Nectar of the Night: Aerated Blood Orange and Bitters Mousse

Comece hidratando as folhas de gelatina em um recipiente com água bem fria por cerca de 5 a 10 minutos. Elas devem ficar macias e maleáveis. Caso use gelatina em pó, siga as instruções da embalagem para 6g, dissolvendo em um pouco de água fria.

In a heatproof bowl, mix the blood orange juice, zest, granulated sugar, and egg yolks. Bring this bowl to a bain-marie, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Cook until the mixture thickens, forming a slightly thick cream that coats the back of the spoon. Do not let it boil to avoid overcooking the egg yolks.

Remove the bowl from the heat. Squeeze the hydrated gelatin sheets well to remove excess water. Add the squeezed gelatin to the still-warm orange cream, stirring vigorously until it is completely dissolved. Next, incorporate the cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, until completely melted and the cream is smooth and shiny.

Transfer the orange curd to another clean container. Cover the surface of the cream with plastic wrap, touching it directly to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate to chill for approximately 1 to 2 hours, or until cold to the touch but still fluid and not completely set. The secret to this recipe is patience at this step for the mousse to have the ideal texture.

While the orange curd cools, whip the heavy cream (well chilled) in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk. Add the bitter essence and, if desired, the orange blossom water. Beat until the cream reaches stiff peaks, but without overbeating and turning it into butter. The professional technique is to use a bowl and beaters previously chilled for a better result.

With the orange curd already cold but still creamy, begin incorporating the whipped cream. First, add about a third of the whipped cream to the curd and mix gently with a spatula, in bottom-up movements, to lighten the mixture and equalize the densities. This prepares the base for the final incorporation.

Then, add the remaining whipped cream to the orange mixture. Continue incorporating with the spatula, making gentle and folding movements so as not to lose the air from the cream and ensure a light and airy mousse. Avoid over-mixing to maintain the delicacy of the texture and the volume of the mousse.

Distribua a mousse em taças individuais ou em um recipiente único de servir. Leve à geladeira por, no mínimo, 4 horas, ou idealmente de um dia para o outro, para que a mousse assente e ganhe a textura perfeita. Para um sabor ideal, retire da geladeira 10 minutos antes de servir, decorando com raspas de laranja ou folhas de hortelã.