This refreshing eggless Paan Mousse is an easy dessert to whip up for the festive season! Serve in cute glasses and top with tutti frutti and candied fennel for that extra touch!
Make the paan paste first by adding paan leaves, fennel seeds, gulkand, rose water and 1/2 cup cream to a high speed blender Blend for 30 to 60 seconds until it all comes together and you have a smooth paste.
Transfer this paste to a bowl and place it in the refrigerator and let it chill for 20 to 30 minutes. Also chill the steel bowl of your stand mixer and wire whisk attachment for the same time.
Now, add 1 & 1/4 cup heavy cream to the steel bowl of your stand mixer (which was chilled for 20 minutes prior) along with powdered sugar, few drops of mint extract and green food color (if using).
Using the wire whisk attachment, beat the cream until it just begins to form peaks (very soft peaks, like shaving cream consistency). Please remember to not beat until it forms stiff peaks here. We do not want that, just about soft peaks are fine. Transfer the whipped cream to another bowl.
To the same steel bowl, now add the chilled paan paste that we had prepared earlier. Beat it for 30 seconds using the wire whisk attachment. Then start folding the whipped cream into the paan mixture, slowly and in parts. Add in some of the whipped cream and fold, moving the spatula in one direction. Fold the remaining cream similarly, remember to not over-mix or mix vigorously else you will deflate all the air that you had incorporated.
Now, take your serving glass. Small 2 to 3 oz glasses for best for serving this dessert. Sprinkle a few tutti frutti at the bottom of the glass. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon of gulkand at the bottom- this is optional and you can skip if you wish to keep the sweetness on the lighter side.
Now, using a piping bag (or use a spoon) fill the glass with the prepared mousse. Sprinkle with candied fennel and more tutti frutti if you like. Chill for 15 to 20 minutes and then serve.
Notes
Do not beat the cream to stiff peaks, it will make the mousse not so light. So beat until it just start to form peaks, the cream should have a thick shaving foam like consistency. That's the right stage to stop.
While folding the cream with the paan paste, do not mix vigorously else you will deflate all the air that you had incorporated while whipping the cream.
Skip adding gulkand at the bottom of your serving bowl/glass, if you wish you keep this dessert less sweet.