Random Recipe Challenge - Cappuccino Mousse - 6 points

I always have so much fun with the Random Recipe challenge, hosted by Dom at Belleau Kitchen. Somehow, it always ends up being a bit of a trip. This month's challenge was to flip to a random page in your most recently gifted cookbook and make the recipe thereon.

I am lucky that the book my husband gave me a few weeks ago is a real gem.

The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book is not exactly new; it was published in 2001. Stone picked up a copy, along with two other great cookbooks, at our favorite used bookstore (you can imagine that being married to a librarian means often being surprised with new books). This is the kind of "Bible" cookbook that you could cook from for the rest of your life and be quite happy. It is my new "go-to" cookbook for fail safe recipes.

I was completely thrilled when the recipe I opened to was "Cappuccino Mousse". It is difficult to explain how much I love and depend upon coffee. I guess the word would be addict.

My relationship with coffee started at an early age. My mother and father used to give an endless number of dinner parties. After the meal, my mother would always go around with a tray displaying delicate cups filled with tempting smelling coffee to offer her guests. I wanted a cup so badly; they smelled like heaven and all of the adults seem to really enjoy them. When I was seven, my mother got rather tired of me begging for a cup and decided that her problem would be solved if she let me have some. After all, what seven year old likes coffee? I did. I loved it. From that point on, coffee was a special treat. (Until college, when it became a complete necessity.)

I had a great time making this recipe. It was very easy to follow and I always find whipping cream fun to cook with. The coffee brandy that I used for the liqueur smelled divine and will find itself into many a cocktail later, I am sure. The only downside was waiting overnight for the mousse to set.

Cappuccino Mousse
1 envelope plus 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/3 plus 1/2 cup milk
1 cup espresso or very strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp coffee-flavored liqueur
1 1/3 cups heavy or whipping cream
pinch ground cinnamon

1. In a small saucepan, evenly sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup milk; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in coffee. Place over low heat, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat; add 1/2 cup sugar, stirring until dissolved. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk and liqueur. Transfer to large bowl.
2. Place bowl in a larger bowl of ice water. With rubber spatula, stir just until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove from water bath.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whip 1 cup cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold 1/3 of cream into coffee mixture until well blended. Gently fold in beaten cream. Spoon mixture into 8 coffee cups or 6 oz custard cups. Cover and refrigerate until set, 4 hours or up to overnight.
4. Just before serving, in a small bowl, beat remaining 1/3 cup cream, remaining 1 tsp sugar, and cinnamon until stiff peaks form. To serve, spoon dollop of whipped cream into each mousse.
5. Yields 8, 6 point servings
 
The recipe calls for 8 coffee or custard cups. I don't have eight matching anything in my kitchen, so I used a variety of containers.

The taste was amazing. It had the flavor of a really good latte, with a consistency as light as a cloud. The danger is that it is so light that you are tempted to have seconds....and thirds, which would be quite bad for the waistline.

I am so glad that I took this challenge. This recipe was great as a breakfast dish and would be lovely for a dinner dessert as well. It will definitely become part of my regular rotation. My love affair with coffee goes on. Love affair plus coffee - that makes me think of those dramatic Gold Blend commercials that I used to see on tapes people sent from America. Does anyone else remember these?

Thank you, Dom, for another adventure in cooking.