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Pumpkin Mousse with Toffee Crunch and Cran-Raspberry Sauce

These delicious mini pumpkin parfaits will be the highlight of any Thanksgiving dessert table. This recipe will make approx. 15 mini desserts depending on the size of your glasses. If using full portions (4 oz.) it will make 6 desserts.
Course Dessert

Ingredients

Toffee Crunch

  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 package baking toffee bits such as Heath or Skor, in the baking section next to chocolate chips
  • 8 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted

Mousse

  • 1 3/4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/4 cups canned pure pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Cranberry Sauce

  • 1 package fresh or frozen cranberries 12 oz
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup raspberry vinegar
  • 1 package frozen raspberries 12 oz

Instructions

For Toffee Crunch:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; brush generously with vegetable oil. Toss toffee bits, sugar, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add butter and toss to coat. Place mixture in center of prepared sheet; pat to single layer. Bake until toffee bits are soft (but retain shape), about 8-10 minutes. Watch closely as this will burn quickly. Cool crunch completely on sheet. Transfer to work surface; chop coarsely, saving bigger pieces for topping the dessert.

For Pumpkin Mousse:

  1. Whisk 3/4 cup whipping cream, sugar, and egg yolks in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Stir over medium-low heat until thickened to pudding consistency, about 10 minutes (do not boil). Transfer mixture to large bowl. Mix in pumpkin, rum, vanilla, ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and allspice. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.
  2. Beat remaining 1 cup cream in another large bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold remaining whipped cream into pumpkin mixture. Cover and refrigerate mousse at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

For Cran-Raspberry Sauce:

  1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cranberries and vinegar and return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in raspberries during the last few minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble dessert. This can be made in advance and frozen. Defrost before assembling dessert.

To Assemble Dessert:

  1. In each mini dish, add approximately 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce. Pipe or drop dollop of mousse in each goblet, then add 1 teaspoon of toffee crunch. Top with more pumpkin mousse. Cover; refrigerate or freeze overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Garnish with big Toffee Crunch pieces.