Pom-tastic: Pomegranate Mousse Pie Recipe

A pomegranate is a pretty special thing. Once you get past the exterior, it's like a jewelbox full of rubies.

But if pomegranates are like little rubies, then this is the dessert equivalent of surrounding the rubies with diamonds and pearls and other sparkly wonderful stuff. Pomegranate Mousse Pie. Doesn't the name just make you tingle a little? It takes the pretty pomegranate, with its tart-sweet flavor, and gives it an awesome upgrade by way of mousse-ifying it to creamy perfection.

The creamy mousse is somewhat startling in its delightful tartness, which is a wonderful contrast to the creaminess. It works wonderfully together, and when paired with a crunchy cookie crust, you've got yourself a highly crave-able dessert.

I was lucky enough to sample this pie, created by Stacy Pearl of Walter Burke Catering, at the Pie Mania event in Santa Fe, NM; the pie-maker was generous enough to share the recipe. Lucky you!

Pomegranate Mousse Pie

By Stacy Pearl, Executive chef,  Walter Burke Catering; recipe also appears here.

Makes two pies

Ingredients

Per pie crust (make this twice):

• 1 ½ cups cookie crumbs- Graham cracker, chocolate wafers, vanilla wafers, or gingersnaps
• 6 ounces melted butter

For the filling

• ¼ cup pomegranate juice
• 1 pack (2 ¼ teaspoons) gelatin
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup Pomegranate Molasses
• 2 cups heavy cream divided ( 2 tablespoons added to white chocolate)
•  4 ounces chopped white chocolate
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•  ½ cup powdered sugar

Procedure

1. To make the crust, mix melted butter with the cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of two 9 inch pie pans. Refrigerate till needed.
2. To make filling, put the pomegranate juice in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top then stir a little with a spoon to mix it up.
3. In a small saucepan heat the pomegranate molasses with the cardamom till it comes to a boil. Pour over the softened gelatin and stir. Let cool to room temp.
4. In the meantime, melt the chopped white chocolate in the top of a double boiler with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Let cool. Whip up the remaining heavy cream till it starts to thicken and then add the extracts and the powdered sugar. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix a little more. Now add the white chocolate and whip to incorporate. Next add the pomegranate gelatin mixture and mix till smooth.
5. Pour mixture into prepared crusts and refrigerate for at least 3 hours till firm. Best if made the night before. Serve with a drizzle of orange rosewater syrup ( recipe to follow) and a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds. This recipe makes two 9 inch  pies. This pie may be frozen.

Orange Rosewater Syrup

Ingredients

• 4 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• ½ cup rosewater
• ½ cup OJ concentrate
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ teaspoon orange oil

Procedure

Boil the water and sugar till sugar is dissolved and then add the other ingredients. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken.

Comments

[Anne-Marie Faiola]

OMG! That looks so decadently delicious!

[Sharron Culligan]

This pie is a wonderful alternative to the classic holiday pies! So flavorful but also light and fluffy - you will want seconds!