No Bake Caramel Cheesecake Mousse with Candied Walnuts

• Vegetarian

• Condiments

  • 3 tbsp Caramel sauce

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract, pure

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1/2 cup Candied walnuts

• Snacks

  • 1 cup Ginger snaps

• Dairy

  • 4 oz Cream cheese
  • 5/8 cup Heavy whipping cream

Found on snixykitchen.com

Ingredients

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons caramel sauce (recipe below, but in a pinch, good-quality store-bought will work too)
• ½ cup candied walnuts (recipe below, but again, store-bought candied nuts will work too)
• 1 cup crumbled ginger snaps (I use Trader Joes gluten-free ginger snaps because theyre extra crispy and crumbly. I crush it until there are still a few pieces just smaller than a dime)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 200 ml (5/6 cup) heavy whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I use Rodelle organic vanilla extract)
• 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon fleur de sel

Directions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the whipped cream on high speed until it begins to froth, a couple of minutes.
• Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue beating until soft peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and set aside.
• In the bowl of the stand mixer (no need to clean it), add the cream cheese and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.
• Add the caramel sauce and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• Fold in the whipped cream and mix on low-speed until completely smooth.
• Divide the ginger snaps among the 6 small dessert cups or mason jars (If you use mason jars, you can put the lid on and take it to go!), creating about a ½-inch layer of ginger snaps in the bottom.
• Using a piping bag fitted with a large tip*, pipe the mousse into the jars over the top of the ginger snaps.
• Top with a sprinkling of candied walnuts.
• Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Keep any leftovers covered and chilled for up to two days.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium bowl until completely mixed. Add the walnuts and stir to coat completely.
• Spread the walnuts out on the lined baking sheet, trying to separate them as best as you can, but its okay if some of them clump.
• Bake at 325 for 4 minutes, then use a rubber spatula to mix up the nuts, trying to break up any clumps. Bake for 4 minutes longer. Stir once more, and cook for 1 minute longer, or until the nuts turn a deep golden caramel color (but are not burned!).
• Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet. You can also break apart clumps when you pull them out to cool. Theyll get crispy as they cool.
• Once theyre cool, sprinkle them on top of the caramel cheesecake cups. Store any extras in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
• Prepare the butter and salt in a small bowl so youre ready when you need to add it.
• In a small saucepan, heat the heavy whipping cream and vanilla over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low to keep it warm while you prepare the rest.
• Heat the sugar and water in a separate small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves and it starts to boil, about 4 minutes. (I recommend between a 1.5-quart and 2.5-quart saucepan; any larger and you’ll have a hard time using the candy thermometer as it won’t full submerge in the caramel).
• Stop stirring and clip a candy thermometer to the edge of the pot. Let the sugar boil without stirring at all, until it reaches 305°F, about 3-5 minutes. While it boils, grab a clean wooden spoon or rinse and dry the one you were stirring with before. (If you dont have a candy thermometer, for caramel sauce, its okay - just boil until the sugar begins to turn amber, making sure to keep a close eye on it so the sugar doesnt burn. As soon as it turns amber, it will quickly darken, so immediately add the butter to cool it down).
• Add the butter and fleur de sel, and slowly stir in the warm whipping cream. Be careful, as it will react and sizzle quite a bit when you start adding the cream. The temperature will also drop when you add the cream.
• When the sizzling calms down, return to medium low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
• Immediately transfer to a heat-proof bowl. If the caramel solidifies at all while you wait to serve, dont worry, you can just pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and itll soften up again.
• Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a month.