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This Summer Mango Pie boasts a from-scratch graham cracker crust filled with a fresh mango puree filling that is a little sweet, a little tart and a delicious dessert for spring or summer days.

Pretty edible flowers garnish one side of the pie

This spring and summer dessert shines on its own! I’ve recently streamlined the recipe for ultimate ease, and forgo sweetened condensed milk to allow the fresh mango flavor to truly sing. No need for additional toppings – a touch of edible flowers adds a stunning finishing touch.

The mango pie world is full of creamy options, but sometimes you want the fresh fruit flavor to shine! That’s why I skip the cream cheese and whipped cream (which can mask the mango) and opt for a lighter touch. A hint of orange zest beautifully complements the mango, letting its natural sweetness take center stage.

Mango pie or mango tart?

You’re probably thinking, this is not a mango pie, it’s a mango tart. Well, yes technically it is made in a tart pan, but, there’s also the option to make it in a pie crust too (see more on this below). I like to think of it as a pretty open-top pie.

Flavor enhancers

What I love to do with recipes, especially desserts, is add a flavor component that enhances the flavor of the main ingredient. This is also true for my Chocolate Espresso Mousse. Coffee flavor, or in this case, espresso, enhances the flavor of chocolate. Just like this recipe. You can see the flecks of orange zest in the picture below. The edible flowers I used for decoration are pansies from my garden.

Flecks of orange zest can be seen in the mango topping

An easy make ahead sweet treat, I found that this pie was even better the next day. When it comes to the crust, I like to make  a fresh cracker crust because the difference between homemade and store bought flavor is night and day.

The use of Egg Yolks

While I skipped the sweetened condensed milk to highlight the fresh mango flavor, I kept the egg yolks. They not only add creaminess to the filling, but also help incorporate the sugar for a smooth consistency.

A slice of mango pie on a white plate with some on a fork

Best pan for Mango Pie/Mango Tart

Where this pie can be made in a shallow pie pan, I prefer a non-stick removable bottom fluted tart pan. Because the crust is baked, it stays together really well and this allows you to remove the entire pie effortlessly from the pan.

Note: If you make this in a deep pan, the filling will take longer to set and may be softer than if using a shallow tart pan.

Premade pie crusts

You can also make this pie in a pre-made graham cracker crust. The volume of the pre-made pan is smaller than the tart pan I use so you may have some filling leftover.

Other types of premade crusts are now available. I have made this recipe using a pecan pie crust and a walnut pie crust.

Fresh Mango Puree

Spring and summer are mango season. Fresh mangoes are best for this recipe, but when it’s not mango season, I like to use defrosted frozen mango chunks. You can also purchase alphonso mango puree if you can find it. The mango chunks are easily liquified by blending in a blender. I find that a high speed blender works better than a food processor to achieve a smooth consistency.

Using frozen mango

Peeling a mango, can be a pain, so the good news is, this can also be made with frozen (defrosted) mango so you can enjoy this all year round and not just in mango season.

The pie viewed from overhead with a slice removed

Gelatin Powder and Gelatin Sheets

To help the filling solidify and hold it’s shape, unflavored gelatin powder is added. I prefer this over corn starch. It is important the powder is dissolved in boiling water otherwise you end up with tiny lumps. Softening the gelatin powder in cold water first is not needed in this instance. 

To substitute gelatin powder with gelatin sheets, 1 tablespoon of powder equals 4 gelatin sheets.

This pie would also work really well as individual tarts, like my Lemon Tartlets. It’s easy to find the 4-inch, mini removable bottom tart pans.

If you’ve made this Summer Mango Pie, leave a comment or question below. I love to hear from my readers.

Yield: 8

Summer Mango Pie

Summer mango pie from overhead

Creamy and perfectly smooth filling with fresh mango over a Graham cracker crust.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the crust:
  • 10 graham crackers (150 grams) (10 x 2-inch size crackers) or British digestive biscuits
  • -or- 1 store bought 9-inch/23-cm Graham cracker crust
  • 5 tablespoons (64 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • For the filling:
  • 3 cups (842 grams) fresh mango chunks to yield 3 cups puree *see note
  • 2 tablespoons unflavored powdered gelatin
  • ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

  1. Note: The recipe has recently been updated. Some ingredients and baking time are slightly different.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.
  3. To make the crust (if using prepared crust, skip this step):
  4. Add the crackers or biscuits and sugar to a food processor. Pulse until they are finely crumbled. With the processor running, drizzle in the melted butter until evenly coated with butter. If you don’t have a food processor, add the crackers and sugar to a large ziptop bag and crush them with a pan or rolling pin. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the melted butter. Mix well.
  5. Place a 9-inch (23 cm) removable bottomed, fluted tart pan on a baking sheet (this will help easily clean up any stray crumbs and make the tart easy to move in and out of the oven).
    Spread the crumbs evenly in the pan, then use a small flat bottomed cup or bowl to press the crust as firmly as you can into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and allow to cool. Keep the oven on.
  6. To make the filling:
    Add the mango to a high speed blender (or a smoothie blender) and blend until you get a smooth puree. A food processor will not make the puree smooth. Add ½ of the mango puree to a pan and warm over low heat (do not let it bubble). Set the other half aside.
  7. To a large mixing bowl, add the gelatin powder and half the sugar, mix well. (Mixing with the sugar helps to separate the gelatin granules so it doesn’t lump). Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) of boiling water and mix well until dissolved. Whisk in the warm mango puree until dissolved (this step is important as it helps the gelatin incorporate without lumping). Then whisk in the rest of the mango puree.
  8. To a separate bowl, add the egg yolks and and the rest of the sugar to a separate bowl and whisk until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Add the eggs and sugar to the mango puree along with the orange zest and whisk until combined and smooth.
  9. Place the cooled crust on a baking sheet/tray (to make it easier to move in and out of the oven). Pour the mango mix over the cooled crust and smooth the top.
  10. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is set. If you shake the pan slightly, it will jiggle a little in the center, that is fine.
  11. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Once cooled, refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Baking time and refrigeration times may vary depending on the the pan used. e.g, if you use a shallow tart pan the filling will be less tall as opposed to a smaller premade pie crust.

Notes

* This is more accurate when weighed in grams than in cups. This will be about 4 to 5 mangos, depending on their size.


Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 281Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 112mgSodium 119mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 2gSugar 29gProtein 6g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert