White Chocolate Mousse & Gingerbread Trifle

Prep / Total time : 3 hours ... Serves 8 ... Can make ahead 

 

This trifle is three desserts in one : Mousse , Gingerbread and caramel  . Each part is delicious on it's own . 

Gingerbread :

Nonstick cooking spray

1-1/4 ..................cups  all-purpose flour

1-1/2 ..................teaspoons ground ginger

1 ........................teaspoon  baking soda

1/2 .....................teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 .....................teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 ....................teaspoon  freshly grated  nutmeg

1/2 ....................cup unsulfured  molasses

1/2 ....................cup sugar

1........................stick butter , melted

1 .......................large egg

1-1/2 .................teaspoons  finely grated ginger

1 ........................tablespoon minced crystallized  ginger

1/2 ....................cup water

Mousse :

2 ....................teaspoons unflavored gelatin

4 ....................large egg yolks

1/4 .................cup sugar

3 ....................heavy cups heavy cream

1/2 .................cup whole milk

2 ....................teaspoons  finely grated lemon zest

1/2 .................teaspoon kosher salt

10-1/2 ............ounces white chocolate  , chopped

Caramel :

3/4 .................cup sugar

1/2 .................cup pomegranate seeds

** Silvered crystallized ginger  for garnish **

 

1.             Make the GINGERBREAD : preheat the oven  to 325*F. Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan  with parchment paper and lightly spray the bottom  and side of the pan with cooking spray.

2 .           In a bowl , sift the flour  with the ginger , baking soda , salt cloves  and nutmeg . In a large bowl , beat  in the molasses  with the sugar  and butter  at medium speed until fluffy . Beat in the egg  and the fresh  and crystallized ginger . At low speed , beat in the dry ingredients  . Gradually  beat in water . Spread the batter  in the prepared pan .

3.           Bake the  gingerbread  for about 20 minutes  , rotating  the pan once , until a tester inserted  in center comes out clean .Transfer  the gingerbread  to a rack  to cool  for 30 minutes , then turn it out  and let it cool completely , 1 hour . Refrigerate  the gingerbread  until firm  , about 1 hour . Peel off the parchment  paper  and cut  the gingerbread  into 1-inch cubes .

4 .           Meanwhile , make  the Mousse :In a small bowl , sprinkle  the gelatin  over 2 tablespoons  of water  and let stand  for 5 minutes  . In a medium bowl , beat  the egg yolks  with the sugar until fluffy .

5.            In a medium saucepan , combine  1/2 cup of the cream  with the milk  , zest and salt and bring  to a simmer . While whisking  , drizzle  the hot mix mixture  into the egg yolks until incorporated  . Transfer  the mixture  to the saucepan  and cook over low heat , stirring  until  the custard  is thickened  and coats  the back  of a spoon , about 10 minutes . Remove  from the heat  . Add the gelatin  and white  chocolate  and stir until melted . Strain  the custard  into a medium metal bow of ice water   and cool to  room temperature , stirring  about 2 minutes  . Remove the bowl from the ice bath .

6 .           In a large bowl , beat the remaining  2-1/2  cups heavy cream  until soft  peaks form . Fold  the whipped  cream  into the custard . Refrigerate  the mousse  until chilled  , about 2 hours .

7 .          Make the Caramel : In a medium  saucepan , combine  the sugar  with 3 tablespoons  of water  and cook over moderate  heat , stirring  until the sugar dissolves ; brush  down the side of the pan  with a wet pastry brush . Cook undisturbed  until a medium-amber  caramel forms , about 5 minutes . Carefully  add the pomegranate  juice  and lemon juice  and simmer until slightly thickened , about 5 minutes  . Let cool to room temperature .

8 . In an 8-inch , 2-quart  trifle bow , make  4 layers  of the  gingerbread  , mousse  and caramel . Garnish  with pomegranate seed (optional)  and crystallized  ginger slices  and serve .

Heart healthy