Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 2 ripe Ataulfo or champagne mangos*
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • (*see note to substitute Sure-Jell low sugar pectin)
  • 1/4 teaspoon calcium water (only if using Pomona’s pectin)
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon finely ground dried hibiscus flowers (grind in a mortar and pestle or by pulsing in a spice or coffee grinder)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or other finishing salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instruction

  • For mango jam, remove skin from mangos, then cut off flesh around the pit. Coarsely chop and then place in a food processor. Squeeze mango pit, wringing off as much juice and pulp as you can. Process until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Strain purée through a fine mesh sieve. Measure out 1 cup purée.Whisk sugar, cornstarch, Pomona’s pectin, and salt in a bowl and set aside.In a medium saucepan, stir together 1 cup mango puree, lime juice, calcium water (if using Pomona’s pectin) and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with heatproof rubber spatula, and bring to full boil. Add sugar-pectin mixture and stir vigorously until completely dissolved. Return to a boil, scraping bottom and sides of pan to prevent scorching, for 1 to 2 minutes to ensure that cornstarch is fully cooked; it will become very thick. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.For hibiscus sugar, whisk together sugar, hibiscus, cayenne, and salt in a small bowl until evenly incorporated and set aside.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a light or medium-colored heavy-weight baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Add flour and salt and mix until incorporated and dough comes together in a ball. If your dough is particularly sticky, you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes or so to make it easier to work with.Form dough into 1-inch balls and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Flatten balls slightly with the ball of your hand, then gently press your thumb or the back of a small spoon into the center of the cookie to leave a shallow indentation.Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until bottoms are just barely golden. Remove baking sheet from oven. Gently press the back of a spoon to re-define thumbprints, and then fill each with approximately 1/2 teaspoon jam (I find using a piping bag works particularly well here).  Tap or spread out the filling just a bit to make the top smoother if necessary. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of hibiscus sugar. Return to oven and bake for an additional 3 minutes, or until filling levels out and bottoms of cookies are lightly golden. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.Cookies will keep in an airtight container (refrigerated if using curd) for 3 to 5 days.