Pumpkin Mousse Dessert Parfait

Manami's Note:

This mousse is in the cookbook "Barefoot Contessa At Home" by Ina Garten. Have not tasted this as yet, but from the way it reads, and since it is a Barefoot Contessa recipe, I am 100% sold. Wonderful for a holiday dessert, that is not the usual pumpkin or pecan pie. Cooking time is cooling time - overnight.

• Total Time: 8 hrs 35 mins
• Prep Time: 35 mins
• Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (1 packet)
• 15 ounces canned pumpkin (Not pie filling)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 extra-large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• sweetened whipped cream
• 8 -10 ginger snaps, chopped (Store-bought & spicy)
• crystallized ginger, for dercoration (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the rum in a heat-proof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it.
2. Set aside for 10 minutes for the gelatin to soften.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Set the bowl of gelatin over a pan of simmering water and cook until the gelatin is clear.
5. Immediately, whisk the hot gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form.
7. Fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture.
8. To assemble, spoon some of the pumpkin mixture into parfait glasses, add a layer of whipped cream, then some chopped spicy ginger cookies. Repeat ending with a third layer of pumpkin.
9. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
10. To serve: decorate with whipped cream and slivered crystallized ginger.
11. *This is the final recipe of the dinner meal I have been posting, with roast capon, buttermilk mashed potatoes, green beans with shallots, and orange-honey glazed carrots. This is what the Barefoot Contessa served - it is a lovely combination of different flavors.

Reviews

[SassyStew]

I made mini parfaits for a Thanksgiving open house this year. The mousse was delicious. I added 2 ozs of cream cheese and a Tbsp of plain yogurt to the sweetened whipped cream so it wouldn't separate. The one thing I did not like about this recipe was the pre-assembly. The cookie crumbs get mushy. It was much better a few days later, when I assembled more parfaits with the leftover mousse and fresh cookie crumbs which I served right away. I will make this again, but I'll allow the mousse to set in a big bowl and then build the parfaits right before serving. PS I was out of rum and just used water - still tasty!