Dulce de Leche Mousse with Candied Walnuts

Step 1

For the dulce de leche:

Step 2

Simmer the milk with the cream and sugar in a large saucepan for 1 hour. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, stir, and continue cooking for another 40 minutes. Let cool and mix in the gelatin.

Step 3

For the mousse: Dissolve the gelatin in 2 tablespoons of hot but not boiling cream. Mix 3/4 cup of dulce de leche with 1 1/4 cups of cream and lightly whip it with a whisk. Beat the eggs together with the egg yolks. Dissolve 1/2 cup of sugar in 2 tablespoons of water for 3-4 minutes, until it starts to boil. Gradually add it to the egg mixture, continuing to whip until you obtain a mousse. Add a ladle of mousse to the gelatin dissolved in the cream. Then gradually fold in the whipped cream with the dulce de leche, the rest of the mousse, and the Cognac, alternating between them and stirring.

Step 4

For the candied walnuts:

Step 5

Dissolve 1/2 cup of sugar in 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan for about 3 minutes, until it starts to boil. Add the walnuts, remove from heat, and stir until the sugar crystallizes around the nuts. Return to the stove until the sugar begins to melt. Fill dessert cups with the mousse, topped with dulce de leche and candied walnuts.