Pumpkin Mousse Cake

Back

Ingredients:
 

      Filling

6 eggs, separated

1 cup light brown sugar

1 1/4 cup hot, evaporated milk

1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin purée

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbs. unflavored gelatin, dissolved in 1/2 cup light rum

1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Powdered sugar
 

      Crust

3/4 cup cinnamon Teddy Grahams, ground

1/2 cup ground walnuts

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
 

      Topping

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:
 

     Crust
Combine melted butter, Teddy Grahams and walnuts to make crust. Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a spring-form pan. Bake at 450˚ for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

     Filling
Whisk egg yolks and brown sugar in heavy 3-quart pan until thick, pale and yellow; by dribbles, whisk in the hot milk, then the pumpkin. Beat in flavorings to taste. Stir over moderate heat until hot but not simmering. Mix in the dissolved gelatin. Fold the mixture over a bowl of ice water until cool. Beat egg whites until thick but not dry. Add 1/4 cup sugar. Stir a dollop of them into the pumpkin mixture to soften it. Delicately fold in the rest. Beat the cream and add 1/4 cup powdered sugar, then fold it in. Pour pumpkin mousse into cool pie crust and freeze over night.

     Topping
Beat cream and sugar until stiff. Unmold cake. Make foil collar for cake. Spread the cream a half inch thick on top of cake. Put in freezer for 20 minutes. Remove foil collar and decorate with remaining cream.

                                                    Pierre Troisgros, Odile and me.