Rose pumpkin mousse recipe, just in time for Thanksgiving

Friendly for keto, paleo & gluten free lifestyles, with coco cream vegan option

A rose is a rose is a rose? Gertrude Stein meant this to mean “it is what it is” in her 1913 poem Sacred Family, illustrating the law of identity. But when it comes to choosing a rose variety in cooking, one must give consideration to their differences.

Rose pumpkin mousse, just in time for Thanksgiving.

My tastebuds’ first encounter with roses was in a Moroccan spice blend from my local Whole Foods called Ras El Hanout. Admittedly I did not read the ingredients because I trusted the brand. I mixed a little bit into our steamed rice and the intoxicating, complex and aromatic smell imprinted in me one of those forever memories galvanized by smell. I immediately checked the label and of course a main ingredient was rose petals. I have a thing for roses, so this was an exciting new way to appreciate roses with another of my senses.

Dried roses for cooking are from three main varieties (1) rosa canina (Dog Rose), (2) rosa centifolia (Cabbage Rose), and (3) rosa domascena (Damascus Rose). Rosa domanscena, or the Bulgarian rose, is the most aromatic and expensive variety. It has been used for centuries to make rose water and rose oil. It is ideal for this recipe using a small quantity.

What is a mousse?

According to Wikipedia, A mousse (/ˈmuːs/; French: [mus]; “foam”) is a soft prepared food that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light and airy texture. It can range from light and fluffy to creamy and thick, depending on preparation techniques. A mousse may be sweet or savory.

Step 1: Lightly toast whole rose buds in a dry pan.

This will enhance their aroma. Be careful not to burn them.

Step 2: Add whipping cream or coconut cream to create rose infused cream

With the burner on low heat, allow the cream and rose bud mixture to warm while stirring gently. Take care not to simmer or boil the cream. A light steam is okay. Your infusion will grow stronger the longer you do this and the more buds you add. I warmed about 1/4 cup of rose buds in two cups heavy whipping cream for about 30 minutes. It was a strong infusion. The type appreciated by those who also love rose tea. You can go lighter in the infusion if you like.

Make sure to reserve enough whole rose buds to decorate the top of the mousse to your taste. I believe less is more when it comes to the very aromatic Damascus rose variety.

Next, strain the rose buds out of the freshly infused whipping cream.

Voila! Now place the whipping cream in the refrigerator to cool down. This is important–the mixture must completely cool to 40 degrees F for successful whipping.

Note: You do not have to wait until it is completely cooled to use the portion needed for the pumpkin mixture below.

Step 3: Meld pumpkin mixture in a saucepan

If you don’t have a favorite pumpkin mousse recipe, here is mine.

Combine the following ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer over medium-low heat for five minutes, whilst thoroughly whisking. Then let cool completely.

15 oz. can pumpkin (7 net carbs total, zero fat)

1 cup cooled rose infused heavy whipping cream (3 net carbs, 43 g fat) or vegan coconut cream

1/2 cup Truvia Brown Sugar Blend (2 net carbs total, zero fat)

1.5 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice*

1/2 tsp salt*

*zero carbs, zero fat

Step 4: Prepare whipped cream

Whip remaining 1 cup of rose infused heavy cream (7 net carbs, 86 g fat) or vegan coconut cream solids only to soft peaks. Ensure that it has cooled down to 40 degrees F first.

Some cans boasting coconut cream only do have some liquid milk in them, so be careful to exclude it. The coconut cream will require a high powered mixer to whip and has a less creamy texture than dairy whipped cream, so experiment and know what you’re getting before unveiling this for the holidays. This book has a great recipe along with many other vegan dessert ideas:

OPTIONAL: While whipping, add 1-2 servings of stevia extract (stevia extract is STRONG, please pay careful attention to serving size listed on the packaging).

Step 6: Fold and dish

Fold whipped cream into cooled pumpkin mixture. Place into shared or individual serving dishes. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve within a couple of hours–the fresh whipped cream can loose structure over time.

Step 7: Decorate mousse

Employ your creativity, keeping in mind that less is more when it comes to the very aromatic Damascus rose. I choose to top with a small dollop of additional whipped cream to dramatically backdrop a three dried Damascus rose buds.