Happy Feet – Layered Mango Mousse with Saffron and Cardamom

// 42 Comments
Bonjour Mesdames et Messieurs! 
Enjoying sun? Finally spring is here, crisp sun, budding green leaves, cheerful people and so far 16 hrs daylight, Bliss! With joyous attitude I have three happy news to share. 
Happy feet1 – We have a new addition in our family, I’m aunt again, my sis delivered a baby Boy two weeks ago, a new welcoming change has been best so far! He is darling sleeping day in and out. can’t wait to see him! Not sure when I will go but my thoughts are completely there!  

Happy feet2 – A new macro lens in my DSLR kit, very handsome guy I say, one disadvantage which I felt was there was it doesn’t have IS, but well manageable. Haven’t started playing with him, work has been keeping too much occupied, today’s photos are my first trial (have taken in manual mode f/2.8). Slowly I’m sneaking into nook and corner of my house, it’s amazing to get into fine details. During spring party I tried few portraits it worked good, waiting for sometime to learn him better!

Happy Feet3 APL turned one. 43 food post,  30,000 views and huge bunch of wonderful people feels like a winner! Thanks to my lens, made a self check with my earlier posts, was shocked to see the date. It was a dubious start, but the journey so far has been glorious. APL has been a platform for me to connect with all you lovely people out here, without you guys, trust me she wouldn’t have reached here. You all have been a part my joy, understanding my thoughts, encouraging me for both (blog and PhD) and top most all the love. Big THANKS to all of you, keep us loved! Would like to be more regular in posting to keep the visual treat on, you already know why, will try my best this year.

Today recipe is very special one for me, it was dream to make this kind of layered mousse cake, I spend days in other versatile food pages seeing and getting inspired. When I saw Mango event in Tanvi’s Sinfully Spicy, when I saw the book she is going to give as the gift I knew what I have to make. So here is guys, I wanted to try the way I could handle, by keep it extremely simple and very subtle. Base cake (mango saffron olive oil cake) I tried couple of months before when mum went back to India made it for my sis, she was singing glories of it so wanted to it make it for myself….it is fantastic! When I made it for my sis, used normal cooking oil but for the competition made it olive oil, since I didn’t taste it last time, not sure if there was change in taste, but I believe there shouldn’t be much. I’m submitting it for the Mango event.

That is the end of my happy feet story, I shall dance along it for some more days, you guys have a wonderful weekend and happy may day.  Envoi de L’amour :)

Note: I used tin mangoes, so flavour was bit mild, if you use fresh mango it will be just wonderful!

I kept the gelatin level also less since I to have a smooth and soft texture, it did start to tilt after 5 hours. If you want to it be firm for long time you ahead it bit more gelatin 
Ingredients

Mango olive oil saffron cardamom cake
2 Eggs
50ml olive oil
55 – 60 gram castor sugar
60 ml mango pulp (I used tin mango pulp)
1/2 tspn cardamom powder
1/2 tspn saffaron
3/4 tspn baking powder
65 gram flour
Method.
Gently mix castor sugar and olive oil. By beating on high, slip in one egg. Beat for about 1 minute, next add in another egg, beat till it forms a frothy mixture. Next gently fold in mango pulp. 
In another bowl mix flour, saffron, cardamom, baking powder. 
Now by parts add the dry mixture into the we mixture and gently fold them until well combined. Pour the cake batter in greased 9 inch cake tin. Bake at 170 C for about 20 – 25 minutes. When inserted toothpick comes out clean leave the cake to cool and cute in to small 2.3 inch (or desired size) disc using a cookie cutter. I had 8 uniform discs
Step 1 of assembly 
If you have pastry tins or mould (not sure about the name though) use them or (i used) transparent pastry sheets 4.5 inch in width and about 9 inch in length. Roll it around disc shaped cake. In such a way that cake form the base and pastry sheets forms the hollow pillar which will be filled with mousse. 
Mousse 
375 gram mango pulp (you add more if you want more orange flavour, then you will need to add more gelatin)
330 ml fresh cream
150 gram sugar
12.5 gram gelatin sheet (you add 5 more gram it need bit more firm)
250 gram mascarpone cheese
1/2 to 3/4 tspn of saffron
1/2 tspn of cardamom powder 
Few drop of mango essence (i added 2 drops of vanilla essence )
A pinch or few drops of yellow food colour (optional)
Method. 
Beat fresh cream and sugar till they form single peak. Make sure not to beat too much you will make the cream dry. Next add mascarpone cheese in to soft fluffy cream and continue to beat on LOW till they again start to form firm single peaks .
Next place gelatin sheet in warm water. when it becomes soft. Slowly sieve the gelatin in to the mango pulp. Make sure mango pulp is in room temperature, else gelatin will firm if mango pulp is cold.
(Tip: very gently warm 1 tbspn of mango pulp in microwave and mix the sieved gelatin with 1 tbspn. Stir well then add it rest of the mango pulp)
Next mix the gelatin mixed mango pulp into the macarpone cream mixture and very gently fold in till it is uniformly mixed. 
Now divided the mousse in to 3 parts.
To part 1 add about 1/2 to 3/4 tspn of saffron and mix gently till well combined 
To part 2 add abot 1/2 tspn of cardamom powder and pinch of yellow food colour to bring some difference in layers. Mix gently till well combined and 
To part 2 you could add few drop of mango essence (i added 2 drops of vanilla essence ) 
Step 2 of assembly 
Now pour the mousse into 3 pipping bags (or you could spoon it as well, but it can be messy, or if you have good beaker could pour it as well) 
According to you choice layer the mousse and leave them in the freezer to set. After set maybe 6 to 8 hours. peal the pastry sheet and decorate as your wish. I used fresh flowers and sugar stained glasses
Mousse is quite running before set so don’t panic when you do it :) 

Sugar stained glasses
Same as making caramel, but don’t let it turn brown. Place a  butter paper in a baking plate and spread some food colour randomly. When sugar is boiling, pour it on the butter paper and squirl it around and let it set. After cooled cut into desired size. 
I played too much with it…it was fun!

42 comments

  4. Swathi says:

    Congrats on becoming aunt, getting a macro lens, your blog anniversary, and winning tanvi’s event. Mango mousse looks awesome dleicious.

  9. Tanvi@Sinfully Spicy says:

    Happy One Year…YAY! Babes..you rock.What a decadent dessert.You really took your creatibe juices to a whole new level.I m in love with your pictures..They look so vibrant and feathery..just like a rush of soft air.The very sound of dessert makes me want to eat this..mango, saffron , cardamom ..who can go wrong with that? What a labor of love in making that stained sugar.You are really talented my darling!
    Thanks for sending this over & all the best :)

  10. An Open Book says:

    congrats, congrats n congrats girlie..u have come a long way. i love the cake idea..the ingredients used seem wonderful..im sure it tasted very indian??? n the pics..so so so gorgeous..yellow is my current obsession

  13. Victor says:

    I’m glad to bump into your blog and know that another physicist in the PhD level is also blogging about food.:) I read a couple of your old blog posts of your life as a PhD, I totally feel your struggle, hehe.

    Great pictures, great writing. I’m your new follower!

  15. Nithya says:

    Beautiful looking cakes. The color and the set up on the whole is so so so pretty :)

    Congrats on completing a year of brilliant blogging :) Your blog is one among the blogs that I admire too much :) Keep it going forever :)

  16. Andrea the Kitchen Witch says:

    Beautiful photos!! I love all the bright yellow, definitely spring colors :) Cardamom and mango cake sounds amazing. I have 3 fresh mangos that I had NO clue what to do with, until I read your blog. Problem solved :)

  21. Biny Anoop says:

    hey dear congrats Ananda…..we have a very happy blogger indeed amongst us….
    love the dessert …perfectly presented and temptg to anyones eyes…love the colours used…perfect for summer…

  32. Sweet And Crumby says:

    These are breathtaking! Fabulous flavors and I love the addition of olive oil. What a lovely surprise in the cake. Hope you get to see your new nephew soon and congrats on the new camera and for winning Dessert Wars. Have a happy day!

  33. ? says:

    This looks beautiful and perfect for the season…; congratulations on the new addition to the family.
    Work had kept me away from all the blog posts ..hopefully in summer!

  36. aipi says:

    What a dreamy sensuous dessert- your clicks are GORGEOUS to say the least!
    I am so amazed every time I visit you..one of the few blogs that I actually sit n scroll back n forth several times marveling at the sight of your dish n its presentation!!
    US Masala

  37. Now Serving says:

    little wonder you won Ananda! looks totally exquisite and I am totally bookmarking this one!
    And I would LOVE to participate in your Zucchini battle dear – it is Le Veggie that rules in our home :)

  40. Carolyn Jung says:

    Congrats on all your good news. You will LOVE your macro lens. Comes in so handy. Plus, there’s nothing like getting up close and personal with the food. 😉

  41. Magpie says:

    Oh this is sooo gorgeous! Just one question, do you need to wait for each layer to set before pouring/piping the new layer of mousse or can you pour each mousse layer one on top of the other and it won’t get mixed up?

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