Category Archives: Celebration/Holiday

Blueberry Cardamom Cheesecake Ice Cream {National Ice Cream Month}

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Celebration/Holiday, Cheesecake, Dessert, Ice cream, Sauces and Frostings and tagged with , , ,
 [Welcome to Frozen Friday! In honor of National Ice Cream Month, I am sharing a new ice cream recipe each Friday morning. In case you missed them, be sure to check out the previous recipes, s’mores and mimosa!]
 
Is it just me, or is July flying by? I feel like May was only a few weeks ago and here it is with August right around the corner. Insane. At least until I take the weather into account. Montana has been met with somewhat of a heatwave this week, and I’m super grateful we don’t get much humidity along with it.
 

Blueberry Cardamom Cheesecake Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

With hot weather comes extra cravings for cold treats, so hopefully you’re ready for a new flavor. The world is full of cheesecake ice creams, usually strawberry, and today we’ll had one more to the mix. I chose blueberry due to the abundance in my freezer, but you could definitely substitute blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, or whatever your favorite is.

Blueberry Cardamom Cheesecake Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

The ice cream itself is a mild cheesecake flavor made more interesting with the addition of cardamom. Although I actually really love the flavor of cardamom, it rarely occurs to me to use it outside of my Christmas krumkake-making sessions with my family. It’s a wonderful spice with a bit more intrigue than cinnamon, and is ready to up the ante in your baking adventures. A few years ago I discovered cardamom cream cheese frosting, and I’ve been a fan ever since.

Blueberry Cardamom Cheesecake Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

This is a pleasantly spiced and cream cheesy ice cream to add to your repertoire, and is excellent on its own. The blueberry sauce swirl not only adds wonderful flavor, but a gorgeous color as well. You can stir it in as much or as little as you like, depending on whether you prefer it streaky or entirely purple.

Although cheesecake ice cream often contains a Graham cracker crust component, I opted not to add one. Personally it adds a level of sweetness I am not looking for, and it alters the texture as well. If you’re missing it, however, you can certainly crumble your favorite Graham cracker crust into the ice cream, or use it as a topping.

Blueberry Cardamom Cheesecake Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

I’ve included recipes for both cardamom cheesecake ice cream and a blueberry sauce below. If you’re in a bind, you can substitute canned blueberry pie filling, but I promise this sauce is quite simple to make, just remember to allow for chilling time. You likely will not have any leftover sauce, so make an extra batch (with extra cornstarch! see note) if that saddens you. Not a fan of cardamom? Substitute cinnamon or nutmeg, or leave it out entirely. If you’re looking to pump up the cream cheese flavor, you can try adding extra cream cheese to the base, or you can add a tablespoon or two of dry Cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix.

Blueberry Cardamom Cheesecake Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

This is a lovely recipe for these hot summer days, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Cardamom Cheesecake Ice Cream 

Makes ~6 cups

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup egg substitute

1 tsp vanilla
1-2 tsp ground cardamom1

1-2 Tbsp dry Cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix (optional)2

Directions

  1. Warm cream cheese in the microwave until easily stirred (if it isn’t already), about 30 seconds.
  2. Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until mixture is smooth.
  3. (If you don’t have a blender, use a hand mixer. Alternatively, mix cream cheese and sugar first, then slowly whisk in liquids until completely combined and smooth. Whisk in vanilla and cardamom.)
  4. Cover bowl (or keep it lidded in the blender container) and store in the refrigerator until completely chilled, or overnight.
  5. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions, then place in a freezer-safe bowl to freeze for an additional three hours, or overnight. Or, follow Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream recipe below.
  6. Top with crushed Graham crackers or Graham cracker crust for extra flair and crunch.

Notes

1 I used 1.5 tsp, but I think I’ll use 2 next time because I like a pretty strong flavor. If you don’t like cardamom, you can leave it out or substitute cinnamon or nutmeg, adjusting quantities to your preference.

2 I did not add this, but if you want it super cream cheese tasting, this is the easiest way to pump up the flavor.

Blueberry Sauce3

Borrowed from My Baking Addiction
Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp cold water

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

  1. Combine blueberries, 1/2 cup water, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a low boil.
  2. Mix cornstarch and 1 Tbsp cold water until completely combined. Slowly stream into the blueberries, stirring constantly but gently, and simmer until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla and zest, mashing blueberries a little.
  4. Serve on your favorite French toast, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or mix in to Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream (below).
  5. Store leftovers in the fridge and reheat slightly as necessary.

Notes

3 This is the same recipe I use for topping waffles and Overnight French Toast, but with less cornstarch for a thinner sauce, which keeps it smoother when frozen in the ice cream. If you want to make it as a topping, use 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 2 Tbsp cold water.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 recipe cheesecake ice cream, chilled but not churned (or *just* churned)
1 recipe of thin blueberry sauce, chilled

Directions

  1. If you haven’t churned the ice cream already, place a freezer-safe bowl in the freezer.
  2. Freeze ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s directions.
  3. Remove bowl from freezer, and drizzle some blueberry sauce on the bottom.
  4. Gently spread about one cup of ice cream into the bowl, and top with another drizzle of blueberry sauce. Avoid stirring if you don’t want your ice cream to be completely blue/purple. Repeat with remaining ice cream and sauce. If desired, gently swirl with a table knife.
  5. Return bowl to freezer for about 3 hours, or until ice cream is firm.
  6. Serve solo or topped with extra sauce and crushed Graham crackers (or crust.)

Mimosa Ice Cream (Floats!) {National Ice Cream Month}

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Celebration/Holiday, Dessert, Ice cream and tagged with , ,

[Welcome to Frozen Friday! In honor of National Ice Cream Month, I am sharing a new ice cream recipe each Friday morning. In case you missed it, be sure to check out last week’s s’mores ice cream too!]

With week two we step away from the kid stuff and delve into a more adult palate. And by that I mean we’re adding alcohol. Liquor and beer have already played a key role in past flavors like Baileys, chocolate Kahlúa, and chocolate Guinness, but this will be the first foray into using a wine.

Mimosa Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

A brunch favorite, and one of the few ways I actually enjoy orange juice (outside of creamsicle ice cream, of course), the mimosa is a go-to beverage for both classy and casual affairs, and somehow avoids the morning drinking taboo. As someone who doesn’t do much drinking, it’s pretty unlikely I’d have one to start the day, but I think it’s a fabulous addition to brinner (that’s breakfast for dinner, if you’re among the uninitiated), especially for ladies nights.

Mimosa Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

Today we take the orange juice and champagne combo into dessert territory: mimosa ice cream. A fairly complex flavor for ice cream, it starts out solely orange on the tongue but you’ll quickly notice there’s something else there. It’s not fizzy, obviously, but the champagne lightens the flavor and plays perfectly with the bright citrus of the orange juice.

Mimosa Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

I used one part orange juice to two parts champagne, but you can easily adjust the ratios to suit your preferences, just make sure you have 1.5 cups of liquid total. This is one of the few flavors that I felt was perfect on the first try, but I do tend to prefer a somewhat subtle alcohol flavor in my desserts. The liquid is reduced to a half cup (or slightly less) to maintain the wonderful flavor but remove most of the excess water, resulting in a much creamier texture. Likely I’ll use this method even for my orange creamsicle flavor in the future.

Mimosa Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

For extra fun (and easy portion control), serve in champagne flutes. You could even scoop ahead of time and store in the freezer if you’re planning to serve it at a party. If you’re missing the carbonation, top each flute with a little extra champagne to make a mimosa float. Delicious and fun and sure to impress anyone you feel like impressing.

Mimosa Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

This flavor is much less decadent than last week’s, and is great for a small portion. Give it a try for your next party, and definitely let me know how it goes!

Mimosa Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

Mimosa Ice Cream (Floats!)

Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup pulp-free orange juice1
1 cup sweet champagne or prosecco1

2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup half and half
3/4 cup sugar

yellow and red food coloring (optional)

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine orange juice and champagne. Simmer gently over medium heat until volume is reduced to 1/2 cup (or slightly less.) Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes on the counter.
  2. Whisk together all remaining ingredients until completely combined. Slowly stream in reduced orange mixture, whisking constantly.
  3. If desired, add food coloring. I used 4 drops yellow and 1 drop red for photography purposes, but add more or less to suit your preferences. It does lighten fairly considerably after it’s frozen.
  4. Cover bowl and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  5. Place a freezer-safe bowl in your freezer to chill.
  6. Meanwhile, freeze ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s directions. Transfer to chilled bowl and return to freezer for at least 3 hours, or until ready to serve.
  7. For floats, scoop small balls of ice cream (I used a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop) into champagne flutes. Carefully pour in champagne and serve immediately.

Notes

1 If you only have pulpy juice on hand, just use a mesh strainer to remove the pulp. You can use any ratio of orange juice and champagne as long as it adds to 1.5 cups total. It certainly does not have to be an expensive champagne (Barefoot certainly isn’t), but I do recommend using one you would willingly drink plain or in a normal mimosa.

S’mores Ice Cream {National Ice Cream Month}

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Celebration/Holiday, Dessert, Ice cream, Sauces and Frostings and tagged with , , , ,
[Introducing…Frozen Friday! In honor of National Ice Cream Month, each Friday in July, starting today, I will share a new ice cream recipe, enjoy!]

I hope all my United Statesian readers had a wonderful Independence Day, and the rest of you had a wonderful regular ole Monday. I spent the last week+ in Lead, SD visiting M while he works there. We celebrated by watching Independence Day on the 3rd, and going to the Lead fireworks display on the 4th. The movie was a bit better, I must say.

As you may have guessed, I actually meant to have this posted last Friday, but between traveling and working remotely it fell by the wayside. My sincere apologies. There will be a surprise bonus post sometime this month to bring the total up to five.

S'mores Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

In any case, ice cream! Ice cream is one of my favorite things to make and play with new recipes. Partially because it’s really hard to screw it up (even if it doesn’t turn out how you wanted, it’s rarely inedible) and also because it’s one of my favorite desserts. Thinking of new flavors and tinkering with the proportions until it’s what I dreamed in my head is both rewarding and delicious. Admittedly my ice cream consumption is rather higher throughout early summer for this reason, but I consider it a sacrifice worth making. You’re welcome.

S'mores Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

We’ll kick off the month with what might be my new favorite flavor, or definitely at least Top 5: s’mores ice cream. Graham cracker ice cream swirled with homemade chocolate and marshmallow makes for a melt-in-your-mouth s’mores experience – no fire necessary. It has the added bonus of being substantially less messy to make and eat, which is a huge win in my book.

S'mores Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

The ice cream is smooth and creamy with that wonderful Graham cracker flavor. Honestly, it’s delicious all on its own and likely I’ll add it into my usual rotation even without the extras. For a cheater version, you can just top the ice cream with chocolate sauce and marshmallows without making them yourself and doing the swirl. However, I highly recommend doing the whole she-bang. All of the components are simple to make and beginner friendly, and the result is something magical.

S'mores Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

The marshmallow creme was surprisingly easy; I actually expected it to be much more complex. Much like pudding or mousse, however, it’s mostly just heating and stirring things. Not a big deal at all. I’ve always been somewhat freaked out by store-bought marshmallow creme, so having this super easy (and pretty quick) option for ice cream is fantastic. Tastes delicious and doesn’t have anything artificial in it. Yum. I used my go-to chocolate sauce recipe here, but you can substitute your own favorite if you prefer. Just make sure it’s regular chocolate sauce, and not hot fudge, as the latter will freeze too hard.

S'mores Ice Cream {{Baking Bytes}}

Kick your summer up a notch with this s’mores ice cream, sure to be both kid- and adult-approved.

Graham Cracker Ice Cream 

Makes ~6 cups

Ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup egg substitute
1-2 packages Graham crackers1
1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Chill contents in blender in the fridge at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  3. Blend briefly, then freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions.
  4. Transfer to a freezer-safe bowl to freeze for an additional three hours, or overnight. Or follow s’mores ice cream recipe below.
  5. Top with additional crushed Graham crackers for some extra flair and a little crunch.

Notes

1 For a milder Graham cracker flavor, use just one package. For a more kapow experience, use up to two. I like a pretty strong flavor, so I use two packages minus two or three crackers that I crush separately and reserve for topping.

Fudge Ripple

Borrowed from Brown Eyed Baker
Makes 1+ cups1

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder2

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together all ingredients except vanilla. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until the sauce comes to a low boil.
  2. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes, whisking almost continuously.
  3. Remove sauce from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and let cool in the pot for several minutes.
  4. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using in ice cream.

Notes

1 The quantity varies a bit depending on cooking time, in my experience. I used about 1/2 cup in my ice cream and put the rest in the fridge to use later. You can also freeze it but you may need to take it out for a bit before it becomes pourable.

2 The original recipe calls for Dutch-processed cocoa powder but I just used Hershey’s because that’s what I always have on hand. I used one tablespoon dark cocoa powder and the rest regular.

Marshmallow Creme

Borrowed from Cooking Classy
Makes 1+ cups1

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp salt

2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt over medium heat. Continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until mixture has reached 240 degrees.
  2. Meanwhile, add egg white and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip with an electric mixer (I prefer to use a handheld rather than my stand mixer for small amounts like this) on medium-high speed until mixture is fluffy and has soft peaks. If you weren’t already using your stand mixer and whisk attachment, set that up now.
  3. When sugar mixture has come to the correct temperature, remove from heat. Turn your stand mixer to low, and slowly pour hot sugar mixture down the side of the bowl into the egg whites while the mixer is running.
  4. When all the sugar mixture is added, increase speed to medium-high and whip until mixture is glossy and medium peaks form. This will take several minutes.
  5. Scrape the bowl, add vanilla, and continue to whip on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
  6. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Notes

1 This is half the original recipe, and I still had some leftover. It keeps well in the fridge so feel free to double it and have lots of extra for toppings.

S’mores Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 recipe Graham cracker ice cream, chilled but not churned
1 recipe of fudge ripple, chilled
1 recipe of marshmallow cream

Directions

  1. If you haven’t already, place a freezer-safe bowl in the freezer.
  2. Freeze ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s directions.
  3. Transfer about 1 cup of marshmallow creme to a frosting bag or Ziploc, and snip a 1/2″ hole.
  4. Remove bowl from freezer, and drizzle some chocolate sauce on the bottom.
  5. Gently spread about one cup of ice cream into the bowl. Pipe a swirl of marshmallow creme, then drizzle chocolate sauce over the marshmallow cream. Repeat until all ice cream is used up. Tip: end with plain ice cream or just a small drizzle as it could muddle together once you add the lid.
  6. Return bowl to freezer for at least 3 hours, or until ice cream is firm. Serve solo or with additional crushed Graham crackers, marshmallow creme, and/or chocolate sauce for topping.

Lemon Pie Spoons

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Baking, Celebration/Holiday, Dessert, Pastries, Pie and tagged with , ,

Summer!

Just kidding, until last weekend it has mostly been pouring rain and howling winds here. I will admit it’s made for some pretty challenging runs during my marathon training. Turns out 20 miles in drenching rain and/or 20-mph headwinds is not super awesome. I know, shocker. Regardless, around March I started thinking about lemons again, partially because my grandmother loved lemon meringue pie and her birthday was in March, and partially because Costco starts carrying giant bags of the wonderful yellow fruit around April. With the closing of ski resorts and the flowering trees, lemon just seems like the right flavor for the season.

Lemon Pie Spoons {{Baking Bytes}}

After making a large batch of granola, I was left with several egg yolks chilling in my fridge. My usual go-to for egg yolks is just to throw an extra one in scrambled eggs, but I didn’t think I’d get through them all that way very quickly. Secondary method is always pudding, but pudding sounded a bit heavier than the dessert I was really looking for. Enter: mousse!

Lemon Pie Spoons {{Baking Bytes}}

Substantially lighter in texture without compromising the ka-pow of flavor, mousse always feels like the summery version of pudding. Obviously lemon was the way to go. I cut Mandy’s recipe in half, very slightly adjusted it, and was on my way to a tasty treat. Her recipe called for a graham cracker crust that I’m sure is delightful, but I wanted to test an idea I’d been pondering.

Lemon Pie Spoons {{Baking Bytes}}

Last fall I’d seen some great ideas (on Pinterest, of course) using cookie spoons, which I thought were super cute. However, I am not a huge fan of sugar cookies and even more importantly, I don’t enjoy making them. I was curious whether the same idea would work with pie crust, and that seemed like the perfect delivery mechanism for lemon mousse.

After texting my mom and asking whether she thought my spoons are oven safe (which I’m sure made her raise an eyebrow), I made some pie crust, made a mini spoon template with parchment paper, and begin cutting away. They baked up super cute and although they are a bit fragile, they work great for a dollop of mousse or for dipping. Although it didn’t take terribly long to cut by hand, for round two I bought a cookie cutter on Amazon, which was not only faster, but allowed me to be more efficient with the dough. Plus now I have a reason to make more spoon desserts.

Lemon Pie Spoons {{Baking Bytes}}

These lemon pie spoons are small, light, and require no cutting and slicing and plating, which makes them great for potlucks. Big lemon flavor and flaky pie crust come together in a delicious bite-sized treat. It’s important to use a pie crust recipe you like the flavor of, as it’s rather prominent given the somewhat higher crust:filling ratio. I’ve linked mine below, but feel free to use your own.

Lemon Pie Spoons {{Baking Bytes}}

This would be a fun confection for a summer barbecue where you don’t want to worry about fridge space. You can make the spoons and the mousse a day or two ahead of time (store the spoons on the counter, and the mousse in the fridge), then assemble shortly before you head to the party. They’ll be fine on the counter (inside, if it’s hot) for several hours, leaving you free to enjoy the party. Although they might droop a bit, they are definitely safe to eat.

Fair warning: they are addicting! Make a batch to share, assuming you don’t eat them all yourself.

Lemon Pie Spoons

Adapted from Mandy’s Recipe Box
Makes about 5 dozen mini spoons

Ingredients

Pastry for single-crust pie (unbaked)

4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
zest of 1 lemon (optional)

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

  1. For the spoons: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. On a large baking sheet, arrange as many oven-safe spoons as you can fit. (A silicon mat will help them slide around less, if you have one.) Set aside.
  2. On a floured surface, roll out your pie crust to about 1/8″ thick. Use a cookie cutter (or a paper template and a sharp knife) to cut out as many spoons as possible. Pile all trimmings together, then gently roll out again and cut more spoons.
  3. Carefully transfer each pie crust spoon to a real spoon on the prepared baking sheet, pressing the dough into the real spoon’s indent.
  4. Bake 10-15 minutes, until crust is golden and slightly puffy. You may want to rotate the pan halfway through if your spoons are of different heights.
  5. Let cool a few minutes on the spoons, then gently and carefully (the metal spoons are hot!) remove them to a wire rack to cool completely, and repeat until all pie crust is used. Store on the counter until ready to use, up to 3 days.
  6. For the mousse: In a small saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest (if using.)
  7. Stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until mixture thickens and turns cloudy. Continue cooking until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (although it’ll look clear).
  8. Use a mesh sieve and strain the lemon curd into a small bowl. Refrigerate at least one hour, stirring a couple of times if possible, or until ready to use. Mixture should be cool to the touch. Also place a large mixing bowl and your beaters (or KitchenAid whisk attachment) in the fridge at this time.
  9. When curd is sufficiently chilled, remove large bowl and beaters from the fridge. Beat heavy cream on medium/high until stiff peaks form.
  10. Gently fold in the curd to the whipped cream until it’s not streaky.
  11. Return mousse to fridge until ready to serve, up to 3 days.
  12. For assembly: Arrange pie crust spoons on a tray or serving platter as desired.
  13. Transfer mousse to a frosting bag with a star tip (or a Ziploc), cut off the tip, and carefully pipe onto the spoons. (You may have extra mousse.) Serve as soon as possible!
  14. Alternate assembly: Place mousse into 4-oz serving dishes and add a pie crust spoon. Serve with extra spoons for dipping!

Baileys Chocolate Mousse

Posted by Lindsey @ Baking Bytes in Celebration/Holiday, Dessert, Sauces and Frostings and tagged with , , ,

Welcome to March! I personally do not get excited for St. Patrick’s Day, but I do get excited for the Run to the Pub half marathon that precedes it. (And also my birthday.) This year the local race is not only giving us complimentary beer at the finish, which I don’t drink, but also a complimentary cupcake, which I am substantially more excited about.

Baileys Chocolate Mousse {{Baking Bytes}}

In any case, if you are not running a race that gives you “free” dessert afterwards, maybe whip up one of your own. This Baileys chocolate mousse, emphasis on the Baileys, is an easy recipe and sure to please anyone that likes Baileys. And if you don’t like Baileys, I’m not totally sure why you’d be reading this post to begin with.

Baileys Chocolate Mousse {{Baking Bytes}}

Baileys and chocolate is one of my favorite combinations and most of the times I have dinner at Anthony’s in SeaTac airport I get the same thing: the salmon burger, no tomato, followed by a serving of their Baileys chocolate mousse. I have often thought I should learn how to make my own, despite how dangerous that might be for my health, since I don’t travel through SeaTac at nighttime much anymore. Luckily I will be at the end of the this month, and you can be certain I’ll be having my usual. My aunt and traveling running buddy also gets pretty psyched about the mousse situation at Anthony’s, and she’ll be coming to Montana for the Pub run this weekend. I’m guessing she might request I have a batch of this prepared.

Baileys Chocolate Mousse {{Baking Bytes}}

Light and creamy, like eating a Baileys cloud with some chocolate thrown in. I made the recipe twice so I could figure out my own personal preference as to the Baileys and chocolate ratio. The recipe can be made more kapow with the liqueur flavor than the chocolate, or altered slightly to make it more subtle. I’ll leave it up to you to decide. It is absolutely delicious both ways, just depends on what sort of experience you’re looking for this go around. I personally preferred the lower end of the range, but it was delicious with the more in-your-face flavor as well.

Baileys Chocolate Mousse {{Baking Bytes}}

This is a great recipe to bring to a potluck, because you can easily adjust the serving size down to “finger-food” portions, or keep it larger for a sit-down dinner where yours is the only dessert. It would be super cute piped into shot glasses (bonus points if you make them out of chocolate) but works just as well for a more decadent serving size. Top with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings for extra points.

Baileys Chocolate Mousse {{Baking Bytes}}

I can’t say this will become a regular in the recipe rotation, mainly because I’m trying to eat healthier, but as far as desserts go it’ll definitely be a top contender.

Baileys Chocolate Mousse

Adapted from Lemon Tree Dwelling
Makes 10-12 half-cup servings

Ingredients

Mousse
1 pouch (2 tsp) unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp cold water
1/4 cup boiling water

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I prefer dark)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled

1/4-1/2 cup Baileys cream liqueur, chilled
1 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2-3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Curls/Shavings
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Place the bowl for a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and its whisk attachment (or beaters for a hand-held) in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  2. Place your serving containers in the fridge to chill while you prepare the mousse.
  3. (Measure the Baileys and put it in the freezer to chill if it’s not already cold.)
  4. Sprinkle powdered gelatin over the cold water, let stand one minute, then add boiling water.
  5. Meanwhile, retrieve the chilled mixer bowl and add cocoa powder, sugar, and whipping cream. Whip on high until stiff peaks form.
  6. Reduce mixer speed to “stir” (or stop it entirely) and add the Baileys and vanilla, then gently stir the gelatin mixture to make sure it’s completely dissolved and slowly pour it into the whipped cream.
  7. Whip on low until the liquid is mostly mixed in, then increase to high until medium peaks form.
  8. Spoon or pipe into your serving dishes, then return to the fridge to chill for one hour, or until ready to serve (it keeps in the fridge a few days, but the sooner the better).
  9. Optionally, make some chocolate curls or shavings: melt chocolate chips over a double boiler (or very carefully in the microwave), and then spread thinly onto parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Allow to cool until no longer shiny, and then use a thin plastic utensil to gently scrape it into curls. If the chocolate just mushes together, it’s not cool enough yet, but you can put it in the fridge to speed the process. If it just breaks up a lot without curling at all, it’s too cold. It’s a fine line, especially if your house is as chilly as mine, but personally I find chocolate shavings to be visually pleasing as well, so don’t worry about it too much. When you’ve curled or scraped all your chocolate, put it all into an airtight container and freeze for at least 15 minutes before handling.
  10. Shortly before serving, whip together remaining whipped cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla, until medium-stiff peaks form. Pipe or spoon onto your mousse.
  11. Optionally, top with your chocolate curls or other sprinkles.
  12. Serve immediately or return to the fridge for up to a couple of hours (the stiffer your whipped cream started, the longer it will keep).