Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (12 fl. oz.) whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 cups (16 fl. oz.) whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons plain gelatin
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a small bowl. Set aside the egg whites or discard them.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps. You can add a tablespoon or two of the milk to the mixture if it’s too thick to stir well.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out the vanilla beans inside. Add the beans and pod to a small pot and pour the milk over it.
Heat the milk and vanilla until it’s steaming. Slowly pour some of the hot milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to heat them slowly.
Add the egg mixture back to the pot and warm it slowly over medium low heat, stirring constantly. Cook it until it bubbles and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Place a fine mesh sieve over a small bowl, then pour the cooked custard through it to catch any small bits of cooked eggs. Remove the sieve and put a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the custard.
Put the bowl of custard in the refrigerator until it’s chilled and set through, at least 2-4 hours.
Place 1 ½ tablespoons cold water in a small bowl, and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Use a fork to stir it in so that all of it can absorb the water, then set it aside for 5-10 minutes.
Pour the whipping cream into a clean, cool mixing bowl, then use a hand held electric mixer to whip it to soft peaks.
Melt down the gelatin by heating it for about 20 seconds in the microwave or hold the bowl carefully over a low gas burner. Don’t let it get too hot, or it will break down the gelatin and it won’t set.
While running the beaters, drizzle the gelatin into the whipped cream. Continue to mix until all the gelatin is incorporated and the cream has reached stiff peaks.
Scoop about ¼ of the whipped cream into the chilled custard, then stir them together until they’re thoroughly combined. This will loosen the custard and help you incorporate the rest of the whipped cream without deflating it.
Add the mixture back to the large bowl of whipped cream. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the custard and whipped cream together, making sure to completely combine them.
Serving the Mousse
Scoop the mousse into cups, then set them in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours, or until the mousse is set.
To serve, top the mousse with berries or finely chopped fruit. You can add a dollop of whipped cream if you’d like, or some finely shaved chocolate and a sprig of fresh mint.
