Mango Meringue Tart with Coconut Cream

I'll start with a caveat: this is a multi-step recipe which, even though is not complicated, takes much more time to make than to eat. It needs to be assembled at the last minute and consumed immediately. This is because the meringue base turns sticky once it has been filled, and fresh mangoes turn brown quite quickly once they're exposed to air.

But it's not all bad, you see.

Like a lot of exquisite things in life, the beauty of this show-stopping dessert is fleeting. But isn't the short-lived pleasure derived from such things the stuff that explains the kind of folly human beings have proved capable of getting themselves into since time immemorial?

Having said that, the quality of the end result depends largely -- though by no means solely -- on the quality of the mangoes. I recommend ataulfo (aka Manila) mangoes. You may want to read my earlier post on how to choose the right mango for Thai sticky rice and mango dessert.

To make this for a crowd: make the meringue disk in advance and store it in an airtight container; make the coconut cream in advance also and keep it refrigerated; cut up the mangoes right before you assemble the dessert; serve it immediately. And -- I'm serious -- don't count on the leftovers being good.

For those not interested in making one big tart for a crowd, you can also make several smaller meringue disks and fill one with the coconut cream and top it off with fresh mango when you feel like eating it thereby avoiding leftovers.

Mango Meringue Tart with Coconut Cream
(Makes one 10-inch tart)
Downloadable Version

For the meringue base:¹
3 large egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar (preferably superfine)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Preheat the oven to 250° F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a clean and completely grease-free bowl of an electric mixer and with a clean and completely grease-free beater, beat the egg whites, sugar, and vinegar until stiff peaks form.

Beat in the cornstarch.

With a spatula, spread the meringue on the prepared baking sheet, making a 10-inch disk with an edge that comes up about 1.5 inches from the bottom.

Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Open the oven door and let the meringue disk cool completely while it's still on the baking sheet and in the oven.

For the coconut cream:
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled

In a saucepan, whisk together everything except the coconut milk until the mixture forms a smooth paste.

Slowly whisk in the coconut milk making sure to get rids of all lumps.

Put the saucepan on medium heat and whisk until the mixture thickens up. It takes a while for the mixture to come to a gentle boil, but when it does, the cream thickens up very quickly and needs to be taken off the heat right away to prevent it from scorching.

Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap placed right on the surface of the custard to keep it from forming a skin. Chill the custard for at least 2 hours.

Transfer the chilled custard to a mixing bowl and whisk in the cold whipping cream until no lumps remains. (This is more easily done with an electric mixer.) Keep the coconut cream covered and refrigerated until you assemble the dessert.

For the topping:
About 2 large ataulfo mangoes, peeled and sliced

Assembly:
Fill the meringue disk with the chilled coconut cream and top with the mango slices. Serve immediately.

¹ SAVEUR's tips on how to make meringue.