For love of the Malda Aam #3

So, if you're here, you probably already know of my eternal love for the very niche, very Bihari, Malda aam. I could (have, actually) write lovesongs to its delicate fragrance, its sweet flesh, its creamy texture. The sexiness of this very khaas mango finds somewhat adequate expression in a lovingly crafted, eggless, no-bake cheesecake.

A few friends asked and I'm vain enough to think they meant it, so here goes a detailed recipe.

I used cream cheese in this recipe. If you can't source it or would like to skimp on the fat(really?), you could substitute with the fresh paneer + hung curd mix that works in just about any cream cheese recipe.

This is a 3-step process. Crust. Filling. Glaze. Your optional step 4- garnish. That one is probably my favourite. So all you have to do is prepare the required ingredients for all three parts and then, like a 3-year old with control issues, assemble them in the right order. Simple.

And you don't have to be a Malda fan to make this cheesecake. Any variety with a rich colour and mild sweetness will do.

Mango Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust:
Marie biscuits- 200 gms (a lot of recipes ask for digestives but the flavour is too clunky for me.)
Butter- 75 gms (I use salted butter. I love the hint of saltiness in the crust. You could choose to go with unsalted.)

Filling:
Cream cheese - 350 gms
Fresh Cream- 200 gms
Icing sugar- 3 tbsp for the cream
Powdered sugar- 1 cup
Mango pulp- 1.5 cup (about 3 medium sized mangoes)
Gelatin- 2 tbsp
Water- 1/2 cup

Glaze:
Mango pulp- 1 cup
Gelatin- 1 tbsp
Water- 1/3 cup

Process:
Crust:
Break the biscuits into pieces and whizz them into a fine powder.
Melt the butter and add to the biscuit powder.
Using your fingers, bring it all together into a cookie-sort-of mix.

In a springform pan, 8 inch, press the biscuit mix down smoothly. Keep the level a little higher than the ridge of the pan. Smoothen.

Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes- 1 hour.

Filling:
1. Whip the cream with 3 tbsp sugar till it is glossy.

2. With a wooden spoon (you could use a whisk; I'm partial to my wooden spoon) beat together the cream cheese and the sugar till smooth.

3. Heap the gelatin into a small bowl. Heat the half cup of water in a microwave on high for 30 seconds. Pour the water into the bowl. Allow to sit while the gelatin begins to dissolve. Give it a quick stir to ensure uniformity. When about lukewarm, add to the mango pulp and give it a good whisk so it all blends together.

4. Add the mango pulp to the cream cheese mix. Blend together. Finally, add the cream, a few tbsps at a time.

This is your basic filling. If feeling excessively adventurous, add 1 diced mango at this stage and lightly incorporate.
Pour it over the crust.

Again, put in the freezer- this time for 2-3 hours.

Glaze:
Using the same process as before, heat water, add to gelatin, allow to dissolve, add to mango pulp when it loses most of its heat. Smoothen. Pour over the filling. Smoothen the top with a spatula or with the back of a spoon. If you have a longish, blunt knife, that works too.
Chill for 2 hours.
For best results, especially in this humid weather, leave it in the fridge overnight.

And the final, glitzy bit.
Once the cheesecake has set and you've successfully popped it out of your springforn tin, smooth sides and all, go nuts. Garnish with fresh fruit, diced mangoes, green leaves, what you will.

The only thing to remember here is DO NOT attempt to garnish before it is set firmly. The glaze might sweat and it will quite ruin the smooth, unblemished surface of your cheesecake.

That's it. Keep it at room temperature for a bit before serving to avoid the crust being rock-hard and for the glaze to get a certain give.

Have fun.
Keep the mango love alive.