Jamun/ Wild Indian Java Plum Mousse. When Jamuns {wild Indian Java plums} are in season, a Jamun Mousse is always on the cards, a simple no bake dessert made at least once in the season. Jamuns are an acquired taste because of the astringent edge the fruit has, so the jamun mousse also carries a hint of that edge. If you enjoy jamuns, you will enjoy this.The secret to a smooth mousse is a smooth fruit puree, and this is no different. When we were kids, the first jamuns would only appear during the monsoons. We’d shake them off the trees, foraging was the only way to get to them. A small sprinkle over of rock salt and they would macerate, yielding the most amazing purple juice and taste that would shock the tongue in the nicest of ways. That the clothes would be purple, not to forget purple stained teeth, tongue, fingers & nails for days together. That was the joy of being oblivious to the parental stares of disapproval!Slowly over the last decade, jamun trees are the domain of birds, and kids nowadays don’t love the astringent taste as we did. Besides, they’re so spoilt for choice with so many more fruits now available, so foraging is a thing of the past. Lives in my memories with other fruit like shahtoot {mulberries} , ber {Indian jujube} and mangoes we ate off trees. Now everything comes neatly packaged at the local fruit vendor!However, to cut a long story short, must make the best of what the times have to offer. Use fruit in season when the taste is the best, ripeness at its peak. With jamuns flooding the market, this regional stone fruit makes for a great dessert, the Jamun/ Wild Indian Java Plum Mousse.… and with some left over fruit puree, I made these chia seed breakfast puddings. I’ll share the recipe next if you like!
Jamun/ Wild Indian Java Plum Mousse
When Jamuns {wild Indian Java plums} are in season, a Jamun Mousse is always on the cards.
Jamuns are an acquired taste because of their astringent edge, so the jamun mousse also carries a hint of the edge. If you enjoy jamuns, you will enjoy this.
The secret to a smooth mousse is a smooth fruit puree.
Keyword dessert, eggless, fruit, gluten free, glutenfree, no bake, sweet
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 3 hourshours40 minutesminutes
Servings 4people
Ingredients
Jamun puree
500gJamun/ Wild Indian Java Plum
50graw sugar/boora
1tbspbalsamic vinegar
Whipped cream filling
50mlmilktepid
1 1/2tspgelatin
100gwhite chocolate
400mlsingle cream
30mlclarified butter {ghee}melted, cooled
50graw sugar/boora
Topping
1tspbrown sugar
1tsplime juice
Pinch Himalayan pink salt
Fresh mint to garnish
Instructions
Jamun puree
Wash the jamun well, drain, ass 50g sugar. Leave to macerate for about 30 minutes. Mash well with clean hands, removing as much pulp as possible. Blend the pulp until smooth, stir in the balsamic vinegar. Chill. Can be made a day in advance if need be.
Reserve 1/2 cup for topping. Add 1 tbsp brown sugar to this reserved cup, and microwave for 30 seconds, full power. Stir to mix, then stir in lime juice and salt. Chill.
Jamun Mousse
Melt the white chocolate with 100ml cream. Whisk until smooth. Leave to cool.
Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tbsp of warm water. Leave to soften, then stir until clear. {Stand the bowl over warm water if required}
Place chilled cream, sugar and clarified butter/ghee in bowl of stand mixer and whisk on highest speed for 5-7 minutes until medium stiff peaks form.
Gently stir in the melted white chocolate mix and jamun puree, taking care not to lose the whipped in lightness of the cream. Taste for sweetness.
Strain over the gelatin mix, and gently fold in. Reserve 1/2 cup and pour the rest into stem glasses.
Stir about 1 tbsp of the reserved jamun pulp into the 1/ 2 cup reserved mousse, and top each glass. Leave to set in fridge.
Once set, top with jamun topping and fresh mint leaves.
“The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway” Michael Pollan
Jamun {Wild Indian Java Plum} Mousse … possibly the best way to bid adieu to this humble fruit. I had a bag tucked away in the fridge for long. Forgot about them, and life went on. Then we were at threesixtyone°, The Oberoi, Gurgaon, and along came the silkiest Jamun sorbet ever. It was so pretty too.
Ruchira captured the very essence in her post here … “We were served the amuse bouche next – a Jamun or Java plum sorbet which was so creamy that it felt like silk in the mouth. The tang from the plum along with the roasted cumin and rock salt was extremely light and refreshing.”
Jamuns danced in my head all day. There’s something about the fruit. It’s astringent, and somewhat edgy. You develop a flavour for it. I knew there was to be something jamun made soon. I still remember a sublime jamun mousse we had enjoyed at Sangeeta’s place a year ago. That had white chocolate in it. I had none on hand so was a little unsure if my mousse would hold.
It sure did. Beautifully. This mousse was quite delicious. I wasn’t sure how it would be received by the kids. They took to it quite happily. The daughter was in from uni for the Independence Day weekend. She was happy to be served dessert. It’s funny how she’s suddenly begun appreciating the little things in life! Life teaches you. A lot.
There was a time when we used to forage for jamuns, climb trees, graze knees to shake the branches. Greedily picking jamuns off the ground and stuffing them into our mouths feels nostalgic now. They tasted sweeter, left our fingers and clothes purple. The stains never came off. Those memories will never fade either. There are few jamun trees left to forage now. Thankfully sales in the bazaar have increased since the wild Indian java plum has become commercially viable.
[print_this]Recipe: Jamun {Wild Indian Java Plum} Mousse
Summary: Jamun {Wild Indian Java Plum} Mousse is light, fun and a beautiful way to use produce in season. Use any seasonal berry if you can’t find these. It’s a sublime make ahead dessert option.
Prep Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes {plus macerating, cooling and chilling time} Ingredients:
400g jamun
50g sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
400g low fat cream chilled
50-75g sugar {as per taste}
1tsp gelatin powder
Method:
Toss the jamuns and 50g sugar in a bowl and leave to macerate for a few hours. Crush with fingers to remove pulp.
Place pulp in a pan with sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook to jammy consistency. Cool completely, then blend to a fine puree. Reserve about 1/4 cup for topping if desired.
Warm 25ml cream in a bowl, sprinkle over with gelatin and allow to soften. Cool.
Whip the cream and sugar to medium stiff peaks. Strain the gelatin into the cream and mix. Then gently fold in the jamun puree into the cream. Spoon gently into serving glasses, top with reserved puree and chill for 4-6 hours.
