Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Mini Mousse

I have a bit of a thing for little mini mousse cups.

Mini always makes everything cuter.....and when I found these super sweet little disposable square verrine cups I knew I had to use them on my next dessert table.

Ok who am I kidding, I want to use them on EVERY dessert table I ever do from now on cause they are sooo cute.

Anyway as my next planned table after I picked up the cups was a pie and slice table I came up with an idea to make some chiffon pie mousse cups. They worked out pretty well, rather than layering different flavors I just made the one type of mousse and then added extra flavor and texture with the garnish. It meant I could make all the components in advance and then I just assembled on the spot to ensure maximum crunchiness for the pie bites and macarons.

It was something new for me and I didn't have a recipe handy so I found some on the internet, tried out a few, threw out quite a few icky batches and then finally tweaked this recipe I found here.

The gorgeous photography is by Naomi V Photography. at her studio.

Printables are by Style Me Gorgeous.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Mousse with mini macarons and pecan pie crust bites were created for the Blissfully Sweet Oh Sweet Mum E-vent for this rustic pie table...more pictures of the pie table available in the online E-Zine or here on the Bubble and Sweet Blog.

Ah-Tissue created the amazing display of paper and hessian wall pom poms.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Mini Mousse - (makes around 24 mini mousse cups)

3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream (heavy)
1 cup cooked well mashed pumpkin (you may use tinned if you like)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups cream (heavy) extra

In a heavy based saucepan at medium low heat cook the yolks, sugar and 1/2 cup cream whisking continuously until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and mix in the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Place in the fridge to chill for around an hour.

Place the 1 1/2 cups cream in a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Mix in 1/3 of the pumpkin mixture with a spatula to lighten the mixture. Add the remaining pumpkin mixture to the cream mixture and gently fold in until combined.

Place the mixture into a large disposable piping bag (I use biggish kee-seal ones).

Line up the mini mousse cups (or what ever type of container you are using) on a large tray.

Snip off the end of the piping bag with scissors and squeeze the mixture into the cups until it nearly reaches the top.

Place the tray in the fridge and chill overnight or until set. Best prepared day before serving although you can prepare a few days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

I decorated the mousse cups with mini macarons and Pie bites.

Pie Bites

To make the pie bites roll out some chilled sugar crust pie dough or vanilla sugar cookie mixture. Cut into small squares around 3cm (1"), place on trays lined with parchment paper and press chopped pecans into the dough. Bake at the recommended oven setting until golden and allow to cool before using (can be prepared around 3 days ahead).

I used the sugar crust pie dough from my book Sweets on a Stick, It's the same recipe I use for the pie pops. But you can just use store bought or even this sugar cookie dough recipe CLICK HERE.

Mini Macarons

To make mini macarons you can follow this recipe CLICK HERE and just pipe the macarons smaller.

For more of my recipes including the Pie Crust recipe for the pie pops check out my book Sweets on a Stick. You can pick it up online at Amazon here:

Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

I popped this on Skip to my Lou's Linky Made by you Monday.

and Kitchen fun with my three sons crafty Friday

Oh Sweet Mum - A rustic pie buffet party table

I love my mum.

Without a doubt she has been the hugest female influence in my life. She taught me to cook, to love and to be the best I can be, she made me who I am and if my own children end up loving and respecting me as much as I do my own mother...then I'll be pretty happy and call my time here a success.

So when Jacki from Blissfully Sweet asked if I would like to be involved in an E-vent being organised in memory of her own mother I was honored to participate.

When I signed on I had no idea how gorgeous the Oh-Sweet Mum E-vent would be. Jacki co-ordinated a group of super talented stylists, artists, florists, florists, cake decorators and more from within Australia and around the world to come up with a day of amazing events.

I would highly recommend that you CLICK HERE to read the E-Magazine that was created to showcase the E-vent. It includes so many beautiful images, information about the contributors, recipes and diy ideas including my recipe for Caramel Slice.

Want caramel slice to rival these babies

....click over to the E-zine it includes my recipe

Anyway......my mission (if I chose to accept it) was to create a Pie, Tart and Slice E-vent and I decided the best way would be a dessert buffet.

That little Mission Impossible pun is due to the fact that Pies are not really my thing.

But I think I met the challenge and came up with a rustic inspired pie and slice table with my own Bubble and Sweet spin. Although there are a couple of traditional pies on display I have included 'Pie' Macarons, Whoopie Pies, Pie Pops and pretty little Chiffon Pumpkin verrines with mini macarons and pecan pie crust bites.

I'm pretty happy with the end result which I'm going to admit is only this good due to the contributions of Naomi V Photography and Ah-Tissue.

With the original concept of the Oh Sweet Mum E-vent in mind and in the interests of women's health, I am going to donate a dollar for every comment on this pie table post up to $100 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  (I know that there are many other important aspects of women's health and other great organisations I have just chosen this one this time).

Also as a mother to 3 young children myself I know that sometimes my own health takes a back seat to everything else going on. But regardless of what is happening I do make sure I always keep any of my regular doctor's check up appointments and I try to remember to keep up my own self-examination routine. Please if you take anything from this post today I hope that it how important you are to your friends and family and that you should look after your health.... and the same applies to all you men out there as well :)

OK now that I've got off my soap-box, back to the yummy treats:



Rustic Pie and Party Table menu included:

Sky High Apple Pie
Rustic Cherry Pie

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with mini chocolate macarons and pecan piecrust bites

Pie Pops (recipes from Sweets on a Stick)
Peanut Butter Boston Cream Pie

Rustic Chocolate Pecan Pie

 Chocolate Cream Mousse Pie with mini chocolate macarons and Hazelnut Tart Shell

Whoopie Pies

Assorted Slices (Rocky Road (recipe from Sweets on a Stick), Mum's Sweet Caramel Slice and Cheesecake Slice)

 Chocolate chunk fudge brownie Slab; and

 Apple Pie macarons

The table theme was inspired by the chocolates and caramels in the treats with some gold and teal highlights.

Ah-Tissue created an amazing display of paper and hessian wall pom poms which I can only describe as wall art.

The gorgeous photography is by Naomi V Photography. and the photo's are taken at her studio

(This was my favorite photo of the day - apart from the girls of course - 

I think because they were my favorite treat - super yum)

Printables are by Style Me Gorgeous.

The dresses and hair pieces that Bubble and Sweet are wearing are Tea Princess purchased from Tea Princess and Vintage Ladybird.

Recipes for the Pie Pops, Boston Cream Pies and the Rocky Road are from Sweets on a Stick

Sweets on a Stick 0ver 150 Kid Friendly Recipes available from Amazon and Fishpond 

(and lots of other places too)

Princess Pie Pops - Decorated Cherry Pie pops

 
Poor Princess Pie Guts, there was no fairytale ending for her.

Is it wrong that this picture doesn't make me squeamish just a bit hungry?

Christina from my facebook page anointed them Princess Pie Guts pops and I kinda had to agree with her from this photo. It looked a bit gruesome. Well mostly Yummy but a teensy bit gruesome.

To make them I made a batch of cherry pie pops and then decorated them with fondant. You can buy fondant at cake shops, some supermarkets or make your own marshmallow fondant using this recipe (click here).

First I cut out the pink crowns by hand the day before using a sharp knife, decorating them and laying them out on parchment paper to dry overnight.

Then I cut out the yellow hair by rolling out the fondant thinly and pressing a round cutter down just at the top point, I didn't press it all the way through. it just gave me the impression of the rounded top and then I used the sharp knife to cut around and flicked out at the bottom to make the bobbed hair. This was then pressed onto the pie pop using the tiniest amount of water.

Then I added a couple of eyes, you can use premade eyes or make some yourself with white and black fondant or royal icing. I made my own with fondant and while I was at it I rolled some of the black fondant very thinly and made eyelashes.

I used a little bit of red fondant to make the mouth, I just pinched it into a mouth like shape and the I rolled small amounts of flesh coloured fondant into a small nose.

I mixed up a tiny amount of royal icing using premix (you can get this at woolies now) and stuck the eyes, nose, mouth, crown (which was now stiff after drying overnight) and a couple of little premade flowers I had sitting around.

Pirate Pie Pop Treats - Arrrrgh Me matey's I'm Back

   
It's funny how things work out.

I've been working on a pretty huge project for someone else for a couple of months which I just finished last weekend. So I planned on having a rejuvenating me week and easing myself back into the blog, maybe a catch up of some of the fabulous things I have been lucky enough to work on in my spare time, but no baking, no siree, I had moved my kitchen aid off the bench which is code in this house for baking hiatus.

I was feeling kinda creativity sapped....nothing left.
But then it happened, 2 days into my week of me I had a stray thought that I had never seen a decorated pie pop and wondered why.

It just wouldn't leave me alone, I couldn't wait.  Those decorated pies kept calling me, so at 2am that morning I found myself up and baking a batch of cherry pie pops so they would be ready for decorating the next day. Yup Really 2am in the morning! At the time it seemed like the only sensible thing to do.

and here is my sneaking out in the middle of the night results. Pirate pie pops. The kids are wrapped in this new creation so I'm calling it a success and have already started on more.


and they're easy as pie.....here's how I decorated them.

Shiver me Timbers Pirate Pie Pops

Ingredients

Baked and cooled pie pops (6 to 7 cm or 3 inches)
Red Marshmallow/Ready to Roll Fondant
Black Marshmallow/ Ready to Roll fondant (or black royal icing)
White Royal icing (I used premix royal icing powder mixed with a tiny amount of water so that it was stiff)
Round cutter
Sharp knife
small rolling pin
10 ready made eyes (or make your own from fondant)

Roll out the red fondant until a couple of millimeters (1/8th inch) thick and cut out a round with the cutter.

Cut a straight line across it 3.5cm (1 3/8 inch) from the top to make the bandana. Then cut 2 thin long triangle to look like the bandana's knot/tie. Press the half circle onto the top of the pie and the 2 triangles at one side with the larger ends touching the edge of the half circle 'bandana'.
Take a small piece of black fondant and roll it out like a long log to make a thin strap about 5cm (2inch) long. Press it onto the pie starting about halfway across the head and draping down to the side to look like the strap of an eye patch. Roll another small piece of black fondant into a small ball and then press flat to make an eye patch, stick onto the pirate head pie across the strap where the eye should be. Roll another small piece of black fondant into a thin log about 2.5cm (1inch) long and shape into a smile, press on where the pirate pie's mouth should be. (Alternately you can do all this black fondant work with some black royal icing.)


Pop the white royal icing into a small ziplock bag and cut a tiny hole in the corner to make an easy disposable piping bag. Using the royal icing stick the premade eye into place and then pipe lots of tiny dots onto the red fondant bandana to appear like polka dots.

Allow to dry and once set you can eat straight away of store in an airtight container for a couple of days.