Orange Mousse

A great after-meal addition. For a more subtle orange mousse taste leave out the zest.

Ingredients for approx. 500 grams:

• 250 g of peeled oranges
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 sheets of gelatin
• 200 g cream 35%
• 180 g Italian meringue
• ½ tsp lemon juice

Italian meringue:

Ingredients: 3 egg whites, 170 g sugar, 5 cl water and a pinch of salt.

1. Put the sugar and water in small sauce pan, warm up at medium heat.
2. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt using a handmixer. Stop when soft peaks form.
3. Measure the sugar temperature. When it's 125°C, remove from stove immediately. 
4. Pour gradually in egg whites while mixing at medium speed. Keep mixing until the sugar-egg white mix is less warm.  
5. Leave to cool.

Mousse:

1. Finely grate orange skin, save.
   
2. Peel oranges and remove pith (white part) as much as possible. Remove the pits too.
3. Mash oranges in a food processor or with a stick blender to make a pulp. Add the lemon juice. You need about 115 g of puree.
4. Put gelatin in cold water for about 5 to 10 minutes. Squeeze to remove excess water.
5. Take some of the puree and warm it up to not higher than 50°C. It should never be hot. Ideally look for a temperature between 40 and 45°C.
6. Dissolve the gelatin in the warm puree. Add this mixture to the rest of the orange puree and whisk vigorously to blend. The mixture should be cold for the following steps.
7. Beat the cold cream over ice water, without adding sugar.  
8. Using a spatula fold Italian meringue in the orange mixture. Make sure there are no lumps. If necessary whisk lightly.
9. Add the whip cream and fold again from under to over with spatula.
10. Refrigerate before serving! Makes a good filling too!

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