Mango, whipped cream, and juice-soaked ladyfingers. This isn’t the prettiest dessert, but damn is it really good.
This started with Mango Float and a missing box of graham crackers.
I wanted to make a dessert for a big crowd, and I had Mango Float on my mind. I’d seen one of my favorite content creators make it, but I didn’t have the graham crackers that are a key part of the Filipino dessert. Instead, I used ladyfinger cookies and soaked them in mango juice rather than the espresso you’d use for tiramisu.
Thus, Mango Tiramisu was born and was named by my followers on Instagram! Layers of whipped cream, condensed milk, mango, and coconut do the rest.
The biggest compliment I received on this dish was from my 89-year-old Chinese grandmother, who said it was good because it “wasn’t too sweet.” If you know, you know.
The Mango Float inspiration
Café Hailee’s coconut mango float inspired this dessert. Her version uses heavy cream and coconut cream for a mild coconut flavor. I would absolutely swap out one cup of heavy cream with coconut cream to achieve that same flavor. Alternatively, you could add 1 teaspoon of coconut extract. The recipe below uses heavy cream and sweetened coconut flakes.
Fresh mango or frozen mango
I use fresh mango, and peeling and removing the flesh is why I allow an hour for prep. Look for ripe honey mangos that aren’t shriveled and squishy. I cut some of the flesh into cubes for the middle and save long, thin slices for the top.
Frozen mango chunks work too. Add them directly from the freezer—there’s no need to thaw or drain them first. They’ll thaw in the dessert as it chills. Use chunks in the layers instead of worrying about an artful arrangement of slices.
Whip the cream, then fold
You want stiff peaks, but stop before the cream turns grainy and starts throwing off moisture. The vanilla goes into the whipped cream. Fold the condensed milk in gently, in two additions. Don’t whisk it in and undo all that work.
Give it the night
This is a dessert to make ahead. The ladyfingers need time to soften and the layers need time to settle together. Give it at least 6 hours in the refrigerator. Overnight gives the best results.
Other fruit ideas
What I love about this dessert is that you can use fresh, frozen, or canned fruit. If you can’t get good honey or Alphonso mangos, here are some other combinations to try:
Pineapple chunks with pineapple juice.
Strawberry halves with jam thinned with a little water for dipping.
Peach halves with jam thinned with a little water for dipping.
Lemon curd with lemonade in place of the mango juice.
Watch the methodology
How to serve
Serve chilled, straight from the casserole dish. This isn’t the prettiest dessert, but damn is it really good.
How to store
Keep the dish covered in the refrigerator until serving, and refrigerate any leftovers for up to four days. This is a chilled dessert, so keep it cold between servings.
Mango Tiramisu
Mango-juice-dipped ladyfingers layered with condensed-milk whipped cream, mango, and sweetened coconut for a chilled dessert inspired by Filipino Mango Float.
Yield: 8 servings | Prep time: about 1 hour | Cook time: no cooking | Chill time: at least 6 hours; overnight preferred | Total time: at least 7 hours | Category: Desserts & Baking | Cuisine: Filipino-inspired | Method: No-bake, chilling
Equipment
13×9-inch casserole dish
Stand mixer or handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl
Flexible spatula
Knife, cutting board, and spoon
Shallow dish for dipping
Measuring cups and spoons
Pastry brush, if using the brushing method
Ingredients
For the whipped cream
4 cups heavy whipping cream (1 quart), chilled
One 14 oz can condensed milk
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Pinch of salt
Optional: 1 teaspoon coconut extract
For the mango layers
5–6 honey mangos, ripe but not shriveled and squishy, or 1 lb frozen mango chunks
2 packs of ladyfinger cookies, roughly 48 cookies
8 oz mango juice
1/4 cup plum wine (optional)
7 oz sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
Whip the cream. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, whip the chilled heavy cream with the vanilla bean paste and the optional 1 teaspoon coconut extract. Just before it reaches stiff peaks, add the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Stop at stiff peaks; overwhipped cream turns grainy and releases moisture.
Fold in the condensed milk. Gently fold half of the condensed milk into the whipped cream, then fold in the remaining half. Do not whisk it in, which risks deflating the cream. Set aside.
Prepare the mango. For fresh mango, cut the cheeks away from the central seed. Crosshatch half the cheeks and scoop out the cubes with a spoon. Cut the remaining cheeks in half, scoop the flesh away from the skin, and cut it into long, thin slices for the top. Set the cubes and slices aside separately. If using frozen mango chunks, use them directly from frozen; they will thaw as the dessert chills.
Dip the ladyfingers. Pour the mango juice and optional plum wine into a shallow dish. Quickly dip half of the ladyfingers in the mixture and arrange a layer in the casserole dish. Alternatively, arrange the cookies in the dish and brush them with the juice mixture.
Build the first layer. Spread half of the whipped-cream mixture evenly over the cookies. Sprinkle with half of the sweetened coconut flakes and add all of the fresh mango cubes, or half of the frozen mango chunks.
Repeat and finish. Add a second layer of quickly dipped ladyfingers, the remaining whipped-cream mixture, and the remaining sweetened coconut flakes. Arrange the thin fresh mango slices on top, or add the remaining frozen mango chunks.
Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours so the layers soften and settle together. For the best results, chill overnight. Serve cold and enjoy!
Notes
The prep estimate allows an hour for working with fresh mango. Frozen mango skips the peeling and slicing; add it straight from the freezer without thawing or draining.
The plum wine is optional.
Fold the condensed milk into the whipped cream in two additions; do not whisk it in.
Six hours is the minimum chill time. Overnight gives the best results. Keep covered and refrigerated until serving, and refrigerate leftovers.
More recipes to try
Make this ahead for dessert after Cilantro Chicken Meatball Banh Mis, or finish a summer lunch of Corn Fritter BLT with Old Bay Mayo with a cold serving of mango tiramisu.