Thanksgiving with a Layered Cranberry and Mango Mousse - Eggless

Cranberry Mango Mousse (01) by MeetaK 

It’s hard to believe that the year is slowly but very surely coming to an end. At this time last year there were so many plans and new beginnings being schemed. If anything 2009 has really taught us how things can backfire and that even the most immaculately drafted plan can fall apart.

But we look forward and make new plans and aspire to aim for new goals. It’s what keeps us going.

So, I am looking forward. I want to put an end to 2009 and look forward to 2010. However, even with the downs this year has supplied, I do have several things I need to be thankful for. I have learned many lessons and gained so much. That in itself has been an enrichment.

This year Thanksgiving is going to be different around here. Over the past years we were the Thanksgiving hosts for many of our German friends. It was a great reason to come together and enjoy each others company over food and drink. This year however, friends of ours have taken over the hosting and I have to say I am thankful for it.

Cranberry Mango Mousse Diptych by MeetaK

While I prepare myself for the Food Bloggers Connect in London on Saturday and complete a few photography and writing jobs, I would have crumbled under the pressure of creating a huge Thanksgiving meal. My friends are darlings and considerately observed my current frantic hecticness and decided to relieve me of my Thanksgiving duties. “Just bring dessert!” was the request.

Dessert – yes – sweet treats for sweet friends. Something I want to share with my readers and blog friends too. A thank you for all your support, motivation and encouragement. I have gained many a firm friendship over the past months and years and am extremely excited to finally meet some of them in London this weekend. You all know who you are!

Last year I shared an extensive Thanksgiving Menu Planer with a comprehensive outline on how to plan a stress-free meal. I hope you will find it helpful this year too! While I am not making much this year I still want to offer you a few suggestions for inspiration. So hope you find my ideas below helpful!

Soups, Salads and Starters

ChestnutPotatoSoup06


Vegetable Sides

JamaicanJerkCHicken-SweetPotato02 framed[2]

Entrées

AppleGlazedDuck01

Desserts & Sweets

QuarkPannaCotta   Cranberry Copmote02 framed[2]

and of course this sensational mousse creation!

Cranberry Mango Mousse (02) by MeetaK

This layered mousse brings together two wonderful and rather opposite flavored fruit varieties together. The sweet and juicy mango plays-off the tart and zesty flavored cranberries perfectly. For the mango mousse you can make a portion of my eggless mango mousse or if fresh mangoes are not available do what I did – see recipe below!

Layered Cranberry and Mango Mousse (eggless)

Printable version of recipe here

Ingredients

For cranberry mousse

230g fresh cranberries, washed and picked over
100g fine sugar, divided
juice and zest from one orange
1/2 envelope/sheet gelatin
200 ml heavy cream

For mango mousse

250g mango yogurt, I used Alphonso mango yogurt from Emmi’s Swiss Yogurt (DELICIOUS)
1 envelop/sheet gelatin

handful of pistachios, chopped

Method

For cranberry mousse

  1. Soak the gelatin in cold water for approx. 5 minutes.
  2. Place cranberries in a small saucepan with orange juice and zest and 50g sugar over medium heat and bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cranberries pop and break up - about 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat. Take two tablespoons of the mixture and dissolve the gelatin in the hot mixture. Pour into the rest of the cranberry mixture and stir to incorporate. 
  5. Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Press the cranberry mixture through a sieve and discard the rest.
  6. Place in the refrigerator to cool and until the mixture just begins to thicken. In the meantime whip the cream until stiff peaks form, then drizzle in the remaining sugar and whip till incorporated.
  7. Remove the cranberry mixture from the fridge and gently fold in the whipped cream.
  8. In individual dessert bowls fill the cranberry mousse mixture half way up. Tap gently on the countertop to even out then place in the fridge to set for about four hours.
  9. Prepare mango mousse

 For mango mousse

  1. Soak the gelatin in cold water for approx. 5 minutes.
  2. Heat approx. 2 tablespoons of mango yogurt in a small saucepan and dissolve the gelatin in it. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the rest of the yogurt.
  3. Place in the refrigerator until mixture begins to thicken. Then take out and give it a good whisking.

Assembling the mousses

Make sure the cranberry mousse has completely set in the dessert bowls. Pour the mango mousse over it and allow to set once again for another four hours, preferably overnight.

Serve with a sprinkling of pistachios.

 

Food Guide Tips:

- Pistachios – the Queen of nuts!

- Cranberries – selecting and storing

 

  

 

 


Verdict

Cranberry Mango Mousse (05) by MeetaK

Not only does this please the eyes with the flamboyant way it is presented, it’s double fruity flavors really add a spectacular pizzazz. You can spruce the cranberry mousse with a bit of orange liqueur for added bounce, however if you have kids it would be a good idea to leave it out.

So, I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving feast this week. Eat good and party hard. Rest relax and enjoy the family. I’ll be back on Friday with the Daring Bakers scrumptious challenge!

Take care!

You might like these dessert ideas from WFLH:

Crème Fraîche Strawberry Basil Ice-Cream Figs in Cherry Caramel Sweet Potato Flan

 


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

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30 comments:

  1. oh you know you've got me hooked when pistachios involved. such a beautiful dessert! i might need to lay off the sugary for a bit or when u see me in 3 days time, i'll be the size of a balloon!! :D

    when u say an envelope of gelatin for the mango mousse, is that the whole envelope of gelatin sheets or just 1 sheet?

    xx

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  2. I am always gobsmacked when i se eyour pictures, beautiful.
    You do have a good bunch of reined there.
    Love the dessert, never had cranberry mousse, i bet they taste divine.
    Enjoy FBC in London and I am looking forward to read here aobut it too.

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  3. I love the colors of this dessert!!!!my mouth is watering seeing those awesome photos!

    Even if i dont have a heavy dinner, I love my desserts at restuarants! man! this one looks too delsh!

    by the way! happy time in london Meeta!

    Hugs,
    Veds

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  4. A beautiful and refined dessert! Gorgeous menu ideas too!

    Gotta love your wonderful shots!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  5. It looks so beautiful and delicate. i wish we were doing Thanksgiving but there's so much chaos at the moment, not a chance. I do love it though, especially the food-induced coma.

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  6. My comment seems to be eaten up! Left one quite a while ago :-(

    Well, I don't mind saying again how beautiful that looks and how much I'm looking forward to meeting you :-)

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  7. These look so decadent Meeta! You provide so many wonderful menu ideas also! Have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy London...look forward to reading all about it!

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  8. I started making a cranberry mousse today... don't know if it will ever make it to the blog. Never would have thought of combining mango and cranberry. What a beautiful idea and a beautiful dessert!

    have fun at the meet Meeta.

    Soma (www.ecurry.com)

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  9. Although my Thanksgiving dessert needs are being taken care of by dear guests, this would make a fabulous dish on my party table - truly looks divine!

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  10. The turkey roulade calls for cornstarch. Where do I find that in the groceries and what is it's German name? All I've found is corn flour.

    I'm your new neighbor! I moved to Jena 4 months ago from the US and am still having trouble navigating some of the names... took me three months to figure out baking soda!

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  11. please the eye indeed, though i am having a hard time imagining the flavor combo.

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  12. Wow,I never prefered pistas except when I see in your clicks.Love the mousse.Also love the Lebkuchen Burfi.Still Can't take my eyes off the pic :P

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  13. The colours of that mousse are absolutely gorgeous! Have a great Thanksgiving :)

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  14. @Melanie: cornstarch is the same as corn flour. One of the better known brands is Maizena (as in maize...).

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  15. Love the colors on this one! I might just try making this with strawberries one of these days :)

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  16. I like the sound of the mango and cranberry flavour combo!

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  17. As always, your photos and your dish looks gorgeous.

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  18. Agreed with Kevin! Cranberries and mangoes make good combo! Perfect for Thanksgiving! ... They're like a combination of the tropical & the fall kind of feel ... if you get what I mean.

    Thanks for sharing this and I love your blog!

    Cheers from Malaysia,
    Pei-Lin

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  19. Great photos and gorgeous colours Meeta - Wow!

    Are you ready for Saturday? =)

    M x

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  20. Wow! lovely dessert meeta, and its eggless too, yummmy flavors and eye catching colours...nice. Can't wait to make it myself ....happy thanksgiving and have fun at london...good luck!

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  21. Oh Meeta - these are simply marvelous!! Thank you for sharing this beauty with us :-)

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  22. Looks like very yummy dessert. Great inspiration for using mango, thanks!

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  23. wonderful ideas for this wonderful dessert. So delighting! I love mangoes,and good thing you combined it with this berry. Perfectly the best.

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  24. meeta i stumbled upon your blog via @londoneater. a gorgeous combi- mango and cranberry. being from pakistan, we dont see this combi there, as you know, we dont have cranberries in our part of the world. your photographs are beautiful- and what an accomplishment-you say you've written 300 +posts. i have only been blogging for 2 months- admire food bloggers like you. best wishes, shayma

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  25. Ah! That gorgeous mango mousse again. :)
    Loev the colour contrats of your dessert. Meeta.

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  26. Beautiful picture! That mousse looks so yummy. Love that you are doing one with no eggs.

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  27. Meeta this dessert looks perfect for Christmas too, so festive yet not too 'heavy' either. Gorgeous photography as ever.

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Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta