Ginger Mango Cream Tart

By Erin Jeanne McDowell

Ginger Mango Cream Tart
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen.
Total Time
About 35 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
4(287)
Notes
Read community notes

Festive enough for a holiday party or a summer cookout, this bright and creamy mango tart has a crisp gingersnap crust and is topped with candied ginger, pistachios and toasted coconut. The no-bake crust, which is made from store bought gingersnaps, butter and light brown sugar, comes together in the food processor with the press of a button. For the filling, fresh or frozen mango is cooked with ginger and turmeric to deepen its flavor and brighten the color of the finished dessert.

Learn: How to Make a Pie Crust

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Ingredients

Yield:One 9-inch cake (8 to 10 servings)

    For the Crust

    • 12ounces/340 grams gingersnap cookies, about 48 (2-inch) cookies
    • ½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
    • ¼cup/55 grams light brown sugar
    • Pinch of fine sea salt

    For the Filling

    • 16ounces/455 grams cubed fresh mango (or thawed, frozen mango)
    • ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
    • 1½teaspoons ground ginger
    • ¾teaspoon ground turmeric
    • ½teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1½teaspoons powdered gelatin
    • 16ounces/455 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
    • ¾cup/90 grams confectioners’ sugar
    • ½cup/120 milliliters heavy cream
    • Sliced candied ginger, chopped pistachios, toasted coconut, for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

549 calories; 37 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 57 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 32 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 398 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the crust: Add the gingersnaps to a food processor, roughly breaking them as you go, then pulse them into fine crumbs. (You should have about 2¼ cups). Add the melted butter, light brown sugar and salt to combine. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch springform pan, then press it evenly into the base and halfway up the sides of the pan. Freeze while you make the filling.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, heat the mango, sugar, ginger, turmeric and salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mango is very soft and starts to break down, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Place 3 tablespoons cool water in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let bloom for 5 minutes. Microwave until fluid, 15 to 30 seconds. (Alternatively, the bowl of gelatin can be placed over a small pot of simmering water until melted.)

  4. Step 4

    Wipe out the bowl of the food processor, add the mango mixture and pulse until mostly smooth. Add the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar and pulse until combined and smooth. Scrape the bowl well, then pulse again to combine. Add the cream and process for 1 minute. Finally, add the melted gelatin and pulse briefly to combine.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the mixture to the chilled crust and gently spread into an even layer. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap, transfer to the refrigerator, and chill for 12 hours (or up to 24 hours).

  6. Step 6

    Gently run a small offset spatula or thin knife around the outer edge of the cake to loosen the crust, then release the outer ring. Run a large thin knife between the springform base and the bottom of the cake and use a large spatula to gently transfer the cake to a serving platter. (Alternatively, you can keep the cake on the base and transfer them together to a serving platter.)

  7. Step 7

    If using any of the garnishes, sprinkle them around the outside edge just before slicing and serving.

Ratings

4 out of 5
287 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Bea

Read the recipe. It's in step 1.

Amy

After reading the comments I wasn’t sure if I should make this, but my son loves mangoes so...added lime juice from 1 lime and-what the heck-about 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. That did the trick! Amped the mango flavor and added some depth. Delicious.

Richard

Vegetarian gelatin, widely available. Or agar agar.

Dunnkit

I wish I would have read the suggestions before I started throwing it together. As written, the filling was flat tasting: creamy, cheesy and sweet. NEEDS acid. Added the juice of one lime and a tiny tad of sea salt. Hm. Still wasn't amazing. Maybe next time, I'd decrease the cream cheese a bit and add more lime. Too bad. Was super easy to throw together.

toast

Add salt to crust. Reduce granulated sugar to 80 grams and confectioners sugar to 60 grams.

Barbara Robertson

Question: Have you tried making this with canned mango pulp?

Olivia

I made this tart for a holiday gathering with coworkers and it was a nice alternative to the chocolate that is usually present around the holidays. The tart itself needs a bit more dimension in the form of acidity. It tastes more like a mango cheesecake than what I was hoping to be a bright and fruity mango tart. Less dairy, more acid. One of my guests is gluten-free and I will say this is easy to adapt. Use Mi-Del brand GF Gingersnaps and you're good.

Kerri H.

I loved this. It turned out really well. I'll add what others said: It could use a cut of lemon to tone down a little of the sweetness. I got many compliments and will def be adding to my regular sweets routine :)

ShaneK

Good base recipe, but I was expecting bolder mango and ginger flavors. Next time I would try to use very ripe, strongly flavored mangoes, and increase the ginger. I also needed more gelatin, and more salt.

cheching

This was no where near as bad as many of the reviews make it sound. In my experience, Erin’s recipes are usually well-tested. I made it exactly as written, and I would definitely make it again!

Lindsay

Used the Lemon Curd and other substitutes a la Jessica's comment and it was INCREDIBLE. Also made it in a pie dish instead of cake pan and it was still amazing. 10/10!!!!

Carmen

Reduced cream cheese to 8oz, eliminated the confectionery sugar, reduced the sugar as well and added the juice of two limes. Family approved.

alisonhood

This was so delicious and entirely different! Christmas dessert was enjoyed by all my guests.

Jessica

I followed tips from other reviewers and cut the cream cheese to 12oz, cut the cream to 3/8c, added a little extra mango, and cut both sugars to about 2/3 of what was called for. I tasted the filling and decided to add about 4oz of lemon curd and 2tsp of lemon juice. I used the recommended amount of gelatin and it was a really nice texture. It got rave reviews and I would make it again. Next time I might cut back a little on the turmeric as well.

SusieRCP

The taste was fantastic, but only after bringing down the sugar and dairy to roughly ⅔ of what is called for in the recipe. The proportion of gelling agent to mango mixture wasn't quite right; next time, I'll try at least 3 teaspoons of powdered gelatin for firmness. Bottomline: will definitely try it again with adjustments. Thanks NYT!

Paige

I've made maybe 100 things that Erin Jeanne McDowell has created and they are always fail proof and incredibly tasty, but this one just didn't work out. I made it twice actually, first from the recipe, then with the tips from other at-home-bakers in the comments. Cut the cream cheese down to 12oz, added lime zest from two limes thinking it would cut down the overwhelming cheesy taste and it didn't. I didn't even serve it, I had to make an emergency pie from her regular book. Skip this one!

nathan

I am a little surprised at the suggestion for more salt because I feel if I can taste it, as I can here it’s too much. Although maybe cookie brand is a factor, I feel lile if there’s a good balance (good cookies, good mangoes, maybe that extra lemon or lime for acid) it can be a fantastic albeit somewhat unusual desert.

Terry

After reading comments, cut cream cheese to 12 oz; cream to 3/8 cup; cut sugar by 1/4 too. Added 4 oz lemon curd (happened to have left over, but wouldn’t hesitate to use good quality jarred). It was great. Thanks to all the reviewers!

toast

Add salt to crust. Reduce granulated sugar to 80 grams and confectioners sugar to 60 grams.

Kerri H.

I loved this. It turned out really well. I'll add what others said: It could use a cut of lemon to tone down a little of the sweetness. I got many compliments and will def be adding to my regular sweets routine :)

Dunnkit

I wish I would have read the suggestions before I started throwing it together. As written, the filling was flat tasting: creamy, cheesy and sweet. NEEDS acid. Added the juice of one lime and a tiny tad of sea salt. Hm. Still wasn't amazing. Maybe next time, I'd decrease the cream cheese a bit and add more lime. Too bad. Was super easy to throw together.

Nicole

Anyone made without gelatin? I am thinking of trying to substitute agar agar.

danny

Pie did not set up. What am I doing wrong? Thanks

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