Just as blueberries sing their swan song for the summer, I learn (secondhand, I might add, through our youngest child) that they're the most favoritest fruit of the man to whom I have been married for almost 15 years.
Me: “Why didn't I know that?”
Him: “It just never came up.”
Me: “________________.”
Now if I didn't do for a living what I do for a living, then that might be an almost-normal exchange between two marrieds.
As I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart in an effort to make the most of these last reasonably-priced, utterly bursting with flavor, pints of blueberries, I learned something else. All I really did was to make a jam of sorts with these fresh berries and fold that into whipped cream to make mousse.
I haven't done it myself, but I'd be willing to wager that this mousse would be nearly as good (not exactly as good, since fresh pureed berries are a wonderful thing) if you simply strained some blueberry jam and went on with things.
It's the crust that makes the whole thing worthwhile, anyhow. Thin & crispy chocolate chip cookies made with mini chocolate chips, ground into crumbs, are mixed with some melted butter and sugar, and then pressed into a square baking pan.
The mousse is poured on top and made smooth, and then frozen.
You really could use any berry at all here in place of blueberries. It's the smooth, chilled berry mousse and the salty sweetness of the chocolate chip cookie crust, that make this a fast late summer favorite.
Gluten-free No-Bake Blueberry Mousse Pie |
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground [url href=”http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/thin-crispy-chocolate-chip-cookies-how-they-get-that-way-recipe/”]gluten-free Thin & Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies[/url]
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) powdered unflavored gelatin
- 3 tablespoons cool water
- 3 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
- 3 tablespoons (22g) confectioners' sugar
- Grease and line a 9-inch square baking pan with a piece of unbleached parchment paper that overlaps two sides of the pan. Grease the parchment paper, and lie another sheet of unbleached parchment paper on top that overlaps the other two sides of the pan. Set the pan aside.
- In a large bowl, place the cookie crumbs, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and melted butter, and mix to combine. Scrape the cookie mixture into the prepared pan, and press firmly into one even, compact layer. Place the pan in the freezer while you make the mousse.
- In a small bowl, place the gelatin and cool water. Stir to combine, and allow to sit. The gelatin will swell.
- Puree 2 1/2 cups of blueberries in a blender until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, and discard the seeds.
- In a medium-size saucepan, place the blueberry puree and 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and mix to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to simmer (about 3 minutes). Add the swelled gelatin to the blueberry mixture and continue to cook, still stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved (about another minute more). Remove from the heat and allow to cool until no longer hot to the touch.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, place the heavy cream and whip, at medium-high speed, until stiff but not dry peaks form, adding the confectioners' sugar just as the cream begins to thicken. Slowly pour the cooled blueberry mixture along the side of the bowl of whipped cream, and gently fold it into the cream until only a few white streaks remain.
- Remove the baking pan from the freezer, and pour the blueberry-cream mixture on top of the crust. Smooth the top with an offset (or angled) spatula, and dot with the remaining blueberries on top of the mousse.
- Place the pie in the freezer until firm. Once frozen, slice into 12 squares. About 15 minutes before you are ready to serve the pie, place it in the refrigerator to thaw a bit. Serve chilled.
Oh, and since it is, undeniably, late summer and that means back-to-school, I'll be sure to share some of my favorite lunchbox staples for my 3 kids.
Love,
Me
P.S. To all of you who have bought a copy of My Cookbook, thank you so much for your support! It means the world to me (not to mention soothes my fragile ego).