Christmas Gingerbread Cream

Ingredients

• 90 g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 sheets white gelatin
• 40 ml cherry brandy
• 75 g dark couverture chocolate
• 1 tsp gingerbread spice
• 80 g gingerbread cookies
• 250 g whipping cream
• 125 ml strong black tea
• 100 ml Orange Juice
• 40 ml rum
• 80 ml port wine
• 1 clove
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 oranges
• powdered sugar (for dusting)
• dried pineapple slices (for decoration, ready-made)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Beat eggs, yolks and 40 g sugar in a double boiler with an electric whisk until pale and thick. Place the bowl in cold water, continue beating until the mixture has cooled slightly.

2. 2.

   Soak gelatin in cold water, squeeze out excess, then dissolve it in cherry brandy over low heat in a small pot; stir into the egg mixture.

3. 3.

   Melt chopped couverture chocolate in a double boiler, add gingerbread spice and fold into the cream.

4. 4.

   Grind gingerbread cookies finely with an electric grinder and fold in.

5. 5.

   Whip cream to stiff peaks and fold in. Chill the mousse for at least 3 hours.

6. 6.

   Heat tea, juice, rum, port wine, spices and 50 g sugar in a pot. Whisk cornstarch with a little cold water, add to the liquid, bring to a boil briefly and thicken. Cool and refrigerate.

7. 7.

   Wash oranges hot, pat dry, grate zest with a zester to get 2 tbsp thin strips. Peel oranges thoroughly and cut fillets with a sharp knife.

8. 8.

   Serve by cutting a spoonful of mousse into a neat shape, garnish with orange zest, fillets and sauce, decorate with pineapple chips and dust with powdered sugar.