Bacon Mousse and Other Garde Manger Challenges

[Polar Bear]

I am trying to make a bacon mousse and am a little concerned with how the texture is going to work out. Is there anyone out there who can help me with this problem? and also I am a rabid garde manger enthusiast and would love to hear any stories or recipes involving garde manger food.

[Joisey]

I would infuse the bacon flavor in your cream. Cook off a bunch of smoked bacon, chop finely, then heat it in the cream. Strain off the bacon after you get the desired amount of flavor, then go from there.

[Qwerty]

Well, the basic procedure for making a mousse is to puree the base (meat, fish, veg, whatever) and fold it into the cream or whites with the gelatin.

I would cook the bacon, puree in a processor with a little cream (or whatever), then run the puree through a tamis to make it smooth. I've never done this with bacon, but I'd pretty much do it with any other mousse, so I'd use that for the texture problem.

Additional rendered bacon fat might add a little additional flavor, just make sure that you have the right amount of gelatin.

I dunno if I helped, but good luck.

Again, if you are worried about the texture, run it through a tamis a couple of times.

[begpie]

put bacon in oven until crunchy,use the fat and mix it with cream and gelatin then put it in a sifon,make powder of the bacon to garnish the mousse.

[Polar Bear]

I would infuse the bacon flavor in your cream.  Cook off a bunch of smoked bacon, chop finely, then heat it in the cream.  Strain off the bacon after you get the desired amount of flavor, then go from there.

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What would the protein be if I used a infused cream? I'm wondering if cooked bacon will set up? I guess I might have to run a couple of tests and variables.

[MattJohnson]

At Blackbird in Chicago, we had bacon ice cream. They did what people above have suggested, put the cooked bacon in with the base, heat, strain, then do what you will with it. I'm guessing that a similar technique would work for your mousse.

[rooftop1000]

I would infuse the bacon flavor in your cream.  Cook off a bunch of smoked bacon, chop finely, then heat it in the cream.  Strain off the bacon after you get the desired amount of flavor, then go from there.

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What would the protein be if I used a infused cream? I'm wondering if cooked bacon will set up? I guess I might have to run a couple of tests and variables.

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some nice trotters would have all the gelatin you need

T

[pikawicca]

I think country ham would work better.

[GordonCooks]

Use rendered Bacon fat and add Lethicin powder to thicken. Mount it in cold chunks w 2 yolks and 3 whites a la Zabaglione then quenelle and chill.

edit sp

Edited October 26, 2007 by GordonCooks (log)

[Fugu]

Several ways to approach the mousse:

1. Make a ham mousse and add rendered chopped bacon.

2. Use Canadian back bacon and proceed to make the mousse.

For the mousse:

1.Use cream cheese, cream and gelatin.

2. Use bechamel, cream, and gelatin.

3. Use mayonnaise, cream, gelatin.