Pineapple is one of my favorite fruits. It tastes great with sweet or savory dishes. Pina Colada happens to be my all time favorite drink. As a part of the Chopped Challenge I decided to incorporate this versatile fruit into a decadent and easy dessert.

I decided to make Caramelized Pineapple Vanilla Mousse.

To start with you need to take about 1/2 a pint of COLD heavy whipping cream. COLD is the key here. Cold whipping cream makes the best whipped cream. In a big and COLD (again very very important) preferably stainless steel bowl you need to start whipping the cream. When you think the cream is getting a little thicker it is time to add sugar. It’s really up to you how much sugar you add. I would say 1-2 teaspoons at the most for this recipe. WHY?? Because we are going to get a good amount of sugar from the caramelized pineapple. When your cream is ready set it aside.

Mix 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon with 2-3 teaspoons of dark brown sugar. Sprinkle this mixture over a slice of fresh ( or canned) pineapple and let it sit for 2-3 mins. Set your grill on high and start grilling the pineapple slices. If you do not have a grill you can use a normal griddle. You would slowly see the pineapple getting brown grill marks and a smooth caramel oozing out. That’s it. Switch your grill off and let the pineapple pieces cool on that grill for some time. After they are completely cooled you need to puree them in the blender. Some pineapples ( especially if you are using fresh) have lots of fiber and that’s not too appetizing while eating a smooth mousse. It’s always better to strain the puree so as to get the smooth texture. Make sure you collect all that good caramel while pureeing. That’s all good Karma :-).

Fold the pineapple puree with whipping cream VERY gently. This would make sure your mousse stays light and fluffy. Serve this with caramelized pineapple pieces if you like :).

The heat of cinnamon, the sweet brown sugar and cooling milk – This is a threesome no one can resist.