Key Lime Mousse from Union Street Cafe, NYC

Photo by Heather Meldrom

Key Lime Mousse by Sunny Raymond, Union Street Cafe

If you don't have or don't wish to use gelatin, it may be omitted from the recipe. The mousse will not be as stable in consistency, but it will be no less delicious.

Active Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 3 hours (includes chilling) Serves: 8

1 cup granulated sugar

1½ tablespoons grated lime zest

1¼ cups freshly squeezed Key lime juice (from about 15 limes)

6 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

2 gelatin sheets, optional

1½ cups heavy cream, plus additional for garnish, optional

1. In a heavy saucepan, whisk sugar, zest, lime juice, eggs and 2 yolks until combined. Set over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Bloom gelatin, if using: Submerge gelatin sheets in a small bowl of cold water until soft, 3 minutes. Discard water and stir gelatin into lime mixture.

3. Strain lime mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a stainless-steel or glass mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.

4. Use an electric mixer on medium-high to whip heavy cream until soft-medium peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold whipped cream into chilled lime mixture, then pour into individual cups or ramekins, or a single serving dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator 1½ hours. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes prior to serving. Serve cold, with whipped cream, if desired.

—Adapted from Sunny Raymond of Union Square Café, New York

Corrections & Amplifications
For this recipe, only 2 egg yolks should be used, and in the final step, all of the whipped cream should be folded into the chilled lime mixture. An earlier version of this article called for 4 egg yolks and, in the final step, instructed, "Fold remaining whipped cream into chilled lime mixture."

Bananas Foster Upside-Down Cake

Need something to take to a Thanksgiving day dinner or any buffet?  Then try this cake.  It is easy and delicious.  Serves 8 

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar $
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar $
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk $
• 1/2 cup sour cream $
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract $
• 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring once.
2. 2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch round cake pan (with sides that are at least 2 inches high) over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar and rum.
3. 3. Cut bananas diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices; arrange in concentric circles over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle pecans over bananas.
4. 4. Beat granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add milk and next 2 ingredients; beat just until blended. Beat in baking mix and cinnamon until blended. (Batter will be slightly lumpy.) Pour batter over mixture in skillet. Place skillet on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan.
5. 5. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate, spooning any topping in skillet over cake.

Inspired by Louis deLaunay of Grapevine, Texas, Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2011

Strawberry Panna Cotta

Recipe adapted from Ian Schnoebelen, Mariza, New Orleans, La.

MAKES 10 (6-OUNCE) SERVINGSINGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin4 cups heavy cream 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 2½ cups whole goat’s-milk yogurt 2 pints fresh strawberries, trimmed and thinly sliced Mint leaves, for garnish START TO FINISH: 3 HOURS (INCLUDES CHILLING TIME) DIRECTIONS 1. Pour 3 tablespoons of warm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and set aside to soften for 5 minutes.2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, warm the heavy cream, stirring occasionally, until almost boiling, about 10 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of the sugar and continue warming, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. 3. Pour ¼ cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl with the gelatin and whisk until the gelatin dissolves. Whisk the gelatin mixture into the hot cream mixture in the saucepan, then remove from the heat. 4. In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt to smooth out any lumps. Gradually whisk the hot cream mixture into the yogurt, then divide among ten 6-ounce glasses, cups or ramekins. Cover the panna cotta with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 2½ hours. 5. One hour before the panna cotta is ready to serve, combine the strawberries with the remaining tablespoon sugar and let sit at room temperature to macerate. 6. When the panna cotta is set and chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Garnish with the strawberries and mint leaves; serve immediately.