Alpha Bakers -- Mango Bango Cheesecake

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I don't get putting biscuit under cheesecake. I just wasn't raised that way. If I don't get a crumb crust, I want no crust. For Rose's Mango Bango Cheesecake, developed for Madhur Jaffrey, she recommends a ladyfinger crust. Now, before everyone jumps on me, I know the ladyfinger or cake bases soak up liquid, which is commendable, but then you just have soggy cake. This will never be resolved, and I'm ok with it, and you cake lovers have Juniors on your side, so be cool. 

There was a lot of discussion in the Alpha Bakers group about the procuring and treatment of proper mango pulp. Rose recommends a canned version that I thought would be easy to locate in my neighborhood, which has a large Bangladeshi and Pakistani population. Had I walked a block or two farther in my search, this hunch would probably have been confirmed, but when I discovered that the first grocery I tried was lame, and the second closed, I went to the supermarket and settled on La Fe, a common frozen brand. The La Fe mango pulp was not terribly flavorful, but it did the job. I'll keep an eye open for the good stuff.

Standing firm on my crust policies, I bought gingersnaps, and made two six inch cakes, one with gingersnap crust and one with none for a friend with celiac.  

Both cakes were good, but due to a cake pileup all but a slice or two are still hanging out in my freezer. I doubt the texture will be as good when they're thawed, but I have starving teenagers at work who will eat anything, so I'm not too worried.