A Daring Baker's Challenge- Maple Mousse Served in an Edible Bacon container

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 http://thedaringkitchen.com/!

I never thought I would be making something like this!  Just thinking about it is clogging up my arteries...but because I am part of the Daring Bakers, I will give it a shot.  After all, I was always the one to say to Elliot
 "Just try it" so here we goooooo.

First I want to thank Evelyne as she has brought Maple Syrup to the main stage of the Daring Baker's Kitchen.  Being from Quebec, (now live in Ontario) where my first words probably were Maple Syrup, I absolutely took for granted that everyone knew what it was and just had it in their pantries.  So it was very surprising watching the entries from the Daring Bakers around the world who had not heard of it and were unable to find it in their grocery stores...the Phillipines is a good example.  They were looking for recipes for maple syrup and substitutes.  And of course the Daring Bakers responded with suggestions...After reading these entries, I ran to my pantry and hugged my tin of maple syrup!

Here is a little video on Maple Syrup in Quebec.



Just to let you know, in all my years living in Quebec, I never tasted this combination!

On with the recipe...

First I made the Bacon Cups:

Ingredients:  24 thin slices good quality bacon

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C.

2. Take a muffin pan or 6 small ½ cup capacity heat-proof bowls, turn upside down and carefully form aluminum foil covers on the back of 6 muffin cups or the bowls.

3. Taking 2 strips of bacon at a time crisscross the strips over the backs of the muffin cups and cut to size a tad longer then the bottom part of the cup. Now use 1 to 2 more strips to cover the sides of the muffin cups in a weaving fashion. You want a full tight weave because bacon shrinks a lot. For smaller cups I used a shot glass with a square of bacon for the bottom and I wrapped 1 strip around the side.

4. Tuck the ends of the bacon strips inside otherwise they will curl while cooking. A good idea is to insert 4 toothpicks where the crisscrossed bacon meets in the weave.

5. Place muffin pan in a cookie tray to catch drippings. Bake in oven for about 25 to 40 minutes, or until the bacon is golden and crisp but not burned.

6. Cool completely, a good hour, before removing your cups delicately from the foil.

Then the maple mouse

Maple Mousse:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml/ 8 fluid oz.) pure maple syrup (not maple-flavoured syrup)

• 4 large egg yolks

• 1 package (7g/1 tbsp.) unflavoured gelatine

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml. g/12 fluid oz) whipping cream (35% fat content)

Directions:

1. Bring maple syrup to a boil then remove from heat.

2. 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).

3. Add warmed egg yolks to hot maple syrup until well mixed.

4. Measure 1/4 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.

5. Whisk the gelatine/whipping cream mixture into the maple syrup mixture and set aside.

6. Whisk occasionally for approximately an hour or until the mixture has the consistency of an unbeaten raw egg white.

7. Whip the remaining cream. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the maple syrup mixture. Fold in the remaining cream and refrigerate for at least an hour.

8. Remove from the fridge and divide equally among your edible containers.

By the way Maple syrup will keep, unopened, in a cool dark place indefinitely. Once opened, maple syrup must be refrigerated. If mould appears, discard the syrup immediately.


And now the taste test with Camera Guy...he is nowhere to be found... he is hiding in Montreal...maybe he is avoiding this taste test.

So I guess it is only me!  Actually the maple mousse is deeeelicious.  I am not too sure about the combination, more because of the textures - not the taste. Maybe the bacon should have been crispier!!!   After all, I love bacon with maple syrup drizzled on it.  This just looks a little strange....
I'm happy I made it- but sorry to say....I won't be repeating the performance.  Thank you Evelyne for being so creative.
Until we bake again...
Penny