Mocha Mousse With Kumquat Cranberry Sauce And Phyllo Pecan Crisps Recipes

PHYLLO PECAN CRISPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a food processor grind pecans with sugar until finely chopped. In a piece of parchment paper on a work surface arrange 1 phyllo sheet and brush with some butter. Sprinkle phyllo sheet evenly with half of pecan sugar and top with a second phyllo sheet, some butter, remaining pecan sugar, and remaining phyllo sheet, pressing down gently with your fingers and brushing with some butter. Slide a baking sheet under parchment and chill phyllo 10 minutes.
• Transfer phyllo with parchment to a cutting board and with sharp knife cut stack lengthwise into 2-inch-wide strips, cutting through parchment and discarding excess. Cut each rectangle diagonally in half and transfer triangles on parchment to baking sheet, separating triangles slightly. Cover triangles directly with another parchment sheet and bake in lower third of oven 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool crisps on baking sheet on a rack. Crisps keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

MOCHA MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the pudding mix with the milk and coffee until very thick. In another large bowl, beat the heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla using an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Reserve 1/4 cup for garnish. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the pudding to lighten it. Fold the remaining whipped cream gently into the pudding. Spoon into dessert glasses and refrigerate until ready to serve. Mousse can be made ahead up to 4 hours in advance. When ready to serve, top each with a small dollop of the reserved whipped cream and sprinkle with the chocolate chips.

MOCHA MOUSSE WITH KUMQUAT CRANBERRY SAUCE AND PHYLLO PECAN CRISPS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan simmer sugar, water, and kumquats until reduced to about 2/3 cup and stir in Grand Marnier. Cool sauce to room temperature and stir in cranberries. Sauce may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.
• Have ready an instant-read thermometer in a cup of very hot water. In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup water, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and yolks until smooth. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt bittersweet chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Stir cocoa mixture into chocolate mixture and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove bowl from pan and check temperature, tilting bowl to cover thermometer tip by a least 2 inches. If temperature is less than 160°F., rinse thermometer and return to cup. Check temperature every 30 seconds until thermometer registers 160°F. Remove bowl from pan, reserving simmering water over heat, and cool chocolate mixture to room temperature.
• Clean thermometer and put in a clean cup of very hot water. In another metal bowl stir together whites, cream of tartar, and sugar with a rubber spatula and put bowl over pan of reserved simmering water. Cook mixture, stirring constantly with rubber spatula (to keep mixture as froth-free as possible), checking temperature in same manner, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thermometer registers 160°F. and remove from heat. Beat mixture with am electric mixer until cool and meringue holds stiff peaks.
• Gently fold chocolate mixture into meringue until combined well and chill 15 minutes, or until just firm enough to hold its shape when piped. Spoon mousse into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch star tip and pipe about 1/2 cup mousse onto each of 2 dessert plates in a mound 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 2 inches high. Mousse may be piped onto plates 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
• In a bowl with a whisk or cleaned beaters beat together espresso cream ingredients until cream just holds stiff peaks. Espresso cream may be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
• Dollop half of espresso cream on top of each serving of mousse and lean 2 or 3 crisps against mousse. Spoon sauce around desserts.

MOCHA MOUSSE

Steps:

• Stir 1 tablespoon chilled brewed espresso or strong coffee into 2 cups prepared chocolate pudding. Beat 3/4 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar until soft peaks form. Fold into the mocha pudding. Top with chocolate shavings.

CRANBERRY KUMQUAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Prick kumquats 2 or 3 times with a sharp fork. Cover kumquats generously with cold water in a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Drain and rinse with cold water, then repeat 2 more times (to remove bitterness).
• Bring kumquats, sugar, and water (3/4 cup) to a boil in rinsed saucepan (liquid will not cover kumquats) over high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool kumquats in syrup, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer kumquats with a slotted spoon to a bowl, reserving syrup in saucepan. Add cranberries and 1/4 teaspoon salt to syrup and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until berries burst, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
• While cranberries cook, quarter kumquats lengthwise, discarding any seeds.
• Stir kumquats into cranberry mixture and transfer to a bowl. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

CRANBERRY-KUMQUAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, 2 cups water, and kumquats in large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until kumquats are almost translucent, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer kumquats to small bowl. Add cranberries to sugar syrup in pan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until berries burst, about 7 minutes. Add raisins; simmer until soft, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer cranberry sauce to medium bowl. DO AHEAD Kumquats and cranberry sauce can be made 5 days ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.
• Just before serving, add kumquats to cranberry sauce.