Chocolates à la Carte

EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF STANTON HO'S PINA COLADA MOUSSE
Las Vegas Hilton

Yield 8 to 10 Portions

8 oz. Pastry Cream
8 oz. Sweetened Pineapple Juice
3 oz. Cocoa Liqueur
1/2 oz. White Rum
1/2 qt. Whipping Cream
1 oz. Granulated Sugar
04 oz. Unflavored Gelatin

1. Whip the whipping cream. Once the cream becomes a soft peak, add the granulated sugar. Stop the whipping process and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, dissolve the unflavored gelatin in water. To avoid any lumps, sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface of the water. The gelatin will absorb the liquids. Place the bowl over a double boiler to dissolve throughly.

3. In another mixing bowl, combine the pastry cream, the pineapple juice, the cocoa liqueur, and the white rum. Blend these ingredients well with a hand whip. Add the dissolved gelatin mixture and stir continuously until blended into a smooth texture.

4. Cool down the mixture by placing it over an ice bath. When congealing occurs, take the mixture off the ice bath and quickly fold in half the whipped cream gently using the whip. Make sure the mix is blended in well before folding in the other half of whipped cream with a rubber spatula until blended.

Chef Stanton Ho uses chocolate palm trees and coconut shells from chocolates à la Carte along with chocolate painting and kiwi fruit slices to enhance the presentation of this exotic dessert.