Pumpkin mousse cake

The Base:

• Preheat slightly ¼ cup milk to flavour it with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or ½ teaspoon instant coffee) easily and leave to cool
• Sprinkle half of the ladyfinger biscuits with the flavoured milk (if you prefer you could replace the milk and cinnamon with water and dark rum)
• Arrange the slightly soaked ladyfinger biscuits into an 8.75” in diameter spring form cake pan, as firstly carefully set them along - one by one - tightly standing against the wall of the pan (it’s a bit tricky though) and afterwards cover the bottom with lady fingers also
• Refrigerate, while preparing the mousse



The Pumpkin Mousse:

• Soak the gelatin powder in the dark rum in a heat-proof cup or bowl for at least 10 minutes
• Whisk together the pumpkin puree, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon clove and the ½ teaspoon salt
• Pasteurize the egg yolks with the ½ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup water and add to the pure (or cook all the ingredients together at low temperature, letting all simmer for about 10 minutes)
• Set the bowl of gelatin over a pan of simmering water and cook until the gelatin is clear or put it into the microwave for about 1/2 minute, but do not let that start boiling
• Whisk the melted gelatin mixture into the pumpkin mixture and let all chill
• Separately, whip the cold heavy cream and the vanilla extract
• Add gradually the whipped cream into the chilled pumpkin mixture and mix up together



The Frosting:

• Caramelize the ½ cup granulated sugar and that 3 tablespoons cold water.
• Sprinkle slightly the top of the lady fingers with a small part of the caramel and “draw” with the rest a spider’s net onto a sheet of baking paper and leave to harden
• Chop the dark chocolate and mix it with that 4-5 tablespoons heavy cream into a heat-proof bowl and melt into the microwave or set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook until the chocolate is melted and the cream is totally absorbed
• Half-brake carefully the toothpicks, so they would start looking like spider’s legs and fix them to the ¼ of a lady finger biscuit – 4 by 4 and dip into the melted chocolate (if you prefer you could leave the legs natural and dip only the biscuit part). I have used 2 tiny slices of almond for the eyes and 2 drops of the melted chocolate, as well as few sesame seeds for teeth…
• Whip the heavy cream, granulated sugar and the vanilla extract




ASSEMBLE:

• Sprinkle the second half of the ladyfinger biscuits with the flavoured milk (or rum)
• Get the arranged ladyfinger biscuits out of the fridge, pour half of the Pumpkin Mousse into the spring form and top with some freshly soaked ladyfinger biscuits
• Sprinkle about half of the sliced almonds
• Pour the second half of the Pumpkin Mousse and refrigerate (while preparing the icing)
• When the Frosting elements are ready, remove the pan’s ring and sprinkle the second half of the sliced almonds over the Charlotte
• Decorate the cake with the sweetened whipped cream, as you like it
• Place carefully the ready net over the cake
• Put your spider over the cake and your Halloween Pumpkin Mousse Charlotte is ready