Herbed Goat Cheese Mousse with Tuille Cracker
A Gourmet Lunch Idea with an impressive presentation

Recipe Type: first course entree, hors d'oeuvre herbed goat cheese, cream, thyme

Prep Time: 35 min
Total Time 35 min
Yield: 2 crackers
Servings: 1

Herbed Goat Cheese Mousse

Ingredients:
4 ounces herbed goat cheese
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon dried Thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Instruction:

Mix the cheese, cream and dried Thyme together, add salt and pepper according to your taste. Put the mousse on a flat plate and shape into a 3-1/2" long x 1-1/2" wide x 1/2" rectangle (slightly smaller than the tuile crackers). Cover and place in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes to firm up.

Cracker
Make a cardboard template stencil cutout 4-inches by 2-inches. Set aside to make the batter for the cracker.

Ingredients:

3-1/2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg white
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Instruction:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl whisk flour, sugar, salt and butter to a smooth consistency. Incorporate egg white whisking until well blended and resembles cake batter.

Place a Silpat silicone baking mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet, put the template stencil on the Silpat mat. With an offset spatula spread a small amount of the batter smoothly over the template. Be sure to make the crackers thick, do not make them paper thin, they are very fragile and break easily. You will need two per person. Lift the template up, (you will have a rectangle of dough on the Silpat 4" x 2"). Sprinkle the dough with black sesame seeds. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes or until the crackers are lightly brown and bubbly. Remove from oven to cool.

To serve, place one cracker on individual plate. Using a wide spatula transfer the mousse onto a baked cracker placing it against the edge of the cracker on one long side to stand up easier. Add another cracker to enclose like a "sandwich". Place upright on their side (see my photograph). Serve with mesclun salad greens tossed with my outstanding Lemon Vinaigrette .

Wine recommendation: Pinot Gris; Pinot Noir