If you’ve ever been to China or Hong Kong, Mango Crepes are one delicacy you must have tried or at least heard about. Even the simplest of pancakes from these regions are served with this special filling inside. If you are new to this particular Chinese dessert, then don’t fret! We are here to share this rich and scrumptious recipe with you all.
Let me first share my experience of being introduced to this amazing mango dessert. I have always been a mango lover and am always on the lookout for desserts with a mango twist. I was coincidentally having a craving while going through a menu in a Chinese restaurant, and boom! I came to know about these delicious crepes. I then went on a search for the recipe so that I could get a taste whenever I wanted.
On my search, I happened to find lots of interesting facts about this mango dessert and also learn the many ways it is made around the globe. Now its time for you to jump on this roller coaster ride of fun and flavor and discover the epic blend of creamy mango filling in a soft and fluffy pancake.
Hong Kong Pancakes – A trip back in time
Let’s go back in time a little bit and find out what these basic pancakes have to do with Hong Kong. Whereas many people believe pancakes are an all-American Recipe, that’s not entirely true. They may be greatly popular in the west, but Asian desserts also make excellent use of light floury crepes.
Whether they are served by another name or not, the basic recipe and use remains the same. These mango pancakes gained much popularity in Hong Kong during British rule, as it was served at that time in every restaurant and food chain. From there it branched out to other parts of the world.
Wherever the Chinese went, they took the recipe with them. Today, even in places such as Australia, you will find many great places to enjoy Hong Kong pancakes filled with this delectable cream filling.
What is so great about mango pancakes?
One question here you might have is: ‘What’s the catch?’ The answer is: ‘Nothing.’ Mango pancakes have a very simple and quick recipe. It will probably take you only a few minutes to get it all done, especially if you have stored the batter and kept it ready for use. In that case, it will take only about 5 minutes!
For a busy working life, this is a godsend. You won’t have to spend much effort to get great pleasure. Every bite is full of cream and juicy mangoes, and the fluffy soft texture of flour crepes makes it even more irresistibly mouth pleasing.
First, you start with the basic batter used for pancakes.
Let me tell you a little secret here. Almost any crepe’s recipe shared online will not use ‘mango flavored custard powder’ in the batter. They instead typically add cornstarch into the flour.
But if you use mango custard powder instead of cornstarch, it will not only enhance the flavor, but you will see a nice bright yellow color in all of your pancakes. It adds an appeal to the dessert which is again completely optional, and you can go for cornstarch if the custard is not available or you want to avoid too much mango flavor.
Like any pancake batter, it is also mixed with whisked eggs which adds good fluff to the texture. For a good whip, try beating the eggs in an electric mixer. That will give them a nice foam on top. The rest of the mixing should be done with a spatula or a spoon.
Adding some mango puree to the batter is also a practice followed by some people. But if you do not keep the proportions right, your pancake will not be firm and fluffy. When mango puree is added, the consistency of the batter should be kept in check.
You can do that by first adding half of the milk to the batter, then add puree and then gradually add the remaining milk until the right consistency is achieved. It has to be thick enough to just swirl around in the pan during cooking.
I would recommend using mango custard powder instead of puree because that will keep the consistency of the batter just right. And it’s also great for the taste and the texture.
Enough with the batter, let’s talk about the mouth-watering creamy filling of these crepes.
The cream is simply whisked until it forms stiff peaks and then stuffed in the crepes along with mango cubes. You can add some sugar while beating the cream to sweeten it up, but the mango will partly do this for you too.
It is recommended to either refrigerate your freshly prepared dessert to keep the cream stuffing firm during serving. You can also achieve the same goal by refrigerating the whipped cream for a while before filling the pancakes with it. In any case, the cream should not be too liquidy when you slice and serve.
Nutritional value of Mango Pancakes
We never want to go too far without highlighting the nutritional significance of a recipe. Health is always the priority, and we make sure to share recipes that are not only scrumptious but nourishing.
What are these stuffed crepes essentially made of?
Just flour, milk, egg, butter, sugar, cream and mango! This list alone speaks volumes about the richness of the recipe. There’s no nutrient lacking in these pancakes. This is one reason people love to serve these to their kids in the morning to help them grow. Anything fruity is always considered healthy, and mangoes are so full of calories that even a small amount can be highly invigorating.
To be even more clear, a single mango crepe filling can provide you as many as 633 calories per serving. People who are cutting their caloric intake can reduce the size of the serving, which can cut down the calories all the way down to approximately 300.
Besides being high in calories, it also provides a good amount of fat, carbohydrates, and protein, constituting 25%, 50% and 20% of the total nutritional value, respectively. But it’s not just macronutrients that are provided. It can also be a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin A and E. Mango is a fiber-rich fruit, so it can also get you some extra dietary fibers.
Do not take for granted the minerals these crepes are loaded with.
A single serving of mango pancakes can be highly nutritious. They are great to pack along as an energy booster while you are traveling or hiking or trekking. Or you can send your kids to school with these fruity rolls to fill their day with lots of energy and fun.
To add more even more value to its content, you can always put some extra ingredients in the filling. Some people enjoy adding berries to the mango filling. A drizzle of honey or maple syrup over the freshly prepared mango pancakes is another delicious option to try.
The Easiest and Delicious Mango Pancakes Recipe
Let’s get on with the recipe already! Take a look in your kitchen pantry and find the stuff you need. We will be using a lot of basic everyday use ingredients here. First we will make the pancakes, then prepare the filling and finally assemble them together.
For your convenience, you can refrigerate the batter in a sealed container or a bottle. Use this batter whenever you want. But once the pancakes are cooked, do not delay in serving as they will lose their moisture and softness over time.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 240ml (1 cup) milk
- 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
- 30g (1/4 cup) cornstarch
- 25g (1/4 cup) icing sugar
- 3 medium-sized eggs, lightly beaten
- 10g butter, melted
For the filling
- 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon icing sugar- 2-3 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
Directions
No pancakes can be cooked without batter. So let’s start! Prepare the batter by adding milk to a mixing bowl. Stir in cornstarch, icing sugar and flour. Mix these ingredients well using a whisk. Now add melt butter and whisked eggs to the batter. Once mixed, pass this mixture through a sieve.
It’s time to cook your pancakes. Take a nonstick skillet and heat it over low heat. Add a small ladle of batter into the pan and swirl it around to spread evenly. Cook the pancake for 1-2 minutes per side until firm. Make more pancakes using this batter.
Once you are done with the pancakes, let’s make the filling. Whisk the cream with vanilla extract and icing sugar in an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
Now stuff the pancakes with this filling. Spread each pancake on a flat surface and add a spoon full whipped cream to the center of each pancake. Place one mango piece on top of this filling. Wrap the filling by folding the pancake into a pillow shape. Keep these rolled treats on a plate with their folded side facing down. Serve and enjoy with your favorite syrup on top.
Extra Tips
- Measuring dry ingredients like starch, flour, and icing sugar can be less accurate than by measuring them by weight.
- You can add mango custard powder to the batter instead of starch to give a brighter yellow color to the pancakes.
- This recipe can make as many as 12 pancakes that are 6 inches in diameter. You can change the size of the pancakes as desired or according to the size of the pan available to you.
These pancakes can be served directly but refrigerating them for 30 minutes before serving them will give a firm texture to the filling.- Instead of mangoes you can add other fresh fruit like diced peaches, banana, kiwi or strawberry.
Conclusion
Hong Kong mango pancakes are no ordinary pancakes, as you must have realized after going through its delicious recipe. These pancake rolls are one surefire way to make your mornings sweeter. The rich, creamy filling is stuffed with mango cubes, to give you a fresh and juicy boost.
Mango pancakes are great to serve as an evening snack or party food on festive occasions. Presenting a rolled out pancake or serving it as directed above is completely up to you. You can also be creative while preparing its filling.
Add your favorite flavors, sweeteners or fruits to the whipped cream. Instead of stuffing the pancake you can also serve them with the mango filling as a creamy topping. Give this simple and quick recipe a try and upon a new realm of flavor today!
