Comments on: The mystery of the mango pancake

By: Liliana

Liliana — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:39:13 +0000

I love them and all my family and friends love them too. I would be grateful if anyone can tell me how to make them. The ones we love are exactly like these on the photo and can be found in almost all Sydney yum-cha restaurants and some Chinese bakeries.

By: Nate

Nate — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:05:00 +0000

We have these mango crepe delectables with whip cream in Vancouver Canada. The restaurant (which is Hong Kong style) is called Sun Sui Wah. It has been something of a signature item for many years (at least ten or eleven).

By: Muriel

Muriel — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 06:01:50 +0000

Mango Pancakes are to die for – my first taste was also in Sydney back in the early 80′s and I have loved them ever since. We can get them in a few Restaurants in Auckland. I was looking for the recipe for the pancake as they are just amazing and would love to know how to make them – completely different texture to a crepe suzette.

By: charmian

charmian — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 02:20:20 +0000

anyone have a reliable link to a recipe that would recreate the mango pancakes exactly as shown in the photo – have been disappointed with links advertising ‘mango pancakes recipes’ but the outcome is very different.

By: Always Hungry

Always Hungry — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:00:44 +0000

I had the pleasure of devouring mango pancakes in Hong Kong circa 1999 at Moon Cafe, located beside the train tracks in Happy Valley. Beyond mango there were banana versions and the usual roll call of sweet soups, dumplings, puddings and fruit juices. A banana pancake was offered, but who would choose banana over mango?!

From my experience, when it comes to Western-style cakes, Hong Kong bakeries work in the “soft and squishy” idiom. From at least the 80s,the standard birthday or wedding cake is soft and white with bits of mango and fruit cocktail, and unfortunately frosted with faux whipped cream.

I can only think that the HK love of mangoes + soft and squishy Western style cakes = mango pancakes. It makes sense given the hybrid nature of Hong Kong cuisine and its love of hybrid dishes, including the much-beloved mango pancake. Perhaps one day this will join mango pudding, “ma lai go” Malaysian cake and sesame dumplings in the Dessert Hall of Elegance.

By: juliana

juliana — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:35:21 +0000

Hi Fuchsia!

I have eaten this mango pancakes in HK and Beijing, and I love the ones here in Beijing… the famous HK dessert store 满记甜品 arrived in the capital earlier this year, by way of HK… am not entirely sure if its origin though!

They remind me a little of these fluffy squishy balls filled with cream and bits of fruit, I forget what they are called, but something like 鲜奶丸儿

By: Fuchsia

Fuchsia — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:33:40 +0000

By the way, a foodie friend of mine in Singapore says that the mango pancake strikes him as being more Taiwanese/Hong Kong than Peranakan. He said the first place in Singapore to become known for the dish, six or seven years ago, specialises in Taiwan-style desserts. Any blog readers in Taiwan? Seen any mango pancakes over there?

By: Isabella

Isabella — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:08:08 +0000

Agree with Charmaine that mango pancakes have been around for a while in HK in Honeymoon desserts. And yes, durian pancakes are also very (but probably less) popular. I don’t know how mango pancakes began, but I think people here are just crazy about mangoes – no need to mention the popularity of the Hui Lau Shan chain (not that good, in my opinion, but tourists seem to love it) and as ever, HK people find a million ways to incorporate that into their desserts. And then use other fruits to substitute and so forth. I love the ‘durian soup’ (cold) dessert at Fat Kee in Causeway Bay. Heaven for durian lovers.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:02:17 +0000

I attended an engagement party yesterday of a couple who had origins in South Africa. A very interesting dish was served — a crepe similar to the skin of the mango pancake, filled with a custard that also tasted of a mild cheese, topped with fresh berries. I couldn’t get the name of it — banjoote or something like that.

By: drnaomi

drnaomi — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:44:46 +0000

Ate my first one at China Grand in Haymarket about five weeks ago. My IAnglo Aussie) friends seemed familiar with this but I had never eaten one before.

It was disappointing. Not a patch on the more traditional set mango pudding you get at Marigold or Silver Spoon/Zilver. This was nothing more elaborate than a French crepe batter, with a slightly custardy cream-filling and some chunks of mango.

To me it seemed more French Vietnamese patisserie than anything Malaysian.