Fresh Mango Cheese & Litchi Recipe

Prepare cream cheese base

In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar until smooth and lump-free (about 1–2 minutes) using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed.

Add vanilla extract and lemon juice and mix until incorporated.

In a separate chilled bowl, whip 1 cup heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the sweetened cream cheese until homogenous but still light.

Fold in 1 cup mango purée until evenly blended. Taste and adjust sweetness with up to 1 tablespoon powdered sugar if desired. Chill in the refrigerator while preparing other components.

Bring 8 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 cup tapioca pearls and stir gently to prevent sticking.

Cook according to package instructions for small pearls, usually 5–8 minutes until pearls float and reach desired chewiness; keep at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.

Turn off heat, cover, and let the pearls sit for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse briefly under warm water to remove excess starch.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup lychee syrup/juice and 2 tbs sugar; warm over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add the drained pearls and stir to coat. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in syrup until assembly (at least 30 minutes).

Reserve 1 cup of diced ripe mango for garnish; set aside.

For the mousse, bloom 1 tsp gelatin in 2 tbs cold water for 5 minutes.

Warm 2 tbs of the diced mango (or 3 tbs purée) gently in a small saucepan — do not boil — then whisk in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly but not set.

Whip 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tbs granulated sugar to medium peaks. Fold 3 tbs mango purée (or the cooled mango + gelatin mixture) into the whipped cream until even. Chill the mousse to set, about 30–45 minutes.

Place 1 cup cubed mango, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 2 tbs water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes until mango softens.

Transfer mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender and purée until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity. Strain through a fine sieve for a silky sauce if desired. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until assembly.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1 tbs rolled oats, 3 tbs brown sugar, and 1 tsp sea salt. Cut in 4 tbs cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture forms coarse crumbs.

Spread the crumble mixture on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Bake 10–12 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring once halfway through to ensure even browning. Allow to cool completely — it will crisp up as it cools.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg white, 1 tbs melted butter, 1 tbs flour, 2 tbs sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth and slightly airy.

Drop teaspoon-sized thin rounds of batter onto the prepared sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Using the back of the spoon, spread each drop into a very thin circle (tuile should be paper-thin).

Bake 6–8 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and quickly lift with a spatula and drape over a rolling pin or bottle to form a curved tuile shape, or leave flat. Cool completely; they will crisp as they cool.

Spoon or pipe a layer of chilled mango cream cheese into serving bowls or glasses (about 1/3 of mixture).

Add a spoonful (2–3 tbs) of lychee boba with some of its syrup on top of the cream cheese layer.

Pipe or spoon a layer of mango mousse over the boba (about 2–3 tbs).

Scatter diced fresh mango reserved earlier on top of the mousse.

Drizzle 1–2 tbs mango sauce over the fruit and mousse layer.

Crumble a generous tablespoon of the baked crumble over each serving for texture.

Place a tuile cookie on the side or perched on top for height and crunch.

Top each serving with 1–2 scoops of vanilla ice cream. If desired, garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Serve immediately so the ice cream stays intact and the tuile remains crisp. Leftover components (cream cheese, mousse, sauce, boba) can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days; tuile should be stored in an airtight container.