Cheesecake recipe a winner at mango fest
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Twenty-four contestants rose early Saturday to prepare and display their entries in the first Mangoes at the Moana recipe competition at the Moana Surfrider hotel, part of a festival designed to educate residents and visitors about local mango varieties, their cultivation and use.
Judges — including caterer Holly Hadsell, chef-restaurateur Chai Chaowasaree and Moana banquet executive chef Richard Lancaster, Moana general manager Erik Becker, Miss Hawaii 2008 Nicole Fox and me — munched their way through entries that ranged from mango bread (lots of it) to a chili-spiked mango cake to chutneys and preserves of various kinds.
The winner in the bread and cake division was Holly Jones, with her Mango with Passion Cheesecake made with Kailua-grown mangoes. This creamy confection nestles in a familiar graham cracker and nut crust and Holly adorned it with fragrant white ginger for presentation. Be sure not to overbake this dish, which can become dry and gritty; remove from oven as soon as it's puffed and golden.
MANGO WITH PASSION CHEESECAKE
For the crust:
For the filling:
For the topping:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Stir cracker crumbs and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and stir until evenly moistened; stir in nuts. Press crumb mixture firmly on to bottom of pan. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
To make the filling, puree the flesh of 3 large coarsely chopped mangoes in a food processor until smooth. Measure out 2 cups puree and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Add 2 cups mango puree and beat until well-blended. Pour filling over cooled crust.
Bake cake until set and puffed and golden — 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool cake 1 hour, then refrigerate uncovered 4 hours or overnight. In a saucepan, simmer together water, cornstarch and sugar until mixed and sugar is melted. Glaze top of cooled cake and top with fresh mango slices. Garnish with mint, if desired. Serves 8.
Editor's note: This could be baked in a springform pan (the kind where the outside ring is removable) for a more elegant presentation.
Alyssa Nicholson of Pearl City pleased the judges with this jelly, which incorporates a number of tropical fruits, including, of course, mango. Use as you would any jelly, or serve as a pupu, poured over cream cheese, with crackers. Try using apple banana, slightly more tart and with a little firmer texture.
HAWAIIAN TROPICAL JELLY
In a large pot, mix together all ingredients. Cook on medium-high heat for 1 hour, stirring often. Pack in sterile canning jars, top with new, sterilized lids and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes about one-half dozen 8-ounce jars.
