Pancake cake with panna cotta and mango

Pancake Cake with Panna Cotta and Mango Jelly

I made this recipe for my name day, so I adapted it based on what I had in the fridge. You don’t need many pancakes, just a few, and you can use fresh fruit if you have it. I had a ripe mango and cream for whipping, so I went with that. For the shape, I used an 18 cm detachable ring mold.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours (includes cooling)
Preparation time: 40-50 minutes active
Cooling time: at least 1-1.5 hours (in the fridge)
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: no-bake dessert, suitable for special occasions or when you need a cake without baking

Ingredients

Pancakes
4 pancakes, approximately 18 cm in diameter

Panna Cotta
300 ml heavy cream (32% fat)
300 ml milk
120 g brown sugar
10 g gelatin
1 sachet of Bourbon vanilla (or equivalent)

Mango Jelly
1 large, ripe mango
3 tablespoons brown sugar
10 g gelatin

Decoration
Dr. Oetker chocolate sauce (or any chocolate sauce of your choice)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pancakes

Make the pancakes as usual. You will need 4 pieces, each about 18 cm in diameter. The rest can be enjoyed plain, with jam, or whatever you have on hand.

2. Prepare the panna cotta

In a small saucepan, bring the milk and brown sugar to a boil. Meanwhile, soak the gelatin in cold water according to the package instructions (usually, it should sit for 5-10 minutes).
When the milk starts to boil and the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the saucepan from heat. Add the soaked gelatin and stir very well until it is completely melted.
Add the cream and the vanilla sachet. Mix and let it cool to room temperature (do not pour the hot cream over the pancakes).

3. Assemble the cake

Take a detachable ring mold, 18 cm in diameter. Place the first pancake at the bottom.
Pour a layer of panna cotta cream. Place the second pancake, add cream again. Repeat until you finish the 4 pancakes, ending with panna cotta cream on top.
Put the mold in the fridge to set the cream for at least 40-50 minutes, ideally for an hour.

4. Prepare the mango jelly

Peel the mango and cut the flesh into small cubes.
Place the fruit in a saucepan, add the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and enough water to cover the fruit. Heat over low heat and let it simmer until the mango pieces soften, without turning to mush.
Separately, soak the gelatin in cold water.
When the mango is cooked, remove the saucepan from heat and add the soaked gelatin. Stir well to dissolve.

5. Final touches

Remove the cake from the fridge. Pour the mango jelly evenly over the last layer of cream.
Return to the fridge until the jelly sets, at least another 30-40 minutes.
Once everything is firm, carefully remove the detachable ring.
Decorate with chocolate sauce before serving.

Why I make this recipe often

It’s quick to make with simple ingredients, it’s a refreshing cake, and there’s no need for an oven. You can prepare everything in advance, and the texture is different from regular sponge cake desserts.

Tips and Variations

Tips

If using granulated gelatin, follow the package instructions precisely.
Panna cotta should not be poured hot over the pancakes to avoid separation or curdling.
For cutting, use a thin knife dipped in hot water.
Substitutions

If you don’t have mango, you can use another fleshy fruit (peaches, apricots, bananas, even berries, noting that the texture and color will differ).
Brown sugar can be replaced with white sugar, but the final taste will be more neutral.
If you can’t find chocolate sauce, you can skip the decoration or use a little cocoa mixed with water and sugar.
Variations

You can add slices of fresh fruit between the layers.
The panna cotta can also be flavored with grated lemon or orange zest.
A thin layer of jam can be used between pancakes.

Serving Ideas

It’s great cut into slices, straight from the fridge.
You can decorate with mint leaves or small pieces of fresh fruit for contrast.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I make the cake with only two layers of pancakes if I don’t have four?
You can make it with fewer, but it will be thinner. Keep the ratio between the panna cotta cream and pancakes.

2. Can the cake be frozen?
I do not recommend freezing. The gelatin loses its texture after thawing, and the pancakes become gummy.

3. What type of cream should be used?
You need heavy cream with at least 30% fat. Fermented cream won’t work.

4. Does the mango need to be blended?
It’s not necessary. If you want a smoother jelly, you can puree the fruit, but it’s not mandatory.

5. Can I use sheet gelatin?
Yes, use the equivalent of 10 g of sheets for each part of the recipe, properly soaked beforehand.

Nutritional Values

Estimate per slice (out of 8):

Calories: 230-260
Fat: 12-14 g
Carbohydrates: 27-30 g
Protein: 5-6 g
Values may vary depending on the type of cream or fruit used. Do not include the chocolate topping in the calculation.

Storage and Reheating

It keeps well in the fridge, covered, for 1-2 days. I do not recommend reheating. The pancakes can absorb moisture, so it’s best on the first day. If there’s any left, keep it cool and consume within 48 hours.

 Ingredients: 4 pancakes of about 18 cm diameterPanna cotta300 ml cream 32% fat300 ml milk120 g brown sugar10 g gelatin1 sachet bourbon-vanilla finesseMango jelly1 mango fruit3 tablespoons brown sugar10 g gelatinChocolate decorations Dr. Oetker

 Tags:  pancake cake