Oatmeal, mango and cheese pie

The crust is made with flavored oatmeal, flour and sugar; the filling is cream cheese and sugar with a layer of sliced fresh mangoes on top; the crumbly topping is the same mixture as the crust. I baked this wonderfully sinful dessert pie around midnight last night (I just needed some alone time) and it is based on a recipe called apple streusel cheesecake bars, second prize winner in the Mix It Up With Betty cookie recipe contest. I did not use a Betty Crocker cookie mix, however. I used the oatmeal cookie recipe that I got from my sister-in-law more than a decade ago. I did not use canned pie filling either but slices of luscious fresh mangoes which really gave the pie a very Filipino touch.

Like I’ve mentioned before, I’m not really an oatmeal porridge kind of girl. So I try find more exciting ways of using the boxes of oatmeal we keep a steady supply of. First there were the blueberry oatmeal pancakes for breakfast. Now, I have this gorgeous dessert that, surprisingly, was really so simple to make. And I hope to add more to my flavored oatmeal recipes. It’s such a wonderful feeling to be able to transform something I find boring into something that really, really tickles my taste buds.

If you want to follow the original recipe, click here. If you prefer my version with fresh mangoes, click the link to page 2 below.

Ingredients :

For the crust :

4 packets (1.3 oz. or 37 g. each) of flavored oatmeal (I used Quaker’s walnut, date and raisin oatmeal)
1 c. of unsifted all purpose flour
1/4 c. of chilled butter or margarine
1/2 c. of white sugar
1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. of salt

For the filling :

500 g. of cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
3/4 c. of white sugar
2 tbsps. of all-purpose flour
3 ripe mangoes

Baking procedure :

Prepare the crust and topping :

In a bowl, mix together the oatmeal, flour, spices, sugar and salt. Cut in the chilled butter or margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a pastry cutter, two knives or your hand. I used my hand. I like to feel the texture so I know when to stop. Divide the mixture into two portions; set aside one portion in a cool place. In the Philippines, that would be the fridge. These days, butter melts fast even at midnight.

Pour half of the prepared crust into a 10-inch springform pan. If you do not have one, use an ordinary round cake pan. I did — springform pans are bloody expensive. Take a large piece of baking paper, push and tuck to fit into the bottom of the cake pan then smooth out the sides. It is important to leave an overhang which will serve as a collar to enable you to pull out the pie in one piece after it has been chilled.

Push the crust into the bottom of the pan to pack it in. Bake in a 160^oC oven for 10 minutes then take it out.

Prepare the filling :

Cut the mangoes and remove the stones. Scoop out the flesh of each half in one piece (use a large spoon) then slice thinly.

With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the partially baked crust, scraping the mixing bowl as you do. Use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to spread the filling evenly.

Arrange the sliced mangoes on top.

Sprinkle the reserved crust on top of the mangoes.

Bake in a 160^oC oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned in places.

Cool completely in the pan, then chill (still in the pan) for several hours before cutting. I wrote my op-ed column while waiting for the pie to cool then I let it chill until breakfast. I know it sounds like a long time to wait but it’s really worth it.