Pumpkin Mousse Napoleons / additional mousse recipes for a variation.

Pumpkin Mousse Napoleons:

This is an original creation. It can be adapted to any flavor of mousse.
It's an impressive looking dessert, yet, quite simple.

I traditionally serve the Pumpkin Napoleons at Thanksgiving. If another flavored is used, they can be served at various other occasions during the year.

I added additional recipes for my other favorite flavors. Chocolate would also be great and dust the tops with a good Dutch Cocoa.

I previously posted my favorite Pastry Cream that would be incredible as a Napoleon, I'll add it to the end of this page. It's my favorite, simple and Best of the Best recipe for an easy pastry cream.

Serve alone or layered between baked wontons:
12 wonton wrappers ( this would be for 6 servings, adapt the number for your needs)
2 TBS granulated sugar
powdered sugar
vegetable spray

Arrange wontons on a Silpat lined baking sheet
Spray them lightly with vegetable cooking spray
Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar

Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes
Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Create Napoleons with 2 wontons layered with mousse in between them.
Top with a dusting of powdered sugar.




Pumpkin Mousse:

1 can pumpkin
3 C heavy cream
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 TBS vanilla
Gingersnaps for garnish when served alone.

Combine, in a medium saucepan on medium heat:
pumpkin
1 C cream
sugar
spice
Simmer for 5 minutes
Cool completely

Whip remaining cream and vanilla
Fold into the pumpkin mixture

Pour into serving dishes and top with crumbled ginger snaps or create Napoleons.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen.


Here's my Amaretto Mousse that can be adapted to the Napoleon too.

1/3 C Amaretto
2 TBS Sugar
1 TBS Lemon Juice
1 C Heavy Cream
Amaretti Cookies

Whip all of the ingredients except the cookie, in a Kitchenaid Mixer with the whisk attachment.
Whip until thickened, soft and billowy.
Crumble 2 Cookies into each of 4 Martini Glasses, add Mousse and top with additional Crumbled Cookies.


My original recipe for cranberry mousse can be used to make Napoleons for Christmas.

Best of the Best!

Cranberry Mousse:

1C cranberry juice

1- 3 oz. package of raspberry jello

1- can (16oz.) jellied cranberry sauce

1C heavy cream, whipped ( 2C of Cool Whip will also work)

In a saucepan:

heat juice to boiling

stir in jello until dissolved

add cranberry sauce and cook until dissolved.

Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until thickened.

Whip the cream and fold into the jello mixture.

Transfer to a clear serving bowl to serve.


Pastry Cream:

This is truly one of my Best of the Best Recipes.
This is the only Pastry Cream I ever use.
Here are a few of the ways that I use it:

Cream Puffs
Frost the center of a layered cake
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberries and Pastry Cream
A filling for Aebleskivers
Trifle
Napoleons
It's simple and decadent

Equal parts of Vanilla Ice Cream, softened, and Heavy Cream
I usually start out with a pint of each (2 cups)
Whip the Ice Cream and the Heavy Cream together in a Stand Mixer with a whisk attachment
Add 1 TBS of Vanilla and 1TBS of Almond Extract
Add 1 1/2 boxes of French Vanilla Pudding and continue to mix well

Refrigerate well

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Princess Diana's Wedding Cake

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese,softened
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
3 C confectioner's sugar

In a large bowl:
Mix oil and vanilla into cream cheese with a hand mixer
Add sugar and continue to mix well, cover and set aside.


1 1/4 C vegetable oil
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 can (8oz.) crushed pineapple with juice
1 1/2 C chopped banana
1 C chopped apple
3/4 C coconut
3/4 C chopped walnuts

Prepare a 9"X 13" pan with my pan release recipe

Mix, in a large bowl:
oil
eggs
sugar
vanilla

Sift dry ingredients together in a separate bowl
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients
Fold in remaining ingredients
Mix well

Bake at 350 degrees for 48 minutes

Cool completely before icing the cake

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pineapple Torte

This is a great holiday dessert, any holiday!
Or a great summer dessert!

Butter an 8"X 8" baking dish

2 C water
2 C brown sugar
1- 3" cinnamon stick
juice of 1/2 lime
3 C diced pineapple, drained
3 C cooked white rice
1/3 C toasted slivered almonds
1/3 C golden raisins
5 egg whites + 4 yolks
Pine Nuts

Bring the first 4 ingredients to a boil, then simmer and cook for 10 minutes
Add pineapple
Return to boil, then simmer another 10 minutes

Strain the mixture
Remove the cinnamon stick and return the liquid to the pan, add 3 TBS of lime juice and simmer until it reduces to 1 1/4 C. , transfer to a bowl and set aside
This is the syrup for a topping

Place pineapple in a bowl and add:
rice
almonds
raisins
Combine well

In a mixer:
beat the egg whites until stiff, add yolks and continue beating until well combined

Fold egg mixture into the pineapple , just until fluffy

Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with pine nuts

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes
Let it cool
Serve drizzled with the reserved syrup.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Apple Pudding ?

This is an interesting dessert. It's not a cake, not a traditional pudding either. The filling is like a pecan pie with apples. The outer edge is chewy, the top forms a thin crust like a macaroon. It's interesting and delicious.

1/4 C flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 apple ( peeled, cored, diced) equal to 1 C.
1 C chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, whisk:
flour
baking powder

In another bowl, whisk:
eggs
salt
whisk continuously and add sugars and whisk until thick

Fold:
apple
pecans
vanilla
Stir in flour mixture blending until well incorporated

Pour the batter into a buttered 9"X 9"baking dish
Bake at 325 for 40 minutes. Until the crust is formed and brown and the edges begin to bubble.
Cool 10 minutes
Serve hot or at room temperature
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Mango Margaritas / The Pioneer Woman's Recipe

Mango Margaritas

I've got another recipe for Mango Margaritas but after I saw this one, I like it better.

• 2 whole Limes
• 2 Tablespoons Coarse Sugar (decorator's Sugar)
• 2 jars (20 Ounce) Mango Chunks, Drained
• 1-1/2 cup Tequila
• 1-1/2 cup Triple Sec
• 1/4 cup Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Zest the limes and lay the zest on a plate. If you have the time, let the zest dry out for ten minutes or so. Pour the coarse sugar over the zest and toss it around with your fingers to combine. Lime sugar! Yum.

Throw the mango chunks into a blender. Pour in the tequila, triple sec, and sugar. Squeeze in the juice of the limes, then top off the whole thing with ice. Blend it until it's totally smooth. Give it a taste, then add more of what you think it needs (alcohol, sugar, lime, etc.)

To serve, cut a small wedge in one of the juiced limes and rub the lime all over the rim of the glass to moisten. Dip the rim of the glasses in the lime sugar to give it a pretty, crystally rim.

Pour in the margaritas and serve immediately!

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Mango Mousse

3  (15oz.) cans of Alphonso Mango Pulp ( no substitutes)
5 packages of plain gelatin in 1 C of boiling water
1 TBS sugar
12 ounces of heavy cream
fruit to fill the center

1 - 10 oz. Bundt Pan ( not a complicated design, keep it simple for easy release)

In a saucepan , slowly warm the pulp on very low heat
Dissolve the gelatin into boiling hot water. Dissolve completely

Pour gelatin into the Mango pulp and add sugar

Cool mixture in the refrigerator until it reaches room temperature

Beat heavy cream until it peaks and fold it into the Mango

Coat  the pan with a vegetable spray
Add mousse and refrigerate 24 hours or up to 48 hours if needed

Dip the pan in warm water quickly to loosen the mousse, loosen sides with a knife

Invert onto a serving platter and refrigerate to firm the mousse again
Decorate the platter with any kind of fresh fruit, inside and around the Mousse.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Skillet Blackberry Jam

Be sure to use a powdered pectin in this recipe. Don't substitute liquid pectin or a low sugar variety.

1 pound ( 4 Cups) fresh blackberries
3/4 C sugar
2 TBS powdered fruit pectin
1 TBS fresh lemon juice

Mash berries with a potato masher or a fork, in a large bowl.

In a 12" non stick skillet, combine berries,sugar, pectin, lemon juice.
Boil, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 7 minutes.
Transfer jam to a large ,shallow bowl, cover the surface with waxed paper, refrigerator. Chill until softly set, at least 30 minutes. The jam will set further if chilled longer.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!