Wait, isn’t mousse all about egg whites? Turns out, aquafaba––the viscous liquid left over after cooking chickpeas––fluffs up pretty well, too. And no, it doesn’t make the mousse taste like chickpeas. Plus, you don’t need to worry about using unpasteurized eggs, and it’s vegan-friendly. To reduce the sugar content, skip the praline and simply toast the pecans.
Aquafaba FAQ
[Q] Why is my aquafaba only whipping to soft peaks?
[A] Depending on your chickpeas, the aquafaba could whip to stiff peaks or quit at soft peaks with liquid below. If it doesn’t fully whip, scoop off the fluffiest foam on top and leave any liquid. The result will just be a more coconut-forward mousse.
[Q] What do I do if my whipped coconut cream coagulates and bubbles when I add the aquafaba?
[A] Don’t worry! It’s not a bad thing. The cream will just be heavier and more textured (again, not bad), so make sure you use it as the base layer of the mousse so as not to weigh down the ethereal pear mixture on top. If you just want the light-as-air pear mousse layer, you can skip the coconut milk entirely and fold all the aquafaba into the pear purée.
Pear Mousse with Cinnamon and Pecan Praline
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) pecan halves
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) cane sugar
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water
- 3 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 2 inch (5 cm) chunks
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) water
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) cane sugar, divided
- 1 cup (250 mL) aquafaba from 14 oz (398 mL) can of chickpeas, or homemade
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) cream of tartar
- Half of 14 oz (398 mL) can coconut milk, chilled for at least 2 hours in fridge
Nutrition
Per serving:
Per serving:
- calories210
- protein3 g
- total fat12 g
- sat. fat6 g
- total carbohydrates28 g
- sugars23 g
- fibre3 g
- sodium10 mg
Directions
01
For pecan praline, preheat oven to 350 F (160 C).
02
Spread pecan halves on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes, until toasted and aromatic.
03
In small saucepan, stir together sugar and water. Cover and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, still covered, for 1 minute. Uncover and wipe down sides with damp pastry brush. Keep cooking, without stirring, until pale amber in colour, about 1 minute. With wooden spoon, stir in pecan pieces to coat. When caramel is medium amber (about 30 seconds), remove from heat and immediately spread onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Let praline cool, then break or chop into bite-sized pieces.
04
For pear mousse, preheat oven to 375 F (180 C).
05
In small baking dish, toss pears with water, cinnamon, and 1 Tbsp (15 mL) cane sugar. Roast for 15 minutes. Turn pears to recoat in cinnamon, then roast for 15 to 25 minutes more, until soft enough to mash. Blend pears and any remaining liquid with hand mixer or blender and press through sieve to a smooth purée. Transfer to medium bowl.
06
In large bowl, beat aquafaba, remaining 2 Tbsp (30 mL) sugar, and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, up to 10 minutes. Fold half the foam into bowl of pear purée.
07
Scoop hardened cream off top of can of coconut milk (reserve liquid below for another use). Using same beaters, in large bowl, beat chilled coconut cream to soft peaks, about 5 minutes. Fold leftover whipped aquafaba into cream to lighten.
08
Divide pear mousse among serving dishes or parfait glasses to fill halfway. Add whipped coconut cream mixture on top, followed by pieces of pecan praline.
Amie Watson is a Montreal-based freelance writer, television contributor, and founder of the Fork That app. Her work has appeared in the Montreal Gazette, enRoute magazine, and The Globe and Mail.
