Coconut Cream Crêpes with Mango-Lime Sauce

Sick of winter weather? No worries. This dessert will put you in a very tropical state of mind. Mangoes are in season during the North American winter. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to find ataulfo mangoes, also sometimes called manila or honey or champagne mangoes. The flesh is super-smooth, without the fibers that make some mango varieties annoying. They’re small, however, so use three for this recipe, which was created by recipe tester extraordinaire and one of my favorite people to cook with, Linda Faus.

Coconut cream is similar to coconut milk but thicker. Do not, however, get it mixed up with cream of coconut (such as Coco López brand). Word order counts! Pour off any water that has settled to the bottom of the can and just use the thick cream. You can find coconut cream in Asian markets and well-stocked grocery stores.

Makes 8 filled crêpes; serves 8

1½ cups/150 g sweetened coconut flakes

8 oz/225 g mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

4 oz/115 g cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup/120 ml coconut cream

¾ cup/70 g confectioners’ sugar, plus 2 tbsp, and more as needed

½ tsp coconut extract

2 medium ripe mangoes

½ tsp finely grated lime zest

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp dark rum (optional)

8 Versatile Crêpes or your choice

Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F/180°C/gas 4.

Spread ½ cup/50g of the coconut flakes on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring once or twice, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to let cool.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup/100 g coconut flakes, the mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, coconut cream, ¾ cup/70 g confectioners’ sugar, and coconut extract. Stir until well blended.

Pit and peel the mangoes and cut one into large chunks (one and a half if using small mangoes). Put the mango chunks in a blender or food processor along with the lime zest, lime juice, and the remaining 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar. Whiz until smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness with more confectioners’ sugar, if necessary. Transfer the sauce to a medium bowl. Cut the remaining mango into ½-in/12-mm dice and stir it into the sauce. Stir in the rum (if using). Set the sauce aside. (You can make the sauce 1 day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. )

Lay the crêpes presentation-side down on a clean work surface. Spread ¼ cup/60 ml of the coconut cream mixture over each one, all the way to the edges. Fold the crêpes in half and then in half again to make triangles. Transfer each crêpe to a dessert plate and drizzle with the mango-lime sauce and 1 tbsp of the toasted coconut. Serve right away.