Mousses : These sweet and savory foamy creations will help cooks get through the holiday season.

RASPBERRY CHARLOTTE HOTEL BEL-AIR SANDS

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

English Cream

2 pints raspberries

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon raspberry, strawberry or other fruit liqueur

Dash red food color, optional

18 to 20 ladyfingers

Raspberry Coulis

Soften gelatin in cold water. Mix with warm English Cream. Set aside to cool completely.

Puree raspberries, then strain to remove seeds. Whip cream and sugar together until thick. Add whipped cream and strained raspberries to English Cream, blending well. Add fruit liqueur.

Arrange ladyfingers upright in 1 (7-inch diameter, 3 1/2-inch deep) charlotte pan or 1 (1 quart) souffle dish. Pour raspberry mixture into ladyfinger-lined pan. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate at least 5 hours to firm. Unmold onto serving platter and serve with Raspberry Coulis and English Cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

English Cream

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

Combine egg yolks, sugar and flour. Beat until thick and pale in color. Gradually blend in milk.

Strain through fine strainer into saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring constantly, being careful not to curdle. Cook and stir over low heat. Do not boil.

Remove custard from heat. Cool, stirring occasionally, to prevent crust from forming. Strain into bowl.

Raspberry Coulis

1/4 pint raspberries

1 tablespoon sugar or to taste

1 tablespoon Chambord or other fruit liqueur

Force raspberries through strainer into a bowl. Add sugar and liqueur. Makes about 1/3 cup.

SWISS CHARD MOUSSE A LA CHANTECLER

2 pounds Swiss chard

1 3/4 cups whipping cream

Sugar

Dash salt

2 tablespoons amaretto or other anise liqueur

Lemon juice

Additional whipped cream

Raspberry or other fruit sauce

Trim 1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard of hard stems. Reserve remaining 1/2 pound for decoration. Parboil or blanch leaves in small amount of water until bright green in color. Rinse in cold water. Drain and squeeze dry. Puree greens in food processor. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream, 1/4 cup sugar and salt and process until blended.

Spread Swiss chard mixture evenly in bottom of 8x4-inch loaf. Whip remaining cream until frothy. Add 1/4 cup sugar and whip until stiff. Fold in amaretto. Pour over Swiss chard layer in loaf pan. Freeze until firm.

Brush reserved Swiss chard leaves with lemon juice. Sprinkle with sugar. Set aside.

When ready to serve, unmold mousse and cut into 3/4-inch slices. Place over sugared Swiss chard leaves and serve with whipped cream or fruit sauce. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

PERSIMMON MOUSSE IN SHELLS

3 small persimmons

1/4 cup diced orange

1/2 cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup evaporated milk, chilled and whipped

Cut persimmons in halves lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-inch shell. Place shells, cut side down, on baking sheet and freeze. Cover pulp with plastic wrap and refrigerate until shells are partially frozen.

Combine persimmon pulp, orange, pineapple, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Blend gently. Fold in whipped milk.

Pour into partially frozen shells and return to freezer. Remaining persimmon can be poured into small bowl or mold to freeze for later date. Freeze until firm. Makes 6 servings.

FISH MOUSSE

1 pound fillets of halibut, perch, sole or other whitefish or salmon

Boiling salted water

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated white onion

1 tablespoon creamed horseradish

2 large sheets nori (dried seaweed)

1 small can pimiento, drained

Lemon slice, optional

Cook fillets in small amount boiling salted water in skillet until tender. Drain. When cool, flake and combine with cream cheese, lemon juice, onion and horseradish in blender container and blend well.

Place nori sheets end to end, slightly overlapping, to form 1 large rectangular shape. Spoon fish mousse along center of sheets and spread to within 1 inch of edges.

Place drained pimiento flat over fish mousse and roll, jellyroll fashion, to form long roll. Ends will adhere. Chill. Cut into slices to serve. Garnish with lemon slice. Makes about 12 appetizer servings.

VANILLA RUM MOUSSE

1 (3-ounce) package vanilla pudding mix

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 ounces dark rum

Raspberry Sauce

Whipped cream

Prepare pudding mix according to package directions but do not chill. Whip cream with sugar until stiff. Fold whipped cream and rum into pudding mixture.

Place 2 tablespoons Raspberry Sauce in bottom of each of 4 (4-ounce) wine glasses. Pipe or spoon mousse on top so sauce travels halfway up glass. Top with additional Raspberry Sauce. Garnish with whipped cream. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Raspberry Sauce

1 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries

2 tablespoons sugar, or more

2 tablespoons raspberry, currant or strawberry jelly

1 tablespoon rum, optional

Thaw berries and mash. Combine with sugar in saucepan. Stir in raspberry jelly over low heat. Add rum. Thin with water if too thick. Serve warm or cool. Makes 1 cup.

MARY MICUCCI’S CAVIAR MOUSSE

1 1/2 packages unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup water

3 hard-cooked eggs, coarsely sieved

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon grated onion

Dash Worcestershire sauce

1 (4-ounce) jar black or red caviar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

White pepper

Red, black and golden caviar or minced parsley

Toast points

Sprinkle gelatin over water to soften 10 minutes. Combine eggs, mayonnaise, onion and Worcestershire. Carefully fold in caviar.

Place gelatin mixture over simmering water, stirring until dissolved, then cool. Add to caviar mixture. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste with white pepper.

Spoon into lightly oiled 1 1/2-cup tiered mold. Chill 4 hours or until set. Unmold onto serving platter. Garnish top of mold with strips of red, black and gold caviar or minced parsley. Serve with toast points. Makes 8 to 12 appetizer servings.

AVOCADO MOUSSE

3 small avocados

1 cup boiling water

1 (3-ounce) package lime gelatin

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 egg whites

Tortilla chips

Cut avocados in halves, remove pits and scoop out avocado flesh, leaving 1/4-inch shell. Reserve avocado pulp. Place shells, cut side down, on baking sheet and freeze until shells hold shape.

Add boiling water to lime gelatin and stir until dissolved. Mix unflavored gelatin with cold water in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add to lime gelatin. Stir in salt and pepper. Chill until slightly thickened.

Puree avocado flesh in food processor or blender to make 1 1/4 cups. Mix in lemon juice, onion and mayonnaise. Beat in thickened gelatin. In large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold in avocado-gelatin mixture. Pour into frozen shells. Pour remaining mousse mixture into any desired mold. Chill until firm, about 4 hours or more. Unmold, if using mold. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 6 servings.

GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

8 ounces fresh goat cheese

1/2 cup whipping cream

Large grape or citrus leaves

Dark or light grapes

Soften gelatin in water in small saucepan. Stir over low heat to dissolve. Stir milk into gelatin. Chill until mixture begins to thicken at edges, about 25 minutes. (Watch carefully for it will thicken quickly once it begins.)

While mixture is thickening, blend mayonnaise and goat cheese with electric mixture until smooth. Whip cream. Blend mayonnaise mixture into chilled gelatin mixture. Fold in whipped cream. Turn into 3-cup mold. Chill until set. Unmold onto plate lined with grape or citrus leaves and surround with grapes. Makes 12 appetizer servings.

CUCUMBER MOUSSE

2 cucumbers

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 envelope gelatin

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

Romaine lettuce leaves

Cucumber slices, chilled

Toast rounds or crackers

Peel cucumbers, cut in halves and remove seeds. Blanch about 5 minutes in 1 cup boiling water to which lemon juice has been added. Drain well and put through fine sieve or in blender.

When pulp is cool, add Worcestershire, salt, white pepper and mayonnaise. Soften gelatin in 1 tablespoon cool water and dissolve in 1 tablespoon hot water. Add to cucumber mixture. Fold in whipped cream.

Turn into chilled, well-cleaned and rinsed large juice can opened at both ends, with bottom end covered with plastic wrap, foil or wax paper to keep mousse from falling out. Cover top end of can with wax paper or foil. Chill until firm.

Unmold onto large romaine lettuce leaves and serve over cucumber slices, toast rounds or crackers. Makes 6 appetizer servings.