Frozen Praline Mousse Recipes

Steps:

• Tear off 2 (3-inch-wide) strips of foil and wrap each tightly around outside of a ramekin, forming a collar that extends at least 1 inch above rim. Tape overlapping ends together.
• Make praline:
• Line a baking sheet with a sheet of foil, then lightly oil foil. Cook sugar with a pinch of salt in a dry 8- to 9-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel. Immediately remove from heat and stir in nuts with a wooden spoon, then quickly pour onto baking sheet, spreading with back of spoon before praline hardens.
• Cool praline on baking sheet 5 minutes, then break into large pieces. Put pieces in a sealable plastic bag, then seal bag, pressing out excess air. Break praline into smaller pieces by lightly pounding and rolling with a rolling pin. Measure out 1/3 cup (serve remainder on the side).
• Make meringue and assemble dessert:
• Bring sugar and water to a boil in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then wash down crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil syrup, without stirring, until thermometer registers 238 to 242°F (soft-ball stage), 3 to 5 minutes.
• While syrup boils, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy. Increase speed to high, then add hot syrup in a slow stream (avoid beaters and side of bowl), beating constantly, and continue to beat until meringue holds stiff glossy peaks and is cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Fold praline into meringue.
• Whisk cream with Cognac in another bowl until it holds soft peaks, then fold into meringue gently but thoroughly. Spoon mixture into ramekins and freeze, loosely covered with plastic wrap, until firm, 2 to 3 hours. Remove foil collars before serving.

Steps:

• Prepare the praline and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• In a saucepan, put the yolks, one- half cup of the sugar and the milk. Bring to the simmer and cook until the mixture achieves a custardlike texture. Do not overcook or the eggs will curdle. Remove from the heat immediately.
• Blend the gelatin with the water until it is softened. Stir this into the custard mixture and stir until dissolved. Pour and scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl. Let it stand until cool.
• Put the egg whites in one large mixing bowl, the cream in another.
• Beat the whites until they are almost stiff and add two tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until they are stiff.
• Beat the cream until it is almost stiff and add the remaining two tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until it is stiff.
• Add half of the whites to the egg-yolk sauce and beat them in. Add the remaining whites, folding them in gently. Fold in the cream.
• Continue folding while gradually sprinkling the praline on top. Chill until set.

Steps:

• Cut 2-inch holes out of the bottom of a large tin foil roasting pan in neat rows, leaving 1 to 2 inches in between the holes. Invert the pan and place paper cooler cups in the holes to hold them upright during freezing.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan combine the lemon juice, sugar, yolks, egg, and butter. Over medium heat, whisk the mixture constantly until thickened. Strain it into a bowl set over ice and chill it, stirring to thicken slightly. Fold in the whipped cream and pour or pipe into paper cones set in the prepared tin foil roasting pan. Freeze overnight. Peel off the paper and serve the cone flat side down and serve with berries.
• In a small saucepan bring water, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil. Add blackberries and turn off the heat. Fish the berries out of the hot liquid with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a plate in a single layer and allow to cool.
• Yield: 1 cup

Steps:

• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon gelatin over 2 tablespoons water in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon gelatin over 1 tablespoon water in another heatproof bowl. Let soften about 3 minutes.
• Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Swirl pan to dissolve sugar. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Boil until sugar turns dark amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Slowly add 1 cup cream and the butter, stirring until butter has melted. Put 2/3 cup caramel into a medium bowl; set aside. Stir remaining caramel and the unsweetened chocolate in another medium bowl; set aside.
• Set 1 bowl of softened gelatin over a pan of simmering water, and stir until gelatin has melted. Repeat with remaining bowl of gelatin. Pour larger batch of gelatin into plain caramel. Pour smaller batch of gelatin into chocolate caramel. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Whisk remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into plain caramel mixture; fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate-caramel mixture. Refrigerate the mousses until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Stir almond praline into plain caramel mousse.
• Stir Cognac and simple syrup in a small bowl. Assemble torte: Place 1 cake rectangle on a platter; brush with one-quarter of the Cognac syrup. Spread with half the chocolate-caramel mousse. Top with another cake rectangle; brush with one-quarter of the syrup. Spread with praline-caramel mousse. Refrigerate 10 minutes to set. Top with another cake rectangle; brush with one-quarter of the syrup. Spread with remaining chocolate-caramel mousse. Top with remaining cake rectangle; brush with remaining syrup. Clean edges with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with bittersweet chocolate shavings.