Chef notes
Get a taste of Brazil with this light-as-a-cloud coconut mousse.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces canned sweetened condensed milk
- 1 2/3 cups coconut milk, divided
- 1 cup unsweetened dried grated coconut
- 2½ teaspoons (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 egg whites
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Shaved coconut chips, or grated coconut , lightly toasted, for garnish
Preparation
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup coconut milk and the dried coconut. Set aside.
2.In a small sauce pan, add the remaining 2/3 cup coconut milk, sprinkle the gelatin over and give it a quick whisk. Let it stand at room temperature for about 2 minutes to soften. Then bring it to a bear simmer over very low heat, whisking softly, until the gelatin is dissolved (do not let it boil), about 1 minute.
3.Pour the gelatin and coconut milk mixture into the sweetened condensed milk mixture and whisk well. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
4.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks, then gently fold it into the coconut mixture. (Because the base for this mousse is in liquid stage, once you mix the whipped cream into the base, it will dissolve into the liquid. If you see any lumps, mix well with a spatula to get rid of them.)
5.In another bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with a tiny pinch of salt. Start on low speed and gradually increase as the whites begin to foam and rise. Slowly add the sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Fold gently into the coconut mixture, knowing that just like the whipped cream, the egg whites will become somewhat liquid once it's mixed into the base. Not to worry—once the mousse solidifies in the refrigerator, a great mousse consistency and texture will develop. Once again, make sure there are no lumps of egg whites.
6.Pour the coconut mousse into a nice glass bowl and cover with a plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until it is set, about 6 hours, preferably overnight. To serve, garnish with some toasted coconut chips.
