Layered Pomegranates, Cranberry and Chocolate Mousse
Pretty Pink, pretty pomegranates, bright and tart cranberries, rich cream and the ever decadent chocolate, all combined in a cup. This is a great dessert for entertaining; really easy to make and you can serve in individual cups nicely decorated.
‘Tis so beautiful! Outside, inside, the malls, the stores – everything! The festivities have begun. I cannot help humming the holiday tunes all day long. The children are busy with the holiday activities at school. Our home has been decked, the Christmas Tree put up, the gifts are decided, the reindeer oats came in small magic bags and the kids are in excited anticipation of Santa’s visit.
The indulging season have begun too. I have to admit that we have stopped thinking “healthy”. Given that we have done so much through the year, we have given ourselves this time to eat our desserts (and other delicacies too) and not feel guilty. I made this mousse for A’s birthday; no cake this time. We have been buying so many pomegranates, most of which we eat fresh. I used a couple for the mousse.
POM Wonderful had sent me a bottle of POM KIWI and POM NECTARINE quite sometime back. They also sent me a few bottles of POMx Iced Coffee; I’ll write about them later. The above juice was as beautiful as all their products. They are all 100% juice and so fresh and delicious that they do not last too long in our home for cooking. I loved the nectarine flavor in the POM Juice and used one bottle of the Juice to make this mousse.
Creamy cranberry mousse with fresh pomegranate arils, layered with more fresh pomegranates, and further layered with chocolate mousse. Garnish with fresh mint or chocolate shavings.
Layered Pomegranates, Cranberry and Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Fresh Cranberries, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 C Sugar (more or less, to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Zest
- 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
- 1 Cup 100% Pomegranate Juice (Fresh squeezed or bottled, I have used POM)
- 1-2 Tablespoon Orange Liqueur or Triple Sec (optional)
- 2.5 Cup Heavy Cream, chilled
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 2 Envelopes Unflavored Gelatin
- 1 Cup Fresh Pomegranate + 3/4 Cup for layering (Use more or less as per your need)
- Pistachios, coarsely chopped – for Garnish
Note: If you want a stronger cranberry taste, use less cream and more cranberries. That will turn the color towards red too.
For the Chocolate Mousse:
- 1 Cup Dark Chocolate
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, chilled
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 3/4 of a Sheet Gelatin
- 3 Tablespoons Milk
Preparation:Preparing the Cranberry and Pomegranate Mousse
Place cranberries in saucepan; add sugar, orange zest, pomegranate juice and orange juice. Cook while stirring frequently, until all cranberries pop and mixture gets thick and syrupy. It will reduce to about 1+3/4 Cup. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Add orange liqueur if using it. Puree cranberry mixture till smooth. Press the cranberry mixture through a sieve and discard the seeds.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold milk in a bowl. Place the bowl over hot water till the gelatin dissolves & becomes a clear liquid.
Whip the heavy cream till it holds stiff peaks. Combine the cream & the cranberry mix lightly & gently, but make sure they mix well.
Take few spoons of the cream & fruit mixture & fold it lightly into gelatin & mix, & then fold the rest of the cream & fruit mixture through gelatin mixture, lightly but uniformly.
Gently fold in the fresh 1 cup of pomegranates into the cream and the cranberry mix.
Spoon the cranberry cream into individual serving bowls/cups half way through (you will need to leave space for the chocolate layer) and place them in the refrigerator. Let chill for at least 3-4 hours till well set.
After they are set, use the rest of the fresh pomegranates to make a light layer over the cranberry mousse in each bowl/cup. Put them back in the refrigerator again.
Preparing the Chocolate Mousse:Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold milk in a bowl. Place the bowl over hot water till the gelatin dissolves & becomes a clear liquid.
Whip the cream till it forms soft peaks; add the sugar and whip more till it forms stiff peaks.
Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl in the microwave or a double boiler till it melts. Stir with a wire whisk till there are no lumps.
Combine the cream & the chocolate lightly & gently, but make sure they mix well.
Take few spoons of the chocolate cream and fold it lightly into gelatin & mix, & then fold the rest of the chocolate cream through gelatin mixture, lightly but uniformly.
Layering the dessert bowls/cups:Spoon the chocolate cream over the cranberry mousse and pomegranates in each bowl/cup. Put them back in the refrigerator and chill for about 3-4 hours.
Garnish with pomegranates, pistachios and fresh mint. Serve chilled.
A beautiful luscious dessert!! Perfect for the holiday tables in cute individual cups.
Happy Holidays!
This is my entry for Sugar High Friday #60, started by Jennifer of Domestic Goddess, and this month is hosted by Nic of Cherrapeno.
Related Posts:
Pineapple Coconut Mousse with Pistachios
Saffron Yogurt Mousse with Rose Petal Honey
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December 14th, 2009 at 10:24 am
You always turn out such works of art!
December 14th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Just perfect! Looks beautiful as alwasys.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:44 am
A colorful and delicious dessert!
Cheers,
Rosa
December 14th, 2009 at 10:45 am
fatafati dekhte hoeche Soma! am eyeing that POM pet jar also. very unique shape.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am
I love pom juice… but this one is an elegant one!
December 14th, 2009 at 11:00 am
As Cham Said…Really elegant one..I wish I had this patience to set up the perfect frame like this while clicking food pics…props and all..I lack creativity and patience, 2 qualities that are must to be a good food blogger..but anyways, I can always come here for some inspiration and kick myself for being so lazy..lol
The combo sounds so wonderful, if only someone peeled that pomegranate for me
Alka you do not need a set up; your food is droolworthy just by itself.
I don’t mind peeling the pomegranate
December 14th, 2009 at 11:25 am
I made chocolate mousse just yesterday! Love the colors in yours. That Pom kiwi and Pom coffee sound interesting. I’m looking forward to your review of the coffee.
December 14th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Pretty looking dessert. Looks delicious!
December 14th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Love the contrast of colors, very beautiful and looks yummy.
December 14th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
chocolate mousse along with pomegranate and cranberry looks absolutely delicious and stunning! this makes a wonderful dessert for the holidays. Happy holidays.
December 14th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
a lovely combination. after my cranberry, mango layered mousse i like these type of desserts you get 2 for 1!
Thanks Meeta! So true. I made this around the time you posted yours.. I loved your idea of doing a combination with a summer fruit.. that too Mango!!
December 14th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
This sounds delicious. I love pomegranate but have never paired it with chocolate. I have to try this combo.
December 14th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
love your dessert recipes with pomegranate… I love the arils… and they make for such beautiful pictures.. don’t they?
December 14th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I love chocolate mousse, I love pomegranates and I love cranberries, so I just have got to find this dessert absolutely fantastic! Looks amazing!
December 14th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Beautiful and decadent! A perfect dessert for the holidays.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
these look wonderful…I was wondering how they hold up. I was thinking they would be a lovely dessert for Christmas dinner but I would want to make them the day before? would you recommend that? thank you
Yes they definitely can be made a day before! It would be well set by then too.
Regards
Soma
http://www.ecurry.com
December 14th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
This is a beautiful dessert
I wish I found pomogranetes!
You are not finding pomegranates?!! It is showering pomegranates here. We have been buying 8/10 at one time. In our home we can eat one whole pomegranate at a time each
so not much is left for any thing else other than break and eat.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Lovely Soma! This is so festive and perfect for the holidays. I thought about combining pomegranate and chocolate together in a cake, but this looks wonderful. It looks like a beautiful Christmas ornament. Thank you for posting the recipe…I’ll try to make some time for this one as well!!
December 14th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
It looks so beautiful Soma. I love the pink color and the POM. But for chocolate this is my kind of dessert…You have tons of patience in setting up the whole thing.. Love your pictures..
December 14th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I have never tried he combo cranberry+pomegranate but it looks fantastic… and with chocolate: amazing
December 14th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
These look so pretty that I wouldn’t dare eat them
December 14th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
It’s amazing that something that gorgeous is actually easy to make. But I’ll take your word for it.
Oh! Yes, easy;way easier than all the complicated baking ;-D
December 14th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
looks wow!!!!!!
December 14th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
Wow, nice colors.. looks mouthwatering..Awesome click as usual
December 15th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Wow! That looks so beautiful!!! Great pictures as usual. Love the colors.
December 15th, 2009 at 8:12 am
OMG, those are so pretty, and sound absolutely incredible! Excellent pictures!
December 15th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Wow that is too beautiful to eat. Super delicous and creamy yummy.
December 15th, 2009 at 8:22 am
These are GORGEOUS. Color contrast is SPOT ON.
December 15th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Love love the colors of the pictures
Stunning dessert with the chocolate mousse…. really almost too gorgeous to eat!
Happy Holidays!
Cheers,
Gera
December 15th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Hi Soma, thank you so much for your SHF submission.
Your mousse is so colourful and festive, and that’s a really clever idea to add pomegranates and Pom juice. Your photos are beautiful!
December 15th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Love the way you’ve dressed up this mousse for the holidays! Very elegant!
December 15th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
no doubt love your pics…….dessert is perfect for the season…
December 15th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I can easily use one of those glasses as a centre piece on my table.
December 15th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
such a pretty dessert
December 16th, 2009 at 3:02 am
Absolutely beautiful job Soma! I love those colours together and don’t often see them together.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:47 am
They are so beautiful and delicate! Definitely goddess food.
December 16th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Interesting post! Thanks for sharing
December 16th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Dessert sounds yummy and what a pretty presentation!!! Professional clicks!
December 16th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Looks so pretty Soma and the combination sounds unbeleivable. The pictures look so pretty as usual
Belated wishes to Arjun.
December 17th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Simply amazing!You never fail to impress me, Soma!!
December 19th, 2009 at 1:32 am
Simply stunning Soma!! Love the color combination, beautiful
December 19th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Wow, fancy
December 20th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Wow … that looks incredibly yummy … Great job
Beautiful photos, as usual
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:24 am
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