Key Lime Mousse on Honey Tuile Crust

Key Lime Mousse on Honey Tuile Crust

Incidentally, this pâte à bombe recipe is modified from a Gordon Ramsay recipe. His book, Just Desserts is one of the most useful and exquisite books in my library. Chef Ramsay calls for an Italian meringue to be added to his mousses (I think for texture), so I'll have to try that sometime, but I think this recipe is just fine on its own. The mousse needs to be chilled at least 3 hours, but honestly, it was good to go after two hours. I also stuck an extra ramekin into the freezer to make a Key lime parfait. We'll see how that comes out.

Key Lime Mousse on Honey Tuile Crust

Pâte à Bombe

3/4 cup sugar
4 T fresh squeezed Key lime juice (about 12 key limes)
3 T water
6 egg yolks

Bring sugar, Key lime juice and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Insert a candy thermometer into the pan. Bring another pot of water to boil.

Beat eggs until to the ribbon stage (they will be thick and pale in color, and fall in a heavy "ribbon" when you lift the beaters) in a large glass bowl, about 10 minutes. When the syrup hits 250 degrees F, carefully pour the syrup down the sides of the bowl, beating on high speed. Make sure not to pour the hot syrup on the beaters as it could splash. The mixture will double in volume and airy after continuous beating for about 7 minutes. Place the bowl over the hot water and continue beating about 3 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and let the pâte cool. This makes about 2 cups of pâte à Bombe

Honey Tuile Crust

8 T unsalted butter (1 stick)
4 large egg whites
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cups all purpose flour

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Sift the flour and sugar together. In a separate bowl, combine the butter and honey until pale. Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Slowly add the egg whites, making sure each egg white is fully incorporated before adding more.

Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of batter on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat mat or parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 7 minutes, or until cookies are firm. Remove from the tray and allow the baked tuile sheet to cool, about 15 minutes.

You can also use this recipe to make tuile cookies. Simply use a spoon and spread the batter into circles. Bake for the same amount of time, but when you remove the tuile cookies from the oven, drape them immediately over a rolling pin for the characteristic tuile shape. To make a tuile cup, drape the warm cookie over an upended custard cup, hold the shape in place with your hand. It will cool and harden quickly.

Another variation is a chocolate tuile -- simply add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients.

Key Lime Mousse

1 cup Pâte à Bombe
1 cup heavy cream
1 t Key lime zest
Crushed honey tuile cookies (enough to line 8 ramekins)

Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the zest and whip an additional minute. Don't overbeat the cream; you want as much volume in the whipped cream as possible.

Fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the pâte to lighten the egg-syrup mixture. Fold in remaining cream and mix well.

Using your hands, crush the tuile cookies and crumble loosely into ramekins. For a finer crust, pulse in a food processor and combine with melted butter. Press into the bottom of the ramekin. Frankly, I'm much fonder of the broken cookies for a crust rather than a fine crust bound together with butter.

Spoon the mousse into 8 individual ramekins. Chill for at least 3 hours. Or freeze overnight for a light parfait.

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