White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Mousse

Shhhh! I'm going to make this for a holiday dinner.  Since it's a multi course meal, this simple dessert will be a perfect ending.  I don't know.  Top with some drizzled dark chocolate and some crushed amaretto cookies? Bitchy's note:  I just made this and it is very sweet.  So, I'm going to top with raspberries macerated in limoncello...

ENLARGE IMAGECredit: Todd Coleman

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. kosher salt
3 egg whites
½ cup sugar
8 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place cream cheese and vanilla seeds in a large bowl, and beat on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add cream, and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes more; set aside. Place salt and egg whites in another bowl, and beat on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until soft peaks form; while beating, slowly add sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form; set aside.

2. Place white chocolate in a medium bowl over a 4-qt. saucepan of simmering water, and cook, stirring constantly, until just melted; remove from heat, and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour white chocolate into cream cheese mixture, and fold with a rubber spatula until almost combined; add beaten egg whites, and fold gently until just combined. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a ¾" tip, and pipe into serving glasses; refrigerate until set before serving, at least 2 hours.