The April 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Evelyne of the blog Cheap Ethnic Eatz. Evelyne chose to challenge everyone to make a maple mousse in an edible container. Prizes are being awarded to the most creative edible container and filling, so vote on your favorite from April 27th to May 27th at https://thedaringkitchen.com!
When the challenge was announced and I knew we were required to make a maple mousse, I couldn’t help but think about maple bars/donuts. Most maple bars are just iced with a maple frosting, but some are filled with pastry cream and iced with maple frosting. I contemplated using the Daring Bakers Donut recipe and making filled maple bars, but I decided I’d rather have a baked shell instead of a fried one.
So I made my containers with frozen puff pastry. I cut the puff pastry dough into six rectangles. I trimmed each edge of each rectangle and affixed it to the edge with a little beaten egg white. Then I egg washed the top of the bars and baked them on a hot pizza stone at 425º for about 5 – 10 minutes until they were puffy and golden brown. I pricked the center with a fork both before and after baking to create a well to fill with the maple mousse.
I drizzled a little hot fudge on the plate and sprinkled a few chocolate jimmies on the top to dress it up. This was a big hit with the family and I could have easily polished off more than one of these scrumptious pastries.
I do have a little leftover mousse in the fridge. I’ve been pondering whether I should make a run to the donut store and buy some maple bars to fill.
Puff Pastry Maple Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup pure maple syrup not maple-flavoured syrup
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 package unflavoured gelatine
- 1 ½ cups whipping cream 35% fat content
Instructions
- Bring maple syrup to a boil then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and pour a little bit of the maple syrup in while whisking (this is to temper your egg yolks so they don’t curdle). Add warmed egg yolks to hot maple syrup until well mixed.
- Measure ¼ cup of whipping cream in a bowl and sprinkle it with the gelatine. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Place the bowl in a microwave for 45 seconds (microwave for 10 seconds at a time and check it in between) or place the bowl in a pan of barely simmering water, stir to ensure the gelatine has completely dissolved. Whisk the gelatine/whipping cream mixture into the maple syrup mixture and set aside.
- Whisk occasionally for approximately an hour or until the mixture has the consistency of an unbeaten raw egg white. (Mine was thickened at about 45 minutes and 1 hour was probably too long.)
- Whip the remaining cream. Stir ¼ of the whipped cream into the maple syrup mixture. Fold in the remaining cream and refrigerate for at least an hour. Remove from the fridge and divide equally among your edible containers. (I had more mousse than I needed for 6 shells.)
Thanks Evelyne for a fun challenge! Please visit the Daring Kitchen to see a slideshow of the fabulous edible containers the Daring Bakers created for this challenge and additional recipes.
FOODESSA
Your puff pastry basket containers are such a lovely idea Barbara…great challenge succeeded. The maple mousse is certainly the bonus ;o)
Ciao for now,
Claudia
Nutmeg Nanny
Such a delicious looking bar 🙂 Puff pastry is a great choice for the maple cream…yum!
Daniela
Davero golose queste barrette, ottima presentazione. Ciao Daniela.
bake in paris
Come to think of it, it is true this maple mousse could go very well with donuts, thanks Barbara, I should try to match them together 🙂
Meanwhile I am sure the mousse also goes perfectly with puff pastry. You are so creative, the hot fudge drizzle just makes the whole presentation so mouth watering.
cakewhiz
using puff pastry as a holder for maple mousse is a great idea…plus it would compliment the mousse texture wonderfully!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Mum you know I always love my pastry and maple syrup so I feel like you were totally making these for me! 😉 xxx
Joy
That looks wonderful.
cooking rookie
These are so original. I love your take on this challenge 🙂
Renata
I also thought about puff pastry, I’m sure it paired very well with the mousse, and they make the most gorgeous containers, don’t they? But I also couldn’t resist trying out the bacon-maple combo and I was surprised with the yummy result.
As always, you did a fabulous job on the challenge, Barbara!
Pam
You have me drooling!
Paula
Wonderful idea to bake the puff pastry and create these little trays for your whipped maple filling. The presentation looks amazing and I’ll bet is was a taste delight.
Gera@Sweets Foods Blog
I don’t have maple often here, but I’d like too – these bars are excellent and so satisfying! 🙂
Cheers,
Gera
teresa
i adore the flavor of maple, i love these bars!
Lisa @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies
That puff pastry looks like an excellent choice for your entry. These must have been wonderfully buttery and good.
Megan
I was wondering all month what your edable container would be. I love it and these would be a huge hit at my house!
Claire @ Claire K Creations
I could eat puff pastry on its own but filled with maple mousse would be heavenly!
Memoria
Maple mousse sounds so good. Wow! Good job, Barbara!
Rocky Mountain Woman
They look almost too pretty to eat…
Almost, I said, almost…
yum….
Kathia
I love puff pastry and anything maple flavor.
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc
wow this is lovely!