Recipe Sunday (New Year’s Day Edition): Orange Coconut Mousse.

Happy New Year!! This is my first post of 2012, and it also happens to be a Recipe Sunday! This is what happens when worlds collide, folks. Anyway, I thought I’d keep with a theme that is on the tip of everyone’s tongue right now: New Year’s Resolutions; the most common being some sort of combination of eat right/lose weight. Well, I can help! After all the over-indulging we’ve done over the holidays (notice I said “we”), and all the heavy food and rich desserts we’ve consumed, I thought I’d offer a light, less-fattening, yet equally delish dish for your resolution-laden desserting pleasure: Orange Coconut Mousse.

I had actually decided on the theme for this post before the recipe itself – I knew I wanted to do a light, airy, lower calorie dessert, however I couldn’t think of a single one. So, I went into the kitchen and started poking around. I came across an almost full carton of orange juice, and an equally almost full carton of heavy cream. It was a true “aha” moment: and Orange Coconut Mousse was born, and even whipped on my brand new KitchenAid Mixer!

Anyway, good luck with your resolutions, and I wish you all a positive, powerful, passionate, and pastry-filled 2012! I hope you enjoy the mousse.

if you like pina coladas…

Orange Coconut Mousse.

What you’ll need:

.25 oz powdered gelatin

8 oz orange juice

.66 oz lemon juice

1 oz sugar

.66 oz coconut rum

8 oz heavy cream (whipped)

What you’ll do:

In a pot on the stove, heat about 1/3 of the orange juice until it reaches 140 F (about 5 minutes). Add the gelatin and stir until it dissolves. Add the lemon juice and the sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the orange juice, stir, and add the rum, stir. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then fold in the whipped heavy cream (should be whipped to medium/stiff peaks). Pour into desired molds (I used little ramekins) and chill. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top and enjoy a bit of the tropics in January. 🙂

the perfect puff.

I’m talking soufflés here, folks. I’m in my final semester of school, and in my class last week we made soufflés, both baked and frozen. This was not my first time making a soufflé (you can read about that adventure here), so I knew that it involved attention to detail and accuracy in order to obtain the perfect “puff” that is completely cooked on the inside without exploding out the top, and does not collapse in on itself when removed from the oven. I had successfully done it once before. But likes snowflakes, every soufflé is unique, so I certainly didn’t want to be overconfident.  

We started off with the frozen soufflé – no worries about collapsing here – it wasn’t possible. However texture, taste, and presentation were all key factors in this soufflé’s success. We chose an orange flavor, using liqueur and orange zest, and it wound up tasting like a creamsicle (which according to everyone who tasted it, was a huge success).  We placed a shaped Florentine  cookie on top, and served. One down, one to go.

"Dreamsicle" is more accurate.

Next up, the baked bad boy. This was the more challenging of the two, as it required very accurate preparation, mixing, and baking time/temp in order to achieve that perfect unpopped, yet thoroughly cooked soufflé bubble. We went with a traditional vanilla flavor, and anxiously hovered around the oven, peering through the glass trying to get a look at the puff-factor. The time had come, we opened the oven, and….

we have achieved "puff".

So, if I had to pick which one I liked better, I’d chose the frozen, and not because it was easier to prepare and there was no “puff anxiety.” I just love me some frozen desserts. I really do scream for ice cream. Just ask my friends. Break your eardrums, man.