This Thanksgiving Dessert is an Indulgent Alternative to Pumpkin Pie and can be Prepped Ahead

Looking for something a little different for dessert to finish off your Thanksgiving menu? This indulgent yet light mousse brings an unexpected but gorgeous combination of flavours with which to end the meal, the perfect way to satisfy those sweet cravings.

Butterscotch Mousse With Cardamom Biscuits and Candied Walnuts

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• For the candied walnuts
  • 2 ½ cups walnut halves
  • 1 egg white, lightly whisked
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp ground espresso coffee (or very finely ground coffee)
• For the biscuits
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ⅓ cup rice flour
  • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• For the mousse
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 2 egg whites

Method

• For the candied walnuts
• Preheat the oven to 320°F. Lightly oil a baking tray. Toss the walnuts in a bowl with the egg white. Combine the sugar, salt and coffee in another bowl and stir in the walnuts. Spread them in an even layer on the tray and bake for 20–25 minutes. Leave to cool before transferring to an airtight container, (such as these Amazon Basics Glass Food Storage Containers). Store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• For the biscuits
• Increase the oven temperature to 340°F. Bruise the cardamom pods to open and pick out the seeds. Grind them in a pestle and mortar (we like this Ceramic Mortar and Pestle from Crate & Barrel), then beat into the butter with the sugar and honey. Sieve in the flours and slowly mix to form a soft dough. Knead lightly with your hands, until smooth, then wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin (about ¼ inch). Using a biscuit cutter (try this 3-pc Cookie Cutter Set from Amazon), cut out 2-inch round biscuits, put on a baking sheet, and chill for 10 minutes.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire rack (such as these Stainless Steel Wire Baking Racks from Amazon) to cool once firm enough to handle. They will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
• For the mousse
• Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Add the condensed milk, then stir in the sugar until it has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, until thickened and starting to darken. Pour in 1 ¼cups of cream, a little at a time, until combined. Ladle ½ cup of the butterscotch into a small bowl (to serve as the sauce), and pour the rest into a large mixing bowl.
• Once the butterscotch has cooled, whisk the remaining cream in a large bowl until it holds its shape (these Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls from Amazon are ideal). In a separate bowl, whisk the whites to soft peaks.
• Using a large metal spoon, fold the cream into the large bowl with the larger amount of the butterscotch, then fold in the egg whites. Chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Remove the mousse from the fridge 10 minutes before serving. Heat through the butterscotch sauce. Spoon the mousse onto dessert plates, crumble over some candied walnuts, and serve with the biscuits and a drizzle of butterscotch sauce.

This is a wonderful alternative dessert for Thanksgiving for guests who aren't fans of a traditional options, although in our Editorial Director's column, At Anna's Table, you'll find a delicious twist on a classic pumpkin pie recipe.