A New Way to Serve Champagne

Here’s a mousse that’s a quick-change artist for upcoming holiday entertaining.

It has an Old World charm that is unmistakably the work of Austrian-born Erna Kubin-Clanin, a designer and self-confessed “dreamer.” She is the driving force behind Elderberry House, the estate-like restaurant in Oakhurst, Calif., described by Craig Claiborne as “one of the most stylish restaurants in the nation.”

Originally the mousse was the filling for a gateau made with layers of hardened meringue fingers, served in a pool of dark chocolate sauce. In this version, however, the mousse alone is served as a dessert over raspberry puree. “That gives it a change of clothes, so to speak,” says Kubin-Clanin. It can be served in the shape of muffins, but also in souffle dishes, stemware or demitasse cups as a spectacular finale to an elegant dinner. Instead of Champagne, however, you can use any other dry white wine or even apple juice. As for the calories, who’s counting?

CHAMPAGNE MOUSSE

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 split vanilla bean, scraped

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

2/3 cup white wine (preferably Chenin Blanc)

1 cup Champagne

1 1/2 cups whipped cream

1 cup cookie crumbs

Raspberry Puree

Fresh raspberries

Mint leaves

Combine milk and 1/2 cup whipping cream with scrapings of vanilla bean in saucepan over medium heat. Heat just until hot to touch. Whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar in top of double boiler over simmering water until thick. Add milk mixture and cook until thickened, stirring. Remove from heat.

Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup white wine and whisk into hot egg mixture. Add remaining white wine and Champagne to milk mixture. Cool, then fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped cream.

Line bottom and sides of 12 average-size muffin cups with plastic wrap. Pour cream mixture into cups, filling to rim. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold and remove plastic wrap. Roll sides of cups in crumbs. Arrange each cup over Raspberry Puree on chilled plate. Garnish each with raspberry and mint leaf. Makes 12 servings.

Raspberry Puree

2 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries, thawed

2 tablespoons orange or raspberry liqueur

Sugar

Puree raspberries with liqueur in blender or food processor. Pass through strainer or sieve to remove seeds. Add sugar to taste.