Author Notes
Last fall was the first time I had persimmons and I have been hooked ever since! While I like my Fuyus sliced just plain, I decided to do something different with the Hachiyas. I found a recipe for pumpkin mousse at http://www.foodiecrush.com/2012/10/mascarpone-pumpkin-mousse-cups-recipe/ and decided to adapt it for my persimmon mousse.
I had to wait a good three weeks before I could actually try out this recipe, because that is how long the Hachiyas took to blet! But you absolutely HAVE To let it become super soft and fall-apart ripe - if you rush it, your mousse will be grainy and astringent and you don't want that, do you?
So be patient, and you will be rewarded with a mousse that not only looks great but also tastes and smells really delicate! Enjoy! —Madhuja
Ingredients
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4
VERY ripe Hachiyas
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3
eggs, whites and yolks separated
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1 cup
very cold heavy cream
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1/2 cup
sugar
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8 ounces
mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
Directions
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Slice the Hachiyas and pass them through a food mill. You could also scoop out the flesh of the Hachiyas and then puree them, just make sure you don't get any bits of its skin in there. Add the sugar to the persimmon puree. Set aside.
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Bring about an inch of water to a gentle simmer in a small pot. Place the egg yolks in a small heat proof bowl and place it over the pot of gently simmering water. Make sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Using an electric hand mixer or a whisk, beat the egg yolks until they change color to a pale yellow and become much thicker, about 3-5 minutes. To be absolutely sure that there are no cooked bits of egg in there, I would highly recommend passing the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. This will guarantee that your mousse will come out smooth and creamy! Set aside to cool.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites. Beat it until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.
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Using the same bowl (without washing), whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.
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Using the same bowl (without washing) add the persimmon puree, whisked egg yolks and mascarpone cheese. Blend until everything is well combined.
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In a big bowl add the persimmon mixture and the whipped cream. Very, very gently fold everything until there are no white streaks visible. Add the whipped egg whites and again fold everything really gently. Don't stir too much or you will deflate all the air that you have incorporated into your mixture!
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Refrigerate for a couple of hours. Serve chilled. I would not recommend making this dessert way ahead of time, as the mousse gets muddied in color by the second day. So, make it and devour it on the same day! Enjoy!
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