Gingerbread mousse with red wine glazed baby pear and gingerbread biscuits

To make the biscuit:
1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.

2) Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a bowl. Add the almond paste, vanilla and salt. Fold in the egg whites and the melted butter. Fold in the flour. Spread on baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes.

To make the mousse:
1) Whisk the wine, egg yolks and sugar in a bowl, and set over a saucepan with gently simmering water. Whisk until the mixture starts to thicken, and then add the bloomed gelatine. Add the gingerbread spice and zest and the melted nougat and chocolate. Add the rum and allow to cool.

2) When the mixture is cool, fold in the whipped cream and fill the pastry domes with the mousse, covering the bottom of the dome with a layer of biscuit. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

To make the pears:
1) Heat the pear juice, honey, red wine, star anise, cloves and stick cinnamon in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the pears and poach them in the liquid until tender.

2) Transfer the pears to a board and cut them into slices that can be fanned.

To make the gingerbread biscuit:
1) Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Stir together the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon in a bowl.

2) In another bowl, beat the shortening, treacle, sugar, water, egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, wrap the dough in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator.

3) Drop balls of dough on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

To serve:
1) Turn out one portion of the mousse onto each plate. Add a glazed pear and top with a gingerbread biscuit.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated and, therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.