The way to a man's heart

...is clearly through his nose.

My man loves to eat, so after years of marriage I've naturally taken to smelling like his favourite foods. Lemongrass and brown sugar body scrub, pink grapefruit and cucumber shower mousse, olive oil and tomato shower gel... trust me, if you can eat it, I've probably showered with it.


So when the lovely Diva wrote about reading in the bathroom, I wondered if she ever got as hungry as I always did after a shower. Since she's obviously a woman after my own heart, I've decided to send her a slice of my Mango mousse and grapefruit marmalade tart.

Aromatic Indian mangoes are perfectly matched with my own grapefruit marmalade in a classic Pate Sucre for a sensual ending to dinner, and a prelude to so much more. One hopes.


Mango Mousse inspired by this. I like the simplicity of this mousse, and the fact that it doesn't require uncooked egg whites. Salmonella being a sure passion killer in my book.

1 ripe Indian mango, about 300 ml of puree
2 tbsp Cointreau
5-6 gm gelatin
1 tbsp hot water
Scant 2 tbsp of icing sugar
1/2 cup thick cream (makes it creamier; whipped makes it lighter)

Cut the mango into chunks and puree until smooth. Then add the Cointreau to the puree, and leave in the fridge for about an hour. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the sugar until fluffy and stiff. Then soak the gelatin in the hot water, and when softened, thoroughly mix into the mango puree. With a light hand, fold the whipped cream into the mango puree.


Pâte sucrée from Pierre Hermé, by way of this.

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
300g butter
100g icing sugar
90g vanilla sugar
500g flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 eggs
60g ground almonds

I always make pastry the way I was taught in school domestic science, and it turns out that Pierre Hermé does too; funny, I don't remember him from class. Place the salt-flour mixture in a bowl, along with the butter. Rub the butter into the flour and salt with your fingertips and (dry, cool) palms so they resemble breadcrumbs. Making a well and break the egg into it. Add in the vanilla and almonds, and mix with your hands. Place the ball of dough in the fridge for half an hour, then remove, roll out and cut to fit your pie pans.


Tip
For a delicate pie crust, it's always best to work the ingredients with cool hands. In a pinch, a food processor is a better bet than a mixer.

This recipe makes for three 9-inch crusts, and one 12 inch crust. I always make more dough than I need for the moment, and freeze the cut-to-size extra portions between 2 sheets of baking paper. Feel free to halve the recipe.

Before baking, chill the dough briefly (half an hour should do the trick) and blind bake, pierced, for 10 to 15 minutes until the shell is cooked and golden. Cool.

Assembly
Spread the base of your pie crust generously with the grapefruit marmalade. Top with the mango mousse. Smoothen the top with a spatula dipped in water, and top with Cointreau caramelised oranges. Chill for at least 3 hours until the mousse has set. Serve with bedroom eyes.


Cointreau caramelised oranges

1 orange
2 tbsp Cointreau
Scant 2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 inch of ginger, scraped and crushed

Thinly slice half the orange and place in a pot. Juice the other half over the orange slices, and sprinkle over the sugar and the Cointreau. Add the ginger and water, give it all a good stir, and cook on low until the orange is tender and has caramelised.

If the tart has worked it's special magic, you'll probably have worked up an appetite again in a few hours. Drape a sheet around yourselves, and make your way to the fridge where this luscious mousse is just begging to be spoonfed into a lover's mouth.



You'll find both my lovelies, as well as other beautiful bites at this fantastic blogging challenge. What a clever idea, don't you think?