Serves 8
FOR THE MOUSSE:
1 cup half-and-half
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin purée
2 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 extra-large egg yolks
2 packages (4 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
2 ripe bananas, finely mashed
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
FOR THE DECORATION:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange zest (optional)
1. Heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler, and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken (about 140 degrees), stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, bananas, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.
3. Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cooled pumpkin mixture and pour it into a 7 inch x 2 3/4 inch round soufflé dish. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
4. For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the mousse and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.
