Citrus And Caramel Mousse Parfaits Recipes

CITRUS AND CARAMEL MOUSSE PARFAITS

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Stir in flour and ground hazelnuts. Drop teaspoons of batter, spaced 2 inches apart, onto a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)
• Make the mousse: Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a bowl, and sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Bring sugar, corn syrup, and remaining 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, swirling gently once mixture begins to color, until dark amber, 12 to 13 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Carefully add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking after each addition until butter melts (caramel will bubble). Add 1/4 cup each cream and creme fraiche. Add salt, and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Add gelatin mixture, and stir until combined. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally.
• In a bowl, whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups cream and 1/4 cup creme fraiche until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into caramel. Cover mousse, and refrigerate for 10 minutes (or overnight).
• Assemble parfaits: Cut peel and pith from citrus. Slice fruit along membranes to release segments.
• Layer segments and mousse in 6 serving glasses, beginning and ending with segments. Refrigerate, covered, until mousse is set, at least 1 hour (or overnight). Serve with lace cookies.

FROMAGE BLANC PARFAITS WITH CITRUS FRUITS AND CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the parfaits, place the fromage blanc, mascarpone, almond paste, milk and sugar in a metal bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Heat until the sugar and almond paste are dissolved, whisking occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1 tablespoon of water. Pass the cheese mixture through a strainer into another bowl. Add the gelatin and place back over the water, whisking just until gelatin dissolves. Let cool. Stir in the amaretto.
• Refrigerate the mixture until it is chilled and beginning to set; do not let it get firm. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Stir in 1/3 of the cheese mixture, then fold in the rest. Spoon into 6 1/2-cup ramekins. Refrigerate for several hours.
• To make the sauce, squeeze the juice from 4 of the blood oranges and all of the navel oranges. Set aside. Working over a bowl to collect any juice, use a paring knife to remove all the peel and pith from the mandarin oranges and the remaining blood oranges. Cut the sections out from between the membranes. Thinly slice the kumquats crosswise, removing any pits. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar on the side of the pan. Cook until the sugar turns a nice caramel color. Quickly remove from heat and carefully add the orange juices. Return the sauce to the heat and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in the orange sections and kumquats. Set aside.
• To serve, dip the bottoms of the ramekins briefly in hot water. Run the tip of a small knife around the edge of the parfaits to loosen. Unmold onto 6 dessert plates. Spoon some of the sauce and fruit beside each one and serve immediately.