Pumpkin Mousse Charlotte

There is a big black spider acting the cherry of the cake together with a caramel spider net, but that cake has been especially prepared for my son's Halloween party... The Charlotte could be decorated as we like it :) The Pumpkin Mousse recipe is adapted from Ina Garten’s Pumpkin Mousse Parfaits, but I have replaced some of the ingredients according to my son’s taste. INGREDIENTS: For the Base: * 400 g lady finger biscuits * ¼ cup cold milk * ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (or instant coffee) For the Mousse: The mousse recipe is adapted from Ina Garten’s Pumpkin Mousse Parfaits, but I have replaced some of the ingredients according to my son’s taste. * ¼ cup dark rum * 10g (2 teaspoons ) unflavored gelatin powder * 15 ounce pumpkin puree (or 1 15-ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling)) * ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed * ½ cup granulated sugar * ¼ cup cold water * 3 egg yolks * ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon * ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg * ¼ teaspoon ground ginger * ¼ teaspoon ground clove (optional) * ½ teaspoon salt * 1 ½ cups cold heavy cream * 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract For the Icing: * ½ cup granulated sugar + 3 tablespoons cold water * 1 cup cold heavy cream + ¼ cup granulated sugar (or sweetened whipped cream) * ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract * 1 cup sliced almonds METHOD: The Base: • Preheat slightly ¼ cup milk to flavour it with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or ½ teaspoon instant coffee) easily and leave to cool • Sprinkle half of the ladyfinger biscuits with the flavoured milk (if you prefer you could replace the milk and cinnamon with water and dark rum) • Arrange the slightly soaked ladyfinger biscuits into an 8.75” in diameter spring form cake pan, as firstly carefully set them along - one by one - tightly standing against the wall of the pan (it’s a bit tricky though) and afterwards cover the bottom with lady fingers also • Refrigerate, while preparing the mousse The Pumpkin Mousse: • Soak the gelatin powder in the dark rum in a heat-proof cup or bowl for at least 10 minutes • Whisk together the pumpkin puree, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon clove and the ½ teaspoon salt • Pasteurize the egg yolks with the ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup water and add to the pure (or cook all the ingredients together at low temperature, letting all simmer for about 10 minutes) • Set the bowl of gelatin over a pan of simmering water and cook until the gelatin is clear or put it into the microwave for about 1/2 minute, but do not let that start boiling • Whisk the melted gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture and let all chill • Separately, whip the cold heavy cream and the vanilla extract • Add gradually the whipped cream into the chilled pumpkin mixture and mix up together The Icing: • Caramelize the ½ cup granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons cold water. • Sprinkle slightly the top of the lady fingers with a part of the caramel and “draw” with the rest some figures you may like onto a sheet of baking paper and leave to harden • Whip the heavy cream, granulated sugar and the vanilla extract ASSEMBLE: • Sprinkle the second half of the ladyfinger biscuits with the flavoured milk (or rum) • Get the arranged ladyfinger biscuits out of the fridge, pour half of the Pumpkin Mousse into the spring form and top with some freshly soaked ladyfinger biscuits • Sprinkle about half of the sliced almonds • Pour the second half of the Pumpkin Mousse and refrigerate (while preparing the icing) • When the Frosting elements are ready, remove the pan’s ring and sprinkle the second half of the sliced almonds over the Charlotte • Decorate the cake with the sweetened whipped cream, as you like it • Place carefully your caramel figures over the cake And your Halloween Pumpkin Mousse Charlotte is ready For more photos: http://angellovescooking.blogspot.com/2010/10/helloween-pumpkin-mousse-charlotte.html