Pumpkin Mousse Layer Cake Food

PUMPKIN CHARLOTTE ROYALE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 10-by-15-inch jellyroll pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a piece of parchment. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a parchment round.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Add the granulated sugar and eggs to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on high speed until thick, fluffy and lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low to incorporate. Scrape down the bowl and beat on medium for 1 full minute.
• Pour about 3/4 cup of the batter into the prepared 8-inch cake pan and spread into an even layer. Scrape the remaining batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until the cakes spring back when gently touched, 14 to 17 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 2 minutes.
• Loosen the edges of the jelly roll pan cake with a knife. Using a sieve, generously dust a clean kitchen towel larger than the jelly roll pan with confectioners' sugar. Flip the cake onto the towel and peel off the parchment. Starting on a long end, fold the towel over the cake edge and begin to roll the cake up with the towel as tightly as possible without cracking the cake. Leave the cake rolled in the towel to cool completely, about 30 minutes. When the round cake is cool enough to handle, run a knife along the edge and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the cream cheese filling: Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and combined. Add the confectioners' sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and beat until the ingredients are incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When the rolled cake is cool, unroll it, leaving it on the kitchen towel. Spread the cream cheese filling over the cake in an even layer. Roll the cake back up tightly, this time keeping the towel on the outside. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• To assemble the charlotte: Line a 2 1/2-quart stainless steel or glass bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of wrap overhanging the outside of the bowl.
• Trim the edges of the cake roll, then slice the roll into 20 rounds, each about 1/2 inch thick. Starting in the center of the plastic wrap-lined bowl, arrange the rolls next to each other tightly. Cut any remaining rolls to fit and fill the top edge of the bowl as best as possible. Trim the cake roll rounds to come 1/2 inch below the edge of the bowl.
• Add the white chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted. Pour the chocolate into the cake-lined bowl and use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer and fill any cracks between the cake roll pieces. Refrigerate while you make the pumpkin mousse filling.
• For the pumpkin mousse filling: Put 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it; stir to moisten and set aside.
• Add the sweetened condensed milk to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the milk thickens to a paste-like consistency and just starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin, return to the heat and cook until the mixture just begins to bubble and sputter, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin. Transfer the mixture to a separate bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (see Cook's Note).
• When the pumpkin mixture has cooled, add the heavy cream to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip on high until the cream begins to thicken. Add the cooled pumpkin mixture, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
• Spoon the whipped cream mixture into the center of the cake-lined bowl, smoothing the top to an even layer. Trim the 8-inch cake to fit on top of the filling. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
• To serve, invert the charlotte onto a cake stand. Remove the plastic wrap and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve cold.

LUSCIOUS FOUR-LAYER PUMPKIN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
• Bake 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
• Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading COOL WHIP mixture between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts.

NO-BAKE PUMPKIN MOUSSE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
• Combine the cookie crumbs, pecans, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until fine. (Alternatively, you can crush the cookies very finely in a resealable gallon-size bag and chop the nuts as finely as possible; combine them in a bowl with the sugar and salt.) Add the melted butter and vanilla and pulse until evenly moistened. Press the mixture about 2 inches up the sides of the springform pan, then press to cover the bottom evenly. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling: Pour 3 tablespoons cold water into a small microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Set aside to bloom.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beat 1 minute. Beat in the pumpkin puree and vanilla, blending about 30 seconds.
• Place the bloomed gelatin in the microwave and microwave until the gelatin melts and the mixture is clear, 10 to 12 seconds. Stir a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture into the hot gelatin, then add the gelatin mixture to the mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until combined, about 15 seconds.
• Mix in the heavy cream on low speed until combined. Scrape the bowl, then whip at high speed for about 1 minute. Spread over the prepared crust. Smooth the top of the cream, as desired. Refrigerate, uncovered, 8 hours to overnight (or top with a plate, domed-side up, so it doesn't touch the surface of the cheesecake).
• For finishing: Unlatch and remove the sides of the springform pan. Before serving, sprinkle the edges of the cheesecake with the pecans and chocolate chips.

PUMPKIN MOUSSE

Steps:

• Pour the 1/2 cup of water or milk into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it to soften.
• Separate the eggs, placing the whites in an electric mixer bowl and the yolks in a heat-proof bowl that holds at least 2 cups.
• Combine the milk, honey and spices in a heavy bottomed saucepan and heat until the honey dissolves and the mixture is steaming hot. Add the softened gelatin with its liquid and stir until it is completely dissolved.
• Pour most of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then pour this mixture back into the pot and continue heating until it thickens and almost boils. Stir in the pumpkin and keep stirring until there are no big bubbles when you stop stirring for a few seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
• Beat the egg whites until frothy, then start adding the sugar gradually, beating until stiff peaks have formed. Fold a big spatula of the whites into the pumpkin custard, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Turn the mousse into a 6-cup metal mold that has been rinsed with cold water. Chill mousse overnight. To unmold, dip the mold in hot water for about 30 seconds then invert onto a serving platter. Alternatively, spoon the mousse into individual ramekins or wine glasses that have a tablespoon or two of chopped crystallized ginger and/or gingersnap crumbs in the bottom. Serve with whipped cream.

PUMPKIN PIE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make the pumpkin filling: Combine the milk, pumpkin, granulated sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, vanilla, pie spice and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until bubbles start to form around the edges, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking, whisking constantly and getting into the corners of the saucepan, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl; press plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until cooled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper and butter the paper. Lightly dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess. Combine the flour, baking powder, pie spice and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk in two batches; beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the 2 pans. Bake until light golden brown on top and the center springs back when gently pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove the cakes to the racks to cool completely. Remove and discard the parchment.
• Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or platter. Spread the pumpkin filling on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with the second cake layer.
• Make the whipped cream: Combine the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, milk powder and vanilla in a large metal bowl (for the best results, chill the bowl beforehand). Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the whipped cream all over the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 20 minutes. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice before serving.

PUMPKIN MOUSSE

Steps:

• Heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.
• Dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.
• For the decoration: Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Fold half the whipped cream into the cooled pumpkin mixture.
• Pour the mousse into a 7 by 4-inch souffle dish. Pipe or spoon the remaining whipped cream decoratively on the mousse and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.