Peach Mousse with Cinnamon Crunch is one last dessert with the fresh peaches of summer. Cold and creamy with a cinnamon crunch topping, it goes with any meal from the fanciest to the most informal. It sits obligingly in the fridge until it’s served.
This is one of the easiest desserts you can make and dare I say, one of the best!
Fruit mousses can be good but unexciting with mainly fruit puree and whipped cream. But to jazz it up I use Amaretto for the liquid and give it a crunchy topping - which by the way is not only easy to make, it's absolutely addictive!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's super easy.
- It has a lot of flavor due the addition of the liqueur.
- The ingredients are simple and easy to get.
- This needs to be made the day ahead.
- The Cinnamon Crunch can be made a week ahead,
- If you make nothing else, make the Cinnamon Crunch.
Peeling the Peaches
There are two ways to peel peaches and one has a definite advantage. They need to be peeled to remove the fuzzy peel which will ruin the texture of the mousse. In both cases the peaches must be ripe for the most flavor.
The first is to use a vegetable peeler and remove the peel. The problem with this is that is also takes the flesh with it. Peaches have thin skins so losing some of the flesh is inevitable.
The second is my preferred way and the one I use. It's actually easier than peeling them and not a bit of the flesh is wasted. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the peaches and boil for a minute or two. Test one by running it under cold water and simply slip the skin off. I'll show you below. And once the water boils, the peaches can be peeled faster than with a vegetable peeler. See the photos below. For more in depth information on peaches see my post, All About Peaches.
Recipe Ingredients
Cinnamon Crunch
FRONT ROW: Vanilla Extract, unsalted butter, cinnamon
BACK ROW: Dark brown sugar, granulated sugar
FRONT ROW: Amaretto, granulated sugar, gelatin
BACK ROW: Peeled peached, heavy cream
Important Ingredients
- Dark brown sugar yields the most taste.
- Heavy Cream is used for it's stability and thickness.
- Amaretto liqueur adds flavor to the mousse.
- Gelatin is used to set the mousse.
- Korintje cinnamon is my cinnamon of choice.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Cinnamon Crunch
Step 1. Combine the brown and granulated sugars along with the cinnamon in a bowl. Step 2. Mix throughly. Step 3. Stir the melted butter and vanilla together. Step 4. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork to make a paste.
Step 5. Pour the paste onto a parchment lined quarter sheet or 9x13"pan. Step 6. Spread out evenly. Step 7. Bake as directed. I got a bit over enthusiastic and started eating it as soon as it was cool. See if you can do better. Step 8. Break it up into crumbs. If making ahead, store in an airtight container.
Peeling the Peaches
Step 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the peaches. Step 2. Immediately run cold water on the peaches to stop the cooking. Simply remove the skin from the peaches. It will slip off easily. Step 3. Cut the peach on it's equator. Step 4. Separate the halves of the peach and remove the stone.
Step 1. Combine the brown and granulated sugars along with the cinnamon in a bowl. Step 2. Mix throughly. Step 3. Stir the melted butter and vanilla together. Step 4. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork to make a paste.
Step 5. Pour the paste onto a parchment lined quarter sheet or 9x13"pan. Step 6. Spread out evenly. Step 7. Bake as directed. I got a bit over enthusiastic and started eating it as soon as it was cool. See if you can do better. Step 8. Break it up into crumbs. If making ahead, store in an airtight container.
Peach Mousse
Step 1. Place the peeled peached in the bowl of a processor. Step 2. Process until smooth. Scrape down as necessary and process until completely smooth. Step 3. The amaretto and gelatin waiting to be Step 4. Combined. Let sit until bloomed.
Step 5. Pour the puree into a medium size bowl. Place the bloomed gelatin in the microwave for about 8 seconds or so until liquid and slightly warm. Stir it into the puree. Refrigerate the puree until it starts to set. This can take a couple of hours depending upon your refrigerator. Step 6. When the puree is partially set, whip the cream to medium peaks. Do not let it get stiff or it won't fold well into the puree. Step 7. Add the cream to the puree. Step 8. Fold it incompletely. Pour it into serving glasses and refrigerate. Top it with the cinnamon crunch just before serving.
Recipe FAQS
Yes. The most known is chocolate mousse which is of the thick and creamy type. Fruit mousses are generally lighter.
Fruit purees such as strawberry, peach, etc. are generally lighter than chocolate. A fruit mousse base is the pureed fruit and whipped cream making a lighter, more airy mousse.
No they are two different desserts. A mousse is not cooked and has a lighter texture often resulting in a more intense flavor than pudding which is heavier, cooked and thickened with cornstarch or another starch.
Expert Tips
- Peaches don't have a really strong profile so it is important that they are well ripened.
- I reduced the amount of cream normally used to help intensify the peaches.
- If you are concerned about the alcohol in the amaretto liqueur, boil it for a minute to burn off the alcohol making it just a flavoring. If you still don't want to use it, substitute water plus 1 teaspoon almond extract.
- To avoid buying a large bottle of amaretto, just use the small individual bottles that are used on airlines. They are available in some grocery stores as well as liquor stores. One small bottle equals ¼ cup.
- You will have cinnamon crunch left over it can be used over ice cream, it's great on a cream cheese topped bagel, or make my Cinnamon Crunch Rolls where I first used this topping.
More Fruit Forward Treats
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Peach Mousse with Cinnamon Crunch
Ingredients
Cinnamon Crunch
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (58 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peach Mousse
- ¼ cup amaretto liqueur*
- 1 tablespoon gelatin
- 2 pounds ripe peaches (910 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- *water may be substituted + 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Cinnamon Crunch
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a quarter sheet pan or a 9x13” pan with parchment paper. Spray with a non-stick baking release. Set aside.
- Combine the brown and granulated sugar with the cinnamon, mixing well.
- Add the vanilla to the melted butter (rewarm if it has solidified) pour over the cinnamon-sugar mixture and blend together. This will not be crumbs. It is more of a thick paste. Spread it evenly over the parchment paper.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until the center looks dull and is set. Do not over bake.
- Cool completely. Break into crumbs.
Peach Mousse
- Combine the amaretto or water plus almond extract and the gelatin, stirring to mix. Set aside to bloom.
- Peel the peaches either with a vegetable peeler or my preferred method of adding them to boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Plunge into cold water. Remove skins, split the peach along the equator and remove the stone. In either case, break the peach into several pieces and place in the processor.
- Process until pureed, scraping down as necessary until smooth. Remove to a medium size bowl and stir in the sugar.
- Microwave the gelatin for about 8 seconds or until liquified and warm. Immediately, stir into the pureed peaches. Refrigerate for several hours until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir the peaches from time to time to make sure they are thickening evenly.
- At this point, whip the cream until medium peaks form. Do not over whip or it will be difficult to fold the cream into the peaches.
- Fold the cream into the puree. Divide among the glasses or ramekins. I used 6- 6 ounce servings. Refrigerate to set at least 6 hours or overnight.
- These can be served as is or add the cinnamon crunch just before serving. These can be held in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Barbara says
I’m trying this now and so far so good except I’m not seeing where to add the 1/2 cup sugar to the mousse. I’m assuming to the peach mixture?
Helen S Fletcher says
Thanks for letting me know Barbara. It's fixed and yes it is added to the peaches.
Mary says
Nice treatment for the lovely peaches and I’m sure the Cinnamon Crunch will be very useful. Even think it could top my morning Yoghurt!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Mary - great idea. I'll have some with you this morning.