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Salted butter caramel mousse with mini pears

Eric Lanlard from Good Food Bites
Round off your meal in style with Eric Lanlard's exquisite dessert, combining caramel mousse with fresh pear and sponge cake

Salted butter caramel mousse with mini pears

Method

1. First, make the dark caramel. Heat together the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate saucepan.

3. Bring to the boil and boil without stirring until the sugar syrup caramelises, thickening and turning a dark caramel colour.

4. Stir in the butter until melted, then add in the warm milk, stirring thoroughly until the caramel has dissolved in the milk.

5. Remove from direct heat and mix in the yolks, one at a time.

6. Return the mixture to the hob and, over a very low heat, heat gently stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a custard.

7. Fold in the softened gelatine, mixing well.

8. Cool slightly, then cool further in the refrigerator, though without allowing the mixture to set completely.

9. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled caramel mixture.

10. To assemble the desserts, take 4 circular deep moulds. Cut out 8 discs of the sponge cake using a circular cutter.

11. Place a disc of sponge in the base of a mould, then top with a layer of the caramel mousse and a few pieces of pear.

12. Repeat this layering process within the mould.

13. Repeat the whole process filling 4 moulds in all.

14. Place the moulds in the refrigerator overnight until set or freeze them.

15. To make the light caramel, place the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.

16. Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until the sugar syrup caramelises, thickening and becoming a pale golden colour.

17. Dip the 4 small pears into the caramel, coating them well.

18. Use any remaining caramel to decorate 4 serving plates.

19. Unmould the 4 mousses, dust with cocoa powder and serve each one with a caramel-coated pear.