Dramatic mango desserts for your menu

The most popular fruit in the world—mango—stars in a proliferation of globally inspired desserts. With six commonly available mango varieties, fresh mango desserts are a year-round possibility.

At Hakkasan in the Fontainebleau, Miami Beach, Mango Custard offers layers of flavors set off by citrusy notes of grapefruit segments and calamansi gel. The dessert is served with coconut sorbet and garnished with freeze-dried coconut milk powder, freeze-dried mango, grapefruit segments and micro cilantro.

In Los Angeles, E.P. & L.P.’s pastry chef Gregory Baumgartner creates eye-catching Southeast Asian desserts such as Mango Pudding, Diamond & Pearls. The pudding is accompanied by sago pearls, papaya and roasted coconut ice cream.

Chef Wenford Patrick Simpson shares his cheesecake recipe, served with a butterscotch mango sauce and offered as a special at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill, NYC. Simpson says, “My customers always go crazy over it, especially the kids.”

Mango Coconut Rice Pudding, a dessert at Tao Asian Bistro in Las Vegas, can be served in a half coconut shell, garnished with a sprinkling of toasted coconut. For a sweet and spicy empanada idea, consider the Mango Ginger “mmmpanadas” from mmmpanadas in Austin, TX.

Contact Gail Bellamy at [email protected].