The April 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Evelyne of the blog Cheap Ethnic Eatz. Evelyne chose to challenge everyone to make a maple mousse in an edible container. Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 27th to May 27th at http://thedaringkitchen.com/!
The mandatory components of the challenge included making a maple mousse and an edible container. The first part was easy and so so good. The second part was not so easy.
Evelyne provided us with instructions on making our choice of bacon cups or nut cups. She also encouraged us to be creative with making our own unique edible container. I actually attempted making the bacon cups with turkey bacon. All I can say is that I tried and failed. My bacon didn’t get crispy enough to hold up as a container. Time started getting away from me which meant that I had to get creative. I wanted to finish this challenge so I resorted to using something familiar with a tiny little twist.
Don’t you just love Rice Krispies treats? How do you think you’d like them when they’re formed into cups, dipped in semi-sweet chocolate, then sprinkled with bits of turkey bacon. Well, if you fill the cups with Evelyne’s Maple Mousse, you’ll think you hit the jackpot like I did. The combination was really nice. These leaned closer to the sweeter side as well but a glass of cold 2% milk made it all better for me.
Thank you Evelyne for this sweet, salty and delicious challenge. I had fun with it!
Here’s the recipe for those who would like to try it:
MAPLE MOUSSE
Ingredients
1 cup (240 ml/ 8 fluid oz.) pure maple syrup (not maple-flavoured syrup)
4 large egg yolks
1 package (7g/1 tbsp.) unflavored gelatine
1 1/2 cups (360 ml. g/12 fluid oz) whipping cream (35% fat content)
Directions
1. Bring maple syrup to a boil then remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and pour a little bit of the maple syrup in while whisking (this is to temper your egg yolks so they don’t curdle).
3. Add warmed egg yolks to hot maple syrup until well mixed.
4. Measure 1/4 cup of whipping cream in a bowl and sprinkle it with the gelatine. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Place the bowl in a microwave for 45 seconds (microwave for 10 seconds at a time and check it in between) or place the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water, stir to ensure the gelatine has completely dissolved.
5. Whisk the gelatine/whipping cream mixture into the maple syrup mixture and set aside.
6. Whisk occasionally for approximately an hour or until the mixture has the consistency of an unbeaten raw egg white.
7. Whip the remaining cream. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the maple syrup mixture. Fold in the remaining cream and refrigerate for at least an hour.
8. Remove from the fridge and divide equally among your edible containers.
