This is the first post of the second year for bakeitfab! Thank you to everyone who follows along, shares posts, and tries recipes! You support means the world to me! In that spirit, I am posting one of my favorite desserts, frozen passion fruit mousse. Passion fruit is readily available in Asia but if you can’t find fresh fruits, puree works just as well.
The Recipe
by volume                              by weight
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin        3 grams unflavored gelatin
1 cup passion fruit puree              240 grams passion fruit puree
2/3 cup sugar                         133 grams sugar
4 large egg whites                    200 grams egg whites
2/3 cup heavy cream                  151 grams heavy cream
Directions
Prepare ramekins or glasses with strips of parchment that extend above the top edge of the container.
It is helpful to make the strip sturdy by folding it over 2 or 3 times.
It is also helpful to run the strip over the edge of your hand 2 or 3 times to give the parchment a bit of extra flexibility.
Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of the passion fruit puree and let it soften for 3 minutes. Melt the gelatin over low heat, taking care not to let it boil. Add the remaining passion fruit puree and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites and the sugar together.
Warm the bottom of the bowl over low heat and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves. Test to see if all of the sugar is dissolved by rubbing a bit of the mixture between your index finger and thumb. If you can feel grains of sugar, continue to warm and whisk over low heat until there is no grit left. Whip the mixture until it forms stiff peaks.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form and refrigerate .
Stir 1/3 of the meringue into the passion fruit mixture.
Fold the passion fruit and meringue mixture back into the remaining meringue.
Fold in the whipped cream just until incorporated.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared containers making sure that it comes slightly above the edge of the parchment.
Use a small offset spatula to smooth the top of the mousse even with the top of the paper collar.
Freeze at least 4 hours until firm.
To serve, carefully remove the paper collar and smooth any rough edges gently with your fingertip. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
Alternatives
Fruits with bold flavors tend to work best in this dessert. Be wary of pineapple, kiwi, papaya, and ginger as these have an enzyme that causes issues with gelatin setting properly. Any of these must be heated to destroy the enzyme if you want to use them.
