Coffee mousse with hazelnut crunchie dust

Beat the egg yolks and caster sugar together until pale, smooth and tripled in volume.

Dissolve the coffee granules in ½ cup boiling water. Beat the cream until soft peaks form, then set aside. Whisk the gelatine into the hot coffee mixture. Once the gelatine has dissolved, pour it into the egg yolk-and-sugar mixture, then pass it through a sieve. Stir gently to combine, then fold in the cream.

Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold into the mixture. Spoon the mixture into individual moulds and chill overnight. Sprinkle the hazelnut crunchie dust over the mousse before serving.

To make the hazelnut crunchie dust, melt the sugar in a saucepan, shaking the pan gently to release the sugar from the sides. Do not stir the mixture as the sugar will crystallise. When light golden in colour, carefully pour onto a silicone baking mat or a greased baking tray to make a thin sheet of caramelised sugar. Allow to cool and set. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until fragrant and lightly coloured, then remove from the pan and rub using a clean tea towel to remove the skins. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and place into a large bowl. Crack the caramelised sugar into the bowl and blend the sugar and nuts using a hand-blender until it resembles a fine golden dust. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel before blending.

Cook’s note: If you like, add a splash of Frangelico to the coffee mousse when adding the coffee-and-gelatine mixture.