Cranberry Orange Mousse

Every once in a while I make a special dinner and special dessert just because.  And sometimes, I do it just because I have a dessert that I wouldn’t normally make but I’m dying to try it 😉  This mousse was a nice change from the usual.  It was much simpler to make than I expected.  I definitely recommend using a instant read thermometer to be sure that the chocolate is at the right consistency.  If you don’t have one, get one!  I think it is a kitchen necessity.  It really helps take the guesswork out of cooking and baking and ensures  consistent results.

The mousse is fairly rich and my eyes were a bit big for my stomach in this case.  I divided it into two servings but I think three or four smaller servings would have been better.  My only issue was that I felt the fruit, most likely the orange zest, made the texture less than smooth despite pushing it through a sieve.  I think next time I will add the orange zest once the cranberry sauce is made, puree the whole mixture in a blender, and then run it through the sieve to achieve a better texture.  I have reflected these changes in the recipe below.  Enjoy!

Recipe Rewind: tried and true favorites I’ve made recently
Homemade Bagels – my favorite!

Cranberry Orange Mousse
Ingredients:
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. water
zest of half an orange
1 1/2 tsp. orange liqueur
1 1/2 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and becomes jam-like, about 8-10 minutes total.  Mix in the orange zest and orange liqueur.  Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor.  Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a mixing bowl.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring constantly until completely melted.  Remove the bowl and allow to cool, until it reaches 85 degrees F.  If the chocolate is too cold, the mousse may turn out grainy.  While the chocolate is cooling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Fold about a third of the whipped cream into the cranberry mixture.  Then fold in the melted chocolate.  Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Spoon or pipe into serving dishes (2-4).  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Source: adapted from Baking Obsession