Monday is not usually the day to eat a rich sweet and start the week on a sinful note. But this week, happily, is broken in half by a mid-week holiday and one must also take advantage of the luscious Alphonso mangoes all around us.

Plan a middle-of-the-week reward with Chef Anant Bansode's recipe that converts the seasonal fruit into a classic dessert. You can opt to reduce the sugar by using a natural sweetener or a sugar equivalent. 

Every bite of his Mango Tiramisu, with its layers of Savoiardi or ladyfinger sponge biscuits soaked in coffee, Kahlua, mascarpone cheese and fresh mango pulp brings happiness. 

Desserts, especially mango creations, are Chef Bansode's field and he has been putting together sweet courses to delight guests at all the hotel chains he has worked for, which include Fariyas, Marriott, Novotel, Radisson, The Park for nearly 20 years, after training at Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune.

Mango Tiramisu

Servings: 8

Ingredients 

• 300 gm ladyfinger biscuits, preferably Savoiardi, available online
• 500 gm mascarpone cheese
• 4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 200 gm granulated sugar or an equivalent (please see the note below)
• 30 gm espresso coffee powder
• 150 ml water
• 30 ml Kahlua liqueur, optional
• 100 gm fresh mango pulp
• 2 fresh Alphonso mangoes, thinly sliced

To garnish

• Mango pieces, cut in fun shapes
• Sifted cocoa powder
• Chopped pistachios
• Chocolate sticks, optional
• Mango syrup or juiced mango, optional

Method

• Prepare the coffee syrup by combining the water, coffee powder, and 100 gm of the granulated sugar.
  Warm the water before mixing in the coffee as it dissolves better in warm water. 
  Add the Kahlua coffee liqueur. 
  Mix and keep aside.
• Using a double boiler, cook in a container over steaming water, only the egg yolks and the remaining sugar until it thickens and the raw egg smell disappears.
  Take off heat, cool a little, and add the egg whites and whip until soft peaks form.
  Keep aside.
• In another bowl, whisk together the mascarpone cheese and the fresh mango pulp until well combined.
  Ensure that the mascarpone cheese is of excellent quality, creamy, and thick.
  Gently fold the egg mixture into the mascarpone cheese.
  Keep aside
• Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee syrup, without soaking up too much syrup, and arrange the biscuits in a bowl or flat dish.
  Add a layer of thin slices of fresh Alphonso mangoes.
  Then spread a layer of the mascarpone mixture.
  Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up.
  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  Before serving, dust with the cocoa powder and garnish with the mango pieces, chocolate sticks, chopped pistachios.
  Pour some mango syrup around the dessert (please see the pic above) and serve chilled. 

Editor's Note: In place of sugar, opt for any of these alternatives: Coconut sugar, jaggery, date jaggery, honey, stevia powder. Each brand of stevia has its own stevia for sugar substitution ratio provided on its packing.

Mascarpone cheese is now made by several Indian cheesemakers and is even available online. The closest equivalents are sour cream, cream cheese, hung curd, ricotta or a blended mixture of equal amounts of cream cheese, sour cream and whipping cream.

Instead of ladyfingers, opt for a sponge cake, cut into thin finger-like slivers or sticks.

Chef Anant Bansode is the cluster pastry chef at Four Points by Sheraton, Vashi, outside Bombay.