Mousse with Walnut Toffee Crunch

Pumpkin Walnut Toffee Crunch
Vegetable oil for the baking sheet
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted (See note.)
1 tbsp butter, melted 4 tsp dark brown sugar
2/3 cup toffee bits (See note.)
1/8 tsp salt Vegetable oil

1.Arrange a rack at center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease the foil with vegetable oil.

2.Place toasted nuts in a mixing bowl, and toss with melted butter, sugar, salt, and toffee bits. Pat mixture in the center of the baking sheet in a single layer. Place in oven and bake until toffee bits melt and spread lightly, approximately 5 minutes; watch carefully. Remove and let the nuts and melted toffee bits cool and harden.

3.Gently lift the cooled toffee and walnuts to a chopping board and using a sharp knife, chop coarsely. (The walnut crunch can be prepared a day ahead. Leave at cool room temperature.) Makes about 1 3/4 cups. 

Spiced Pumpkin Mousse
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 1/4 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp all spice 1 1/8 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp dark rum or Bourbon

1.Place egg yolks, sugar, and 3/4 cup of the cream in a medium heavy saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 5 to 7 minutes or more.

2.Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, all spice, vanilla and rum or Bourbon; whisk to combine. Refrigerate until cool, 15 minutes or longer.

3.With an electric mixer on medium high speed, whip remaining cream until firm. Reserve 1/3 cup for garnish. Fold the rest into the pumpkin mixture.

4.Use 8 clear 4-ounce glasses, glass jars, or ceramic ramekins and ladle a generous 1/4 cup pumpkin mousse into each. Sprinkle the mousse in each glass with a generous tablespoon of walnut crunch. Repeat making one more layer each of mousse and walnut crunch in each glass. Save remaining crunch for the garnish. Cover and chill the mousses at least 4 hours or overnight.

5.To serve, garnish each serving with a dollop of reserved whipped cream and a sprinkle of the walnut toffee crunch.

Serves 8

Note: Place nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 5 minutes.  Remove and cool.

Note: Toffee bits are available in the baking section of many supermarkets. You can also order them online from Walmart.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Heath-Toffee-Bits-Bits-O-Brickle-8-oz/10311959?wmlspartner=wlpa&sel

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2026