Name: Pear Mousse
Prep time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds pears (peeled, cored and chopped); 1 cup whipping cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla paste; 2 egg whites; 3 tablespoons sugar (divided); 3/4 cup pecans (chopped)

By Pascale Beale

Photos by Pascale Beale

A tray holding pears and glasses of pear mousse. — Photo: Pascale Beale

There is something ethereal about this mousse, as its delicate and airy nature belies the fact that it is packed with flavor. I like the light textural quality of the pears combined with the sugared pecans. Please don’t skip the nuts; they add a terrific crunchy counterpoint to the silky mousse.

Ingredients

2 pounds pears, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
¾ cup pecans, chopped

Instructions

Blitz the pears in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until you have a smooth purée. Chill the purée for 10 minutes.
Whip the cream with the vanilla paste until it just holds firm peaks.
Whisk the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of sugar in a separate bowl until they hold firm peaks.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the pear purée, then add the egg whites in two parts, carefully folding them into the mixture. Spoon the purée into individual serving glasses or bowls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. It will firm up after chilling.
Spoon the pecans and remaining sugar into a heavy bottomed skillet placed over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the sugar has melted and coated the pecans. It will only take a minute or two, so take care not to let the mixture burn. The mixture will be sticky. Tip the nuts onto a plate and let cool. When ready to serve the mousse, sprinkle some caramelized pecans on top.