caramel mousse

Sometimes I'm in the mood for something classic and easy for dessert, and sometimes I want something a little fancier. Mousse is one of those recipes that's right in the middle -- classic enough for the pickiest eater, fancy enough for the chic-est dinner party, and easy enough for a novice cook to master.

But I already have a great recipe for chocolate mousse, and this time I wanted something a little different.  When I thought back to the flavors I really love, caramel immediately jumped to mind, and I wanted to see if I could use this old recipe for caramel syrup in a new way.

And, to my infinite relief, it worked.  This was light and airy and had that perfect mousse sweetness.  I'm definitely going to be experimenting more with this recipe -- particularly because make-ahead desserts are a lifesaver when you're feeding a group.  If you have a group of big sweet-tooths coming round this weekend, definitely whip this up!

caramel mousse recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

1/4 cup caramel syrup at room temperature

DIRECTIONS

Whip the seeds of the vanilla bean and heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer until the cream holds soft peaks. Fold the caramel syrup into the whipped cream gently, until evenly combined.  Scoop the mousse into individual ramekins or small bowls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate to chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with chocolate shavings as a garnish, or drizzled with additional caramel sauce.

Serves 6.