WHAT YOU NEED

Toasted coconut cream

60g (2.17 oz) flaked or desiccated coconut
600g (21.16 oz) cream (about 35% fat)
4 g (3/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt
20 g (0.7 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar

Pandan chiffon cake

240g (8.47 oz) egg whites (from about 8 eggs)
4g (1 teaspoon) cream of tartar
200g (7 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
70g (2.47 oz) fresh or frozen pandan leaves, sliced into 5 mm (1/4 in) wide strips
140g (4.94 oz) water
6g (2 teaspoons) full-cream (whole) milk powder
150g (5.3 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
30g (1.06 oz) cornflour (corn starch)
5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
3g (1/2 teaspoon) fine sea salt
160g (5.64 oz) egg yolks (from about 8 eggs)
120g (4.23 oz) vegetable oil
5 drops of green food colouring
(lime green recommended)

To finish

3 ripe mangoes
icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting

Prepare the toasted coconut cream

Toast the coconut: In a saucepan, toast the coconut over medium–low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for about 5 minutes.

Infuse and chill the cream: Add the cream and salt to the saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. As soon as bubbles form around the edge, remove from the heat – you don’t want the cream to boil.
Pour the mixture into a small bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin forming. Leave to steep and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour while you prepare the cake.

Make the cake batter

Preheat your oven and prepare the tins: Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F) and position an oven rack in the centre of the oven. Cut two sheets of baking paper to fit the base of two 30 × 20 cm (12 × 8 in) lamington tins (rectangular cake pans).
Lightly spray the baking paper with cooking oil, then place in the bottom of the tins, being careful not to get oil on the sides of the tins – this will help the cake rise nice and tall.

Chill the egg whites: Place the egg whites in a stand mixer bowl with the cream of tartar and half the sugar. Using a cupped hand, firmly stir the egg whites against the side of the bowl until the sugar is fully dissolved – there should be no graininess when you rub a bit between your fingers. This ‘dump-in’ method simplifies the meringue preparation. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, chill the bowl in the fridge for about 20 minutes, or in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Prepare the pandan extract: Line a strainer with cheesecloth (muslin) and set it over a bowl. Place the pandan leaves and water in a blender (or a small smoothie blender) and blitz until completely pulverised. Strain the mixture into the bowl, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
Measure out 140g (4.94 oz) of the pandan extract into a small bowl, add the milk powder and stir until most of the powder dissolves. Set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients: In a small bowl, combine the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Set aside with a sieve ready.

Whip the meringue: Attach the chilled bowl of egg white mixture to the stand mixer. Start whipping on low speed, then gradually increase the speed to medium. Whip for about 2 minutes, then increase the speed to medium–high and whip for another 2–3 minutes, or until medium peaks form. The key is to gradually increase the speed – this helps create a stable meringue with fine and even bubbles.

Mix the wet ingredients: While the meringue is whipping, place the remaining caster sugar and the egg yolks in a large bowl. Whisk immediately and vigorously using a hand whisk until the mixture turns pale and the sugar has fully dissolved – be careful not to let
the sugar sit in the yolks too long, as this can cause them to harden. Add the pandan extract, oil and food colouring and whisk until fullyincorporated.
Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet: Sift the dry ingredients into the egg-yolk mixture in three additions. Whisk until the batter is just combined after each addition, ensuring no lumps of flour remain. Fold in the meringue. Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the batter using a spatula. Once combined, add the remaining meringue and fold until just incorporated, with no white streaks visible. Take care not to deflate the mixture – use smooth, confident motions, scooping from the bottom and folding over the surface while rotating the bowl with your other hand.

Bake the cake

Fill the tins and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the tins, about 500g (17.64 oz) each. Gently spread it out to the edges and corners, taking care not to press too hard, to keep the batter nice and airy. Smooth the tops with an angled (offset) palette knife to ensure an even finish. Gently tap the tins on the counter a few times to pop any air pockets and help the batter settle. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the tops are golden and spring back when you gently press them in the centre.

Let cool and release from the tins: Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool completely in their tins for about 45 minutes. Lightly spray two cooling racks with cooking oil, gently turn the cakes out onto the racks, then carefully peel off the baking paper.

Finish preparing the fillings

Whip the infused toasted coconut cream: Set a fine-meshed strainer over a clean stand mixer bowl. Strain the completely chilled infused coconut cream into the bowl, pressing down to extract as much cream as possible. Sift in the icing sugar, then whip on medium speed for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium–high and continue whipping for another 1–2 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.

Prepare the mangoes: Peel the mangoes, then slice off the two large cheeks set them aside. The thickest part of the cheeks shouldn’t be more than 2.5 cm (1 in), or there won’t be enough cream to fully cover them, and the cake may end up too tall and difficult to cut. If you’re using large mangoes, trim the cheeks slightly to keep the thickness in check. Trim any remaining flesh from the sides of each mango stone, being careful not to cut too close, to avoid the fibrous part. Cut the trimmed mango flesh into 1 cm (1/2 in) cubes.

Assemble the cake

Build the cake layers: Clean and dry the cake tin you used to bake the sponge cakes and line the bottom and sides of the tin with cling wrap. Place one cake layer inside, with the smooth side facing down. Use an angled (offset) palette knife to spread half the whipped toasted coconut cream evenly over the cake. Arrange the mango cheeks on top, flat side down, and fill any gaps with the diced mango. Spread the remaining coconut cream evenly over the mango pieces. Place the second cake on top, with the smooth green side facing up. Align the edges carefully, then gently press to level the cake and secure the layers.

Chill the cake: Wrap the cake and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight, to allow it to fully set before slicing.

Slice and serve

Trim the edge: Once the cake has chilled and set, turn the cake out on to a chopping board. Use a large sharp knife to trim off about 5 mm (1/4 in) from each side to give the cake a neat finish.
Slice into portions: Cut the cake into six or 12 pieces, transfer the cake to a serving plate and finish by dusting the tops with icing sugar and enjoy.