Coconut Mango Dessert Cups

Step 1

To make your simple syrup, add your sugar and water into a small pot over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a glass container to cool and store in the fridge.

Step 2

Once the sugar syrup boils, take it off the heat and set it aside to cool down to room temperature.

Step 3

Once it's at room temperature, pour your syrup into a container and set it aside. You can also store this on your shelf for many months, so it never hurts to make a lot and keep it stored.

Step 4

Cut up your mangoes and dice them into chunks. Place the diced mangoes into a blender or food processor.

Step 5

Add your simple syrup and blend everything together until it becomes a thin smoothie-like texture.

Step 6

Strain the mix into a bowl or container to get rid of lumps and extra pulp. This makes the puree super smooth. Set this aside to use later. If you want to make this ahead of time, you can refrigerate it for a week or freeze it for up to a month.

Step 7

Add your cream into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip to a soft-medium peak. Do not overmix, I recommend finishing the mixing by hand.

Step 8

Soak the gelatin in cold water (blooming). Let them absorb for 1-2 minutes.

Step 9

Add the coconut milk, and half of the sugar into a small pot over medium heat. The sugar prevents the coconut milk from burning.

Step 10

Add in the vanilla. Whisk the mix in the pot and bring it to a boil.

Step 11

Add the egg yolks and the other half of the sugar into a separate bowl.

Step 12

Whisk together until you reach a smooth texture and the sugar is dissolved.

Step 13

Once your coconut milk mixture is boiling, temper your yolks with some of the milk by pouring 1/3 of the hot mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. Pour everything back into the pot.

Step 14

Cook everything while whisking constantly until it reaches 181ºF (83ºC). About 2-5 minutes or until the mix no longer drips from your whisk.

Step 15

Add in your gelatin. If you're using gelatin sheets, squeeze out the excess water first.

Step 16

OPTIONAL: Pour your mix into a separate bowl over ice to cool down the mix quickly to 20ºC-25ºC (Around 70ºC).

Step 17

Add ⅓ of your whipped cream into your cooled coconut milk mix to make the mixture lighter. Whisk together.

Step 18

Lightly fold in the rest of your whipped cream using a spatula. Set it aside for about an hour so the mousse can thicken. Once it becomes thick and fluffy it's ready to use. Don't let it completely set up before you pipe it into your cups.

Step 19

Preheat your oven to 325º F (162º C).

Step 20

Combine your sugar and pectin in a small bowl. Mix together.

Step 21

Add your butter, corn syrup, and sugar/pectin mixture into a medium-sized pot over medium heat until it begins to simmer.

Step 22

Reduce your heat to low, then add in your coconut. Mix with a spatula until combined.

Step 23

Pour the nougatine onto a silicone mat over a sheet pan and spread out with an offset spatula as thin as the coconut flakes are. You can use parchment if you don't have a silicone mat.

Step 24

Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 25

Using a circle cutter or a knife, cut the nougatine right away. (Once it cools down it will set and be too hard to cut.)

Step 26

(Optional) Brush the nougatine with a thin layer of melted cocoa butter using a pastry brush. This protects the nougatine from getting soggy. Set aside for decoration later.

Step 27

Pipe the mousse into your cups about 3/4 of the way full.

Step 28

Put your mango puree into a piping bag and pipe a thin layer on top of the mousse.

Step 29

Refrigerate the cups for a minimum of 1 hour to set up the mousse and puree.

Step 30

(Optional) Cut a banana into slices and top them each with a pinch of sugar in the raw.

Step 31

Lightly caramelize the sugar on top with a blow torch.

Step 32

Place the banana on top of the mango puree and add a slice of the coconut nougatine on top. You can decorate your Coconut Mango Dessert Cups how you'd like. Chef Christophe added some gold leaf and lime zest for an extra touch.