Key Lime Curd Mousse

You can make this with any fresh citrus juice.  Make sure you zest the citrus before squeezing the juice out. This is an easy do ahead dessert for entertaining.  You can layer the curd with cookie crumbs or any of the other add ins listed below, and the whipped cream to make parfaits that your guests will love!

For the curd:
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp zest
3/4 cup fresh squeezed citrus juice
1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces
2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk, beaten in a separate bowl

For the mousse:
1/2 cup heavy cream  +  2 Tbsp sugar  beaten to semi-stiff peaks
     OR

1/2 tub coolwhip
 


In a double boiler (I use a stainless steel bowl over a saucepan with a little water - do NOT let the bowl touch the water) over medium high heat, place the sugar, zest, juice and butter.  Cook until butter melts.  Temper the eggs by adding a few tablespoons of the hot juice to the eggs, whisking constantly.  Add a few more tablespoons hot juice, whisking, then pour the eggs into the double boiler.  Whisk vigorously so the eggs don't scramble.  Continue whisking at a slower pace until the mixture thickens and becomes very glossy.  Pour the hot curd into a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface so a skin doesn't form, and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.  When the curd is cold, fold in the whipped cream (or coolwhip) just until incorporated.  A few swirls of curd are OK and look neat when dished up.

Serve as is, or with crushed cookie crumbs, toasted coconut, chopped toasted macadamia nuts, candied citrus zest, fresh fruit or berries, or anything else you think would be delicious!

Cheesecake Mousse

The easiest dessert! So fluffy and smooth.  You can easily add ingredients to make different flavors too.

1 pkg Instant Jello Sugar free, Fat free Cheesecake pudding
2 cups cold skim milk
1 container thawed FF Cool Whip

In a large bowl, whisk pudding and milk until thick.  Whisk or fold in the thawed cool whip.  For fancy serving, spoon into individual serving dishes.

Variations:  Use a different flavor of pudding mix.  Add lemon, lime or orange zest.  Substitute 1/4c of the milk with 1/4c Kahlua or Bailey's, then serve with chocolate shaving on top.  Dollop chilled mouse over berries and drizzle with ice wine.  Spread into a crumb style pie crust and freeze.

Comment with what deliciousness you came up please!

Turtle Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

This is sooo not a Dukan diet recipe.  I made this for a Syracuse basketball game day fiesta and it was incredible.  Many asked if it was a brownie base.  The caramel sauce is the clincher!

For the bread pudding:
1 loaf of ciabatta or other crusty bread
8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 cups milk
12oz dark chocolate, chopped into small bits if using a bar - I used Hershey's Special Dark morsels
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
butter, for greasing the pan

For the caramel sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

The night before, cut the bread into slices, then into 6-8 cubes per slice.  I like large, thick cubes.  Spread out on a cookie sheet and dry overnight.  When ready to assemble the dish:  heat the milk in a large saucepan until bubbles form on the sides.  Turn off the heat and add the chocolate, stirring to melt and combine.    In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together.  While whisking, ladle in a scoop of the hot chocolate milk; whisk to combine and ladle in another scoop, again whisking to combine. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk all together.

Grease a 9x13 glass pan with butter.  Spread the bread cubes out as evenly as possible and scatter with the toasted chopped pecans.  Carefully pour the chocolate egg mixture over the cubes.  Take a large piece of wax paper and use that to gently press down on the bread helping it absorb the milk.  Allow to sit for an hour or two to fully absorb the liquid.    Bake at 350 for 45min - 1 hour, until top is dry and a knife inserted comes out clean.  While cooling, make the sauce.

For the caramel, combine the sugar and water in a clean saucepan and heat over high. Continue heating without stirring until the mixture turn a dark amber brown - about 5-6 minutes.  Pull pan off the heat and add the cream - careful! It might bubble.  Return to a low flame and stir until fully combined.  Remove from heat and whisk in the butter.  Serve warm sauce over the warm pudding.