Pumpkin Spiced Gourmet Dessert

This pumpkin spiced dessert consists of a pumpkin spiced mousse, an ice cream spiced with the same mixture of spices, some pickled pumpkin, a coffee/dark chocolate ganache and candied pumpkin seeds.

If it seems a bit daunting, don't worry, you can easily spread the process over several days, and make almost everything ahead of time.

The mousse will go in the freezer, so it can be made weeks ahead - you will have to start at least a few days before serving.

The ice cream needs to be prepared the day before, and then it goes in your ice cream machine before serving. If making ahead of time, simply move to a container in the freezer.

If stored in the fridge and proper hygiene is maintained, the pickled pumpkins should keep for months, so it can easily be prepared whenever.

Since the ganache contains cream and isn't frozen, don't make it too far ahead, but at least the day before.

The candied pumpkin seeds easily keep for weeks.

Pumpkin spiced mousse:

10 all spice

5 cloves

1 stick of cinnamon

4g fresh ginger

1/4 tsk nutmeg

2 dl cream

3/4 hokkaido pumpkin

A bit of milk

3 sheets of gelatine

4 egg whites

5 egg yolks

125g sugar

Pickled pumpkin:

200g sugar

200g vinegar

5 cloves

5 allspice berries

1 stick of cinnamon

1/2 tsp of nutmeg

5g fresh ginger

Spiced ice cream:

1/4 l cream

1/2 l whole milk

45g sugar

2 sticks of cinnamon

10g fresh ginger

10 allspice berries

10 cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

6 egg yolks

45g sugar

Ganache:

20g whole coffee beans

120g cream

100g dark chocolate

Candied pumpkin seeds:

150g pumpkin seeds

100g sugar

100g water

10 allspice berries

5 cloves

1 stick of cinnamon

1/2 tsp dried ginger

1/4 tsk nutmeg

2 dl cream

3/4 hokkaido pumpkin

A bit of milk

3 sheets of gelatine

4 egg whites

5 egg yolks

125g sugar

Start at least 2-3 days ahead. 

You will need to make four "components" and mix to get the perfect mousse. Start with the flavoured cream. 

First lightly roast the dry spices in a pot, add the cream and bring to a boil with the spices, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge at least overnight to maximise flavour. Strain and lightly whip, when ready to mix. 

The pumpkin flavour will come from 3/4 of a pureed hokkaido pumpkin (use the remaining 1/4 for the pickled pumpkin). Peel, deseed and roughly chop the pumpkin, then spread out on a baking tray and bake in the oven at 150C until very soft. Pure in a blender or food processor, adding milk as necessary, to thin it down enough to strain it. 

Push through a strainer with the backside of a spoon or a rubber spatula.

Soak gelatine in cold water for 10-15 minutes, then melt in a bowl above a pot of boiling water and stir it into the pure. Allow the pure to cool a bit before mixing, but not enough that the gelatine starts to set. 

Whip egg whites until stiff. 

Whip the egg yolks and sugar until light and airy.

Now for mixing; you have to repeat the same steps a few times, but be patient and you will get a much better result. The yolk and sugar mixture will be your starting point. Mix in a third of the pumpkin pure at a time, carefully folding it in with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated, before adding another third. Repeat for the egg whites. Repeat yet again with the lightly whipped, spiced cream. 

Fill the mixture into a silicone muffin tray and put it in the freezer until serving.

1/4 l cream

1/2 l whole milk

45g sugar

2 sticks of cinnamon

10g fresh ginger

10 allspice berries

10 cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

6 egg yolks

45g sugar

Whisk together the egg yolks and 45g of sugar.

Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil in a pot over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low. Whisk about a third of the mixture into the egg yolks, then mix the yolks into the pot. While stirring, slowly heat the mixture until thick and creamy.

Transfer to a food safe container and keep in the fridge at least over night.

Following the instructions from your ice cream machine, make the ice cream and serve or store in the freezer.

200g sugar

200g vinegar

5 cloves

5 allspice berries

1 stick of cinnamon

1/2 tsp of nutmeg

5g fresh ginger

Thinly slice or chop a quarter of a hokkaido pumpkin, place in a heat safe container. Bring the rest of the ingredients to a boil, and pour over the pumpkin. Store in the fridge until use.

150g pumpkin seeds

100g sugar

100g water

These candied pumkin seeds are very easy to make, but require a bit of patience.

First, get a sheet of baking parchment ready to cool the seeds on.

Simply add all three ingredients to a pan over medium-low heat, and stir with a rubber spatula.

At first the water will evaporate and the sugar will melt. When the sugar starts to crystallize, you have to be extra careful. You will want to remove them from the pan as soon as the sugar starts caramelizing, then spread them out on the baking parchment as much as possible, so they will cool without sticking together.

20g whole coffee beans

120g cream

100g dark chocolate

Chop the chocolate and place in a large bowl with a strainer on top.

Heat the cream and coffee at medium heat until almost boiling. Strain over the chocolate and wait for about a minute, then stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate has melted and is well incorporated.

Transfer to a container and store in the fridge.

Transfer the ganache to a piping bag and leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Place a mousse on a plate about 15-20 minutes before serving to thaw.

Place the pickled pumpkins on a paper towel.

When the mousse is thawed, pipe a few dots of ganache around it, then place the pickled pumpkins decoratively around the mousse aswell.

Sprinkle with candied pumpkin seeds, and place a quenelle of ice cream on top (if you don't know how to quenelle, find a video tutorial, and make sure to use very hot water). Serve immediately.