It is no secret that I am a huge fan of pancakes. Sweet ones, savoury ones, classic English ones (with lemon and sugar, of course!), thin French crêpe-style ones, thick American-style ones, fluffy Scotch ones - you name it, I am sure to love it. That is why I am so excited to share this delicious Mango Pancake recipe with you. Imagine delicately thin, bright yellow crêpes wrapped around slices of fresh and juicy mango and sweet Chantilly cream (sweetened vanilla cream)...
These Mango Pancakes are perfect for when you want a light dessert (or luxury breakfast!) - but I also have some other ideas to tempt you… My British Pancakes are perfect for Shrove Tuesday (pancake day) or any time you want a classic pancake (I love mine with lemon and sugar), while my Hong Kong French Toast with Hazelnut Creme is another Asian-inspired brunch recipe which is so good (and can also double up as a dessert!)
Why you will love these Mango Pancakes:
- It is quick and easy to put together.
- Full of tropical flavours making it the perfect light dessert, luxury breakfast or brunch.
- A delicious twist on a classic favourite.
You’ll Need The Following Ingredients:
Milk - this needs to be full-fat (whole) and slightly warmed.
Eggs - use free-range eggs if you can. I also recommend choosing eggs stamped with the British Lion logo.
Butter - opt for unsalted so you can control the salt level. It needs to be melted before adding to the batter. I also like to cook the pancakes in a knob of butter as it adds a lovely flavour and golden colour.
Vanilla extract - always choose vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or vanilla pods (avoid vanilla essence which will give you a synthetic flavour).
Cornflour - also known as corn starch. This will give you a softer pancake, but you can use more plain flour if you can’t get hold of cornflour.
Plain flour - also known as all-purpose flour.
Caster sugar - this adds sweetness to the batter. You could swap for golden caster sugar or granulated sugar, if wished.
Icing sugar - this adds sweetness to the batter and whipped cream.
Yellow food colouring - this is entirely optional but helps give the pancakes a vivid yellow colour.
Salt - this won’t make the mango pancakes taste salty. A small pinch of salt cuts through the sweetness of the mango and vanilla cream, helping to heighten the other flavours. I like Maldon Flaky Sea Salt.
Mangoes - I recommend using Indian (e.g. Alphonso) or Pakistani (e.g. Chaunsas) mangoes for the best flavour. If not, opt for good quality ripe and juicy mangoes instead.
Double cream - you must use double (heavy) cream in this recipe as single cream won’t whip up so you won’t be able to dollop it inside the pancakes. I like to whisk to medium peaks but you can go a little firmer, if you prefer - just take care not to over whisk or you will be well on your way to making your own butter!
Fresh mint - these look very pretty as a decoration but are entirely optional.
See recipe card for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations:
Mangoes: whilst mangoes are traditional, you can make these pancakes with any fruit filling you like. Ripe peaches, nectarines and apricots are delicious - you could also try raspberries, strawberries or cherries (but swap the yellow food colouring for pink or red instead, if using). Enjoy getting creative with your favourite fruits!
Mint: the mint decoration is entirely optional. Fresh basil would also work for a subtle herby note - although you could omit it entirely.
Here's how to make these delicious Mango Pancakes
This is a step by step guide to making perfect Mango Pancakes. The photos below will also help when it comes to folding it but you can find the full recipe below.
ONE: Whisk together the eggs, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract.
TWO: Add yellow food colouring to the batter - this is optional but it does give it the nice bright yellow colour you can see in the pictures.
THREE: Fry the pancakes in a knob of butter on a gentle, medium heat. You don't want any colour and it should only cook on one side. You want it to have no wetness to it.
FOUR: Smooth on whipped cream and add the mango on top.
FIVE: Fold the mango pancake up. Fold the left and right edges in towards one another.
SIX: Then take the bottom and fold towards the middle. Repeat with the top edges, folding towards the middle. Then flip the parcel over so the seams are on the underside. This will keep it together.
Cooking Tips:
How to cut a mango: if you are struggling to cut your mango, I suggest peeling it all over and then using a knife to slice off the cheeks of the mango. That way you get nice big pieces that you can cut into chunks rather than small cubes or irregular pieces.
Choose good-quality ripe mangoes: you must make sure your mangoes are ripe for this recipe; they should have a sweet smell and feel slightly tender when pressed with your thumb. I always recommend Indian and Pakistani mangoes (scroll down to find out more about them) - they are so good.
Don’t overfill your pancakes: I know it can be so tempting to heap lots of the delicious sweetened vanilla cream and juicy mango slices inside, but if you add too much the pancakes will burst. Less is definitely more in this scenario - you can always add some more cream on the side…
Be gentle with the pancakes: these Mango Pancakes are very delicate so you need to be super careful when handling them or else they will tear. They will still be delicious, just not as pretty.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Often called Hong Kong Pancakes, mango pancakes are actually more similar to filled French crêpes than a stack of American pancakes. They are hugely popular in Hong Kong bakeries, dessert shops and restaurants served chilled as a dessert (they are often served with yum cha and dim sum too).
No, you don’t need to rest the batter. To be honest, I’m rarely organised enough to do this in time, and they come out perfectly even without resting.
Indian or Pakistani mangos have deep yellow skin and a very smooth and creamy texture. Plus the flavour is just so sweet, aromatic and juicy, they really are the best mangos. Once you try, you'll see why.
Unfortunately not since they contain milk, eggs, butter and double cream. However, I do have a vegan-friendly Fluffy Banana Pancakes recipe which is delicious served with mango.
Other recipes you might enjoy
If you like pancake recipes that are equally delicious for a dessert, my Baileys Tiramisu Pancakes are a must-try. They have everything you love about tiramisu, in pancake form! However, if you are looking for something completely fuss-free, my super simple Easy Pancake Recipe is hard to beat (it is on regular rotation in our house - I vary between adding plump and juicy blueberries and sweet chocolate chips). Speaking of fruity breakfasts, my Coconut & Mango Bircher Muesli is full of tropical flavours and guaranteed to put you in a sunny mood for the day ahead!
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintMango Pancakes
Delicately thin, bright yellow crêpes wrapped around slices of fresh, juicy mango and sweet Chantilly cream (sweetened vanilla cream)... Perfect for when you want a light dessert (or luxury breakfast!).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Makes 4-5 pancakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Hong Kong
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the pancakes:
- 45g plain flour
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 20g icing sugar
- 20g caster sugar
- Pinch salt
- 200ml warm full-fat milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp yellow food colouring (optional)
- Knob of butter, for frying
For the filling:
- 250ml double cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 ripe mangoes (ideally Indian or Pakistani mangoes if you can find them)
To serve: (optional)
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- Sprigs of fresh mint
Instructions
- Sieve the plain flour, cornflour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the caster sugar and a pinch of salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract and food colouring (if using) to combine.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet and mix together to combine into a batter.
- Pass through a sieve (the same one you used for the dry ingredients) into a clean bowl to remove any lumps (don’t be tempted to skip this step, it is important it is nice and smooth).
- Add a knob of butter to a medium-sized non-stick pan and allow to heat up over medium heat.
- Pour about 50ml batter into the middle of the pan (it should sizzle gently at first - don’t worry, this is supposed to happen), then swirl to coat the base in a thin, even layer. Continue to cook for about 1 minute - or until it has no wetness to it, feels set to touch and is lightly golden underneath.
- Gently loosen the edges with a spatula or palette knife and flip out onto a plate or board. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Leave the pancakes to cool whilst you make the filling: whisk the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla extract until you have medium peaks. Cut the mango into large chunks that will sit nicely down the middle of the pancakes.
- Once the pancakes have cooled, set on a plate and lay a piece of mango down the middle. Dollop some cream on top, then gently fold into a parcel — a bit like you would a burrito — but take care that you don’t tear the pancake. Place onto a plate (make sure the more attractive side is on top). Repeat with the remaining pancakes. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with sprigs of fresh mint, if wished.
- At this point you can either slice in half and enjoy straight away or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up (they will be easier to slice too).
Notes
Mango: you can get creative and make these pancakes with any fruit filling you like; ripe peaches, nectarines and apricots are delicious - you could also try raspberries, strawberries or cherries (but swap the yellow food colouring for pink or red instead, if using).
Whipped cream: take care to whip the cream just to medium peaks for the filling - if you over whip, it will split and you will eventually get something akin to butter.
Serving suggestion: I often serve these with a dusting of icing sugar and a few sprigs of fresh mint - I also love to add fresh raspberries when in season (raspberry coulis would also work well).
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