By Lyn Funnell 
I was at a book signing recently, and on the next table was Ian Dowding.
Ian’s one of the most famous unknown chefs in the world!
Let me explain; Ian was the chef at The Hungry Monk in Jeverton, East Sussex.
And he created the Banoffi Pie. It was spelt like that to make it sound Italian.
Many restaurants have since claimed that it was created there. And I’ve even read it described as an American sweet!
Apparently it was one of Elvis Presley’s favourite desserts for a while.
Ian and I were discussing it when someone came up and interrupted us. He said, ‘I hate Banoffi Pie! People are always trying to feed it to me and I can’t stand bananas!
When he’d finally gone, I suddenly said, ‘I’m going to make a Mangoffi Pie!’
And I did.
Mangoffi Pie
420g/1lb crushed biscuits.
I didn’t have any plain biscuits so I used Scottish Shortbread and it’s delicious.
200g/60zs butter or marge.
A can of Caramel Condensed Milk.
2 mangos.
1 tblsp lime juice
100g/30zs sugar
2fl ozs water.
600ml/1 pint Double Cream
Stand the Condensed Milk can in a bowl of hot water to make it easier to tip out.
Grease a flan dish 11 inches/28cm.
It doesn’t matter if your dish is slightly bigger or smaller.
Gently melt the butter in a saucepan.
Add the biscuit crumbs to the melted butter and stir to mix them.
Tip the mixture into the flan dish and spread it over the dish and up the sides.
Press it down, but not too hard or it will be difficult to serve.
Tip the Condensed Milk over the biscuit crumbs and gently spread it around.
It should all drop out of the can at once.
Peel the mangos in slices. They have a large flat stone in the middle, so take care as you cut off the flesh.
Pour the lime juice, sugar and water into a saucepan and stir until the sugar melts.
Tip in the mango slices and stir to coat them.
Turn the temperature up and boil rapidly until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Gently turn the mango slices a couple of times while it boils.
Drain the mango slices, then tip them onto the caramel.
Spread them around using your fingers.
Leave it to cool.
Beat up the Double Cream until it’s thick. But don’t overbeat.
Spread it over the cooled mangos.
I tipped a few sprinklies over the top. But you could grate some chocolate over it.
Leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to let it settle down.
Serve small slices as it’s very filling.
My Recipe Book, The High Weald Dairy Cookbook: Classic Kent and Sussex Recipes Updated
is available from Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Weald-Dairy-Cookbook-Classic
It contains the History of the Banoffi Pie and the original recipe.
