Eggnog Mousse Bars
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These Eggnog Mousse Bars are SO delicious and SO quick and easy to whip up! They're almost no-bake and can be made up to a day in advance. They're perfect for a festive Christmas dessert!
Author:
Serves: 16
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
  • 5 tablespoons Plugrá butter, melted
Eggnog Mousse Ingredients:
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup spiced rum or Southern Comfort (or a mixture)
  • 3 cups well-chilled heavy cream, divided
  • 5 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Make the crust: Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan with a parchment paper sling and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the gingersnap crumbs and melted butter with a fork until the crumbs are moistened. Press (using a flat-bottomed glass or dish) the crumbs evenly and flat into the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes and set it aside to cool completely (I stick mine in the fridge).
  2. Make the eggnog mousse: Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside as an ice bath (I just stopped up my sink and used it). Place 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Let it soften for 2 minutes. Add in the nutmeg, cinnamon, and sweetened condensed milk. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the gelatin is dissolved and the mixture is smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, whisk in the vanilla extract and rum (and/or Southern Comfort), and then transfer the saucepan to the ice bath. Cool, whisking frequently, until the mixture is cold and thick.
  3. In the meantime, whip 2 cups of the chilled heavy cream to stiff peaks. Stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cold condensed milk mixture to lighten it up, and then pour this mixture into your remaining whipped cream, folding it in gently until there are no streaks. Pour this mixture over your shortbread crust. Chill the entire dessert until it's set up nicely (a few hours). Whip the remaining cup of cream with the powdered sugar to stiff peaks for topping. Lift the bars out of the pan, slice into bars, and top each bar with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg.
Recipe by Willow Bird Baking at http://willowbirdbaking.com/2015/12/21/eggnog-mousse-bars/