Layers of rhubarb and white chocolate mousse in a sweet-tart parfait
Seeing pink stalks of rhubarb peeking through the soil of my garden is one of my favorite signs that spring has arrived. While I’m not one for strawberry-rhubarb pie (I prefer to keep the two separate), I often serve the rosy-hued vegetable in the British style: poached or baked alongside a bowl of rich custard. The marriage of tangy, sweet, and creamy flavors is just impossible to beat. I am a huge fan of custard in all its forms (pastry cream, puddings, crème anglaise—I could go on), but it can be a pain to make, especially for less experienced home cooks. A simpler option is a white chocolate whipped cream—I’m calling it a “mousse”—that lends the same creamy-sweet profile as a custard but takes half the time to make. I layer it with syrupy baked rhubarb and crushed cookies for an easy-breezy dessert that’s nothing short of a showstopper.
This is a cheater’s mousse. While a true version would contain eggs (yolks, whites, or both), this “mousse” contains only three ingredients: white chocolate, cream, and salt. To make it, a portion of the cream is heated with the chocolate, then the mixture is stirred together to form a smooth ganache. Once cooled, the ganache is added to cold cream, along with a pinch of salt, and whipped until stiff peaks form. Warm cream won’t whip, so cooling the ganache all the way to room temperature and using well-chilled cream is key to achieving a light and airy texture. This mousse can be served immediately or stored in the fridge for up to two days. The mixture will thicken slightly once cold, but thanks to the stabilizing effects of the chocolate, you don’t have to worry about it weeping or deflating over time.
Rhubarb is available in a variety of hues ranging from deep fuchsia to pale green, but interestingly, the color doesn’t correlate with sweetness. The most important thing is to look for firm stalks and avoid anything dried out or, worse, slimy. To prepare the rhubarb, remove any leaves (they’re poisonous!) and cut the stalks into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with sugar and set to bake for eight to ten minutes or until just tender—as soon as the sugar has dissolved and the rhubarb begins to soften, you’ll want to remove the pan from the oven (if you overcook this, you’ll be left with more of a sauce, albeit a very tasty one). You can enjoy the rhubarb warm if you like, but the heat will cause the mousse to melt. Let the rhubarb cool to room temperature before assembling your parfaits, or better yet, chill it in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight). The longer it sits in the fridge, the more pink, syrupy juices will accumulate, which are perfect for spooning over the mousse.
Serving this dessert in coupe glasses gives it a fancy feel, but any glass will work just fine. Layer the mousse and rhubarb inside the glass, taking care to choose a few of the prettiest, pinkest pieces of rhubarb to place on top. Crushed cookies make for an ideal crispy, crunchy garnish, but don’t feel the need to make them from scratch. I’ve been loving these storebought French butter cookies (they’re nice and salty), though any packaged shortbread (or even Nilla Wafers) would work just fine. If you don’t have cookies on hand, add a sprinkle of chopped nuts or skip the garnish entirely—whatever you do, don’t overcomplicate things; this dessert is meant to be low-fuss and high-reward.