If you are looking for a new Thanksgiving dessert recipe to try this year, we have a special one for you! Try this velvety spiced pumpkin mousse, which is layered with gingersnap crumbs to create an elegant Thanksgiving dessert. It offers all the traditional flavors of a pumpkin pie in an updated presentation.
Layering the mousse with cookie crumbs in a glass creates a dish known as a verrine. The name is a play on the French word verre, which means “glass.” This concept is popular in France. The components are layered in a glass, and they can be either sweet or savory. The idea is flexible, but the glass should contain complementary flavors and contrasting textures. An English equivalent might be a parfait.
This pumpkin verrine is perfect for our American Thanksgiving celebration because it can (and should) be prepared in advance, making for a relaxed meal. Happy Thanksgiving!
Yield: 8 servings
Special Equipment
- 4 bowls: 1 small bowl, such as a ramekin, for softening gelatin; 1 small mixing bowl for whipping the cream; 1 medium bowl for the pumpkin purée (metal is best because it is efficient for heat transfer); 1 large bowl for the ice bath
- Instant-read thermometer
- Ice cubes for the ice bath
- Portable electric mixer
- Eight 4-to-6-ounce glasses, for serving
- Piping bag or canning funnel, optional
Ingredients
5 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 18 gingersnaps)
3 tablespoons cold water
1½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 cup unseasoned pumpkin purée
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons rum (or substitute orange juice)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Garnishes: Lightly sweetened whipped cream; Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Seeds (recipe follows), or finely chopped candied ginger, or additional gingersnap crumbs; confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
1. Place a small mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer to chill. (Chilling the bowl and beaters will make it easier to whip the cream later). Set out 8 small glasses (4-to-6-ounce capacity).
2. Place the gingersnaps in a zip-close bag. Crush into coarse crumbs using a rolling pin or the bottom of a saucepan. You should have 1 cup crumbs. Place 1 tablespoon crumbs in the bottom of each glass.
3. Place 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl, Sprinkle the gelatin into the water; stir to mix. Let the gelatin soften for 5 minutes, or until you are ready to use it.
4. Fill a large saucepan with about 1 inch of water; bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Select a medium-size heatproof mixing bowl, preferably metal, that sits comfortably in the saucepan over simmering water. Whisk the pumpkin, egg, egg yolk, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt in the bowl. Set the bowl in the saucepan over the simmering water, and whisk constantly until the pumpkin mixture thickens slightly and reaches a temperature of 160ºF on an instant-read thermometer. This will take 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Whisk in the softened gelatin, rum (or orange juice), and vanilla. Set aside to cool.
5. While the pumpkin mixture cools, whip the cream in the chilled mixing bowl with the chilled beaters until it is thickened. Add the confectioners’ sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Set the whipped cream aside in the refrigerator.
6. Make an ice water bath by placing ice cubes and a little water in a large bowl (one that holds the bowl containing the pumpkin mixture comfortably). Set the bowl containing the pumpkin mixture in the ice bath. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until the mixture is cold and thickened enough to leave a trail when the spatula is scraped over the bottom of the bowl. This will take 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the ice bath.
7. Add about one-quarter of the pumpkin purée–gelatin mixture to the whipped cream; fold with a rubber spatula until incorporated. Add the pumpkin–whipped cream mixture to the remaining pumpkin-gelatin mixture; fold with a rubber spatula until blended.
8. To assemble the verrines: Using a scant ¼ cup mousse per glass, divide half of the pumpkin mousse among the 8 glasses. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon gingersnap crumbs over each mousse. Divide the remaining mousse among the glasses. Cover the glasses and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days.
9. To serve: Pipe or spoon a dollop of the garnish whipped cream onto each pumpkin mousse. Sprinkle with Maple-Glazed Pumpkin Seeds (or candied ginger or gingersnap crumbs). Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Per serving (without garnishes): Calories: 300. Total fat: 15 grams. Saturated fat: 8 grams. Cholesterol: 80 milligrams. Sodium: 140 milligrams. Carbohydrates: 37 grams: Fiber: 0 grams. Sugars: 26 grams (13 grams added sugar). Protein: 3 grams.
Maple-Glazed Pepitas: Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Place ½ cup unsalted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) in the baking dish; toss with 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, and a pinch of salt. Bake in a 350ºF oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and starting to darken, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool. The pepitas will crisp up as they cool. Yield: ½ cup. 40 calories, 3 grams total fat and 0 grams saturated fat per ½-Tbsp serving.
Technique Tip: Setting Gelatin Over an Ice Bath. When mixing the pumpkin purée with the whipped cream, you want the two mixtures to have a similar consistency. To achieve this, the gelatin mixture should be just starting to set when you fold in the whipped cream. I use the technique of stirring the gelatin mixture over an ice bath. That way the mixture sets uniformly, and you have total control over the set.
Tip: Keeping the Rims of the Glasses Clean. As this dessert is served in glasses, you want to keep the rims of the glasses clean when you assemble the verrines. There are 2 ways to do this: You can protect the rims by using a canning funnel. An ice cream scoop is handy for portioning the mousse. Alternatively, use a piping bag to fill the glasses.
—Patsy Jamieson