ore or less available throughout the year, but given their high water content, their demand peaks during summer, where they are found in abundance. If you love chikoos, you might just have guessed why its rich, custardy, and almost dessert-like feel holds quite well on its own, which, in turn, makes it perfect for the mousse. In this recipe, we paired the chikoo mousse with cardamom pastry cream, with little bits of toasted walnuts dotting the smooth mousse. The result is a luxurious and cool dessert tinged with newness and nostalgia, especially if you grew up with chikoo as a backyard staple or a market-day treat.
Chikoo Mousse with Walnuts
Ingredients:
For the Cardamom Pastry Cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Mousse:
- 2 cups chikoo fruit (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- 1 1/2 cups cardamom pastry cream (from above)
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped till stiff
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- Optional: 1–2 tablespoons milk (to help blend chikoo)
Instructions:
- Let’s make the cardamom pastry cream first. Take a medium saucepan, and over a medium flame, heat the milk until it starts to simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cardamom until smooth and pale.
- Keep whisking while slowly pouring the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper the eggs.
- Pour the whole milk-egg mixture back into the saucepan and keep cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Once thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, remove from the heat.
- Immediately add the butter and vanilla extract until mixed in and smooth.
- Let the cream cool slightly, then cover with a plastic wrap touching the surface, to prevent a skin from forming.
- Chill in the fridge until ready to use.
- Let’s make the mousse now. Puree the chikoo fruit in a blender or food processor until very smooth. If it feels too thick, add a little milk and blend.
- Take a big bowl and scrape the chikoo puree and measure out, and add 1 1/2 cups of cardamom pastry cream. Mix until smooth.
- Finely chop the toasted walnuts and fold them into the bowl. Reserve a few for garnish.
- Next, fold in the whipped cream until well combined. Your mousse is ready.
- Spoon the walnut-studded chikoo mousse into individual serving glasses or bowls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour for them to set.
- Garnish the mousses with the remaining walnuts before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Fresh chikoo is ideal for this recipe: Look for fruit that gives away slightly when pressed down with a finger, like a banana or an avocado, and it should also have a sweet smell. If your chikoo pulp is too grainy, make sure to blend it thoroughly and strain the purée for a smoother mousse.
- In case this recipe feels intriguing and for some reason you find the chikoos you had spoiled due to the heat, you can substitute with ripe mango, or banana, for a different kind of mousse, they won’t taste the same, but will taste equally delicious.
- When making pastry cream, don’t walk away, for it thickens quickly; you need to constantly keep whisking to prevent any lumps. For an even smoother result, strain the finished cream through a sieve before chilling. You can make it ahead and refrigerate it for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Don’t skip the plastic wrap directly on the surface, it will prevent that low-key gross custard skin from forming.
- As for the mousse, carefully fold, not stir or mix, the whipped cream into the mix to keep the mousse light and airy.
- Make sure to chill the mousse for at least 1 hour for it to set well, this is essential, unlike puddings or custards, because it helps the mousse develop its flavors and also its smoothness.
- Walnuts are optional, but toasted walnuts add an amazing crunch, plus their very own trademark scent that complements the earthiness of chikoos quite well. To make them, toast them lightly in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, for about 2-3 minutes.