Butterscotch Mousse with Vanilla Salt (Kopie)

*****
Serves 12

INGREDIENTS
Vanilla Salt

1/4 dried vanilla bean
1/4 cup kosher salt
Butterscotch Mousse

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 vanilla bean, pod split and seeds scraped
2 teaspoons dark rum
1 cup heavy cream
12 Almond Tuiles, shaped into cups if you like or left flat (recipe below)
1/2 cup Candied Almonds, coarsely chopped


DIRECTIONS
1. To make the vanilla salt: Coarsely chop or break the vanilla bean into two pieces. Combine 1 piece and 2 tablespoons of the salt in a spice grinder. Pulse until the vanilla is very finely chopped and blended with the salt. Transfer to a small bowl. Repeat with the remaining vanilla and salt. This makes more than you’ll need just for this dessert. Store any remaining in an airtight container for up to 1 week and use any way you’d like. It’s good on any caramel or chocolate desserts and on savory dishes such as roast pork.

2. To make the mousse: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and 1/2 cup of the half-and-half until smooth. Press through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan to break up any remaining lumps of sugar. Whisk in the egg yolks and remaining 1 cup half-and-half.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula, until thick and bubbling, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla seeds, and rum until well combined. Transfer the pudding to a medium bowl and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface. Refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

4. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Whisk a quarter of the whipped cream into the pudding to loosen it. With a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining whipped cream until completely incorporated. Pipe or spoon the mousse into the tuile cups, if you made them, or glass cups if you didn’t. Top with the candied almonds and sprinkle with a little vanilla salt. Garnish with a tuile if not using tuile cups.

Catering Like Carla

The mousse can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. When I was catering, I usually made these as tuile cups filled with the mousse. Occasionally, my tuile cups would be especially lacy. To ensure that the mousse didn’t spill out through the cups, I’d brush a very thin layer of melted dark chocolate over the bottom and sides of the cups. When the chocolate hardens, it creates a seal. Be sure to brush very lightly. You don’t really want to taste the chocolate at all; it’s just there to reinforce the cup.

http://www.carlahall.com/2013/01/03/cooking-with-love-recipe-butterscotch-mousse-with-vanilla-salt/