happy Birthday to ur Dad.. 🙂 n wat a beautiful cake!!! quite tempting n I love the shade of yellow, both in the cake n on the flower… very eye pleasing 🙂 Do u know that "that flower" is a wild flower in Munnar? It usually has two shades in the flower, "pink n white", "orange n yellow", etc.. locally known as "kongini poo"

  • Tangled Noodle

    2010/07/17 at 2:33 pm Reply

    This is such an amazing cake! I love the whole creation but I am most intrigued by the thin sponge cake. Recently, we've had cakes from a local baker that I had such a layer and I've wanted to try my hand at it. Thanks for the great instructions and beautiful photographs to guide and inspire me! 😎

  • eve's lungs

    2010/07/17 at 6:49 pm Reply

    luscious . I love the way you play with colours in all your posts . BTW the new site looks better – neater if you know what I mean

  • bunkycooks

    2010/07/18 at 2:37 am Reply

    Your photos are so beautiful and the cake looks absolutely delightful! I will have to remember this cake when I really want to make a great impression. BTW, I like your music selections! 🙂

  • Gloria

    2010/07/18 at 8:53 am Reply

    Hi! I just discovered your blog and I loved it. With your permission I will visit you often.
    If you want to invite you to know my kitchen.
    This cake seems a luxury 5-star dessert.
    Nice to meet you and congratulations for such a wonderful site.
    A kiss. "

  • Natalie...

    2010/07/18 at 11:38 am Reply

    Oooh i cant believe how good this cheesecake looks, yumm! Mangos are so tasty at the moment as well!

  • Jessica

    2010/07/18 at 12:06 pm Reply

    Beautiful photos of what looks to be a very delicious cake. How in the world did you get the icing to PERFECTLY match the flowers? Or is that a photography trick? lol

    Loved this post!

    jessyburke88@gmail.com

  • Bonnie

    2010/07/18 at 8:51 pm Reply

    Beautiful macs (even without feet). Feet aren't everything. Taste counts for a lot with me.

    This cake is tremendously amazing and lovely.

  • Sue Sparks

    2010/07/19 at 1:21 am Reply

    Such stunning photos! Love the brilliant yellow!
    I didn't finish my macs in time for the round-up, but did post them on my blog…hopefully next month! 🙂

  • Foodessa

    2010/07/19 at 1:04 pm Reply

    Deeba…how delicately sublime this cake looks. The intricate, yet casual topping just brought this dessert to another level. Just fabulous.

    Ciao for now and flavourful wishes,
    Claudia

  • Cathy

    2010/07/19 at 4:55 pm Reply

    What a gorgeous cake with all that luscious mango folded into the Bavarian cream. This is my idea of the perfect birthday cake. Those little feet can be so elusive. I can never figure out why sometimes I get them and more often than not I don't.

  • Barbara Bakes

    2010/07/20 at 12:01 am Reply

    Ahhhh thanks for the sweet comment GF. I love being part of the laundry club and Mac Tweets. I do often wonder how you come by all your knowledge of American pop culture and songs. It seems you know it better than I. The Friends song definitely gets stuck in your head.

    Your cake is fabulous as usual. I'm sure your Dad was in heaven. I hope the Mac Gods bless your new kitchen with lots of yummy feet.

  • Suman Singh

    2010/07/21 at 6:05 pm Reply

    WOW..such a beautiful looking cake..love that colour of it…looks amazing…first time here and needless to say I am loving each and every post of yours…was in search of a birthday cake for my hubby's birthday and found one from your site..yeppie…I hope I can pull off well..thanks for such wonderful recipes…really admire you..

  • Jeanne @ CookSister!

    2010/07/28 at 4:46 pm Reply

    Oh how gorgeous Deeba! So summery and so YELLOW! Love the Johnny depp card. Still giggling about that!

  • tasteofbeirut

    2010/09/26 at 6:05 pm Reply

    I love the mango flavor against the vanilla, tangy with creamy and mellow ; this cake is so beautiful it looks like it could be displayed on a window in an elegant pastry shop in a major city, oh my!

  • Firdous

    2011/07/28 at 12:48 am Reply

    I made this cake yesterday and we had this tonight. It was loved by all. I had excellent mangoes for this. The cake layers were easy to do. I was skeptical about the cream but it turned out to be terrific.thanks a lot for sharing.I will make your strawberry version as well soon.

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