Pawpaw Mousse

This mouse uses evaporated milk and whipped topping in place of cream. Pawpaw flavoroids will evaporate with heat and time, even in a refrigerator. This mouse is best eaten in 24 hours or frozen and thawed. –  Kathy Dice, Red Fern Farm

½ Cup sugar
1 package unflavored gelatin (Knox)
12 ounce can evaporated milk
2 cups thawed or fresh pawpaw pulp (keep chilled till added)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups whipped topping (Dream Whip)

  1. Mix sugar and gelatin in small container. Measure out ½ cup of evaporated milk and heat or microwave to almost boiling. Add hot milk to gelatin/sugar mixture. Give gelatin 5 minutes to completely dissolve, stir occasionally.
  2. In food processor (or by hand), beat pawpaw pulp and vanilla till smooth. Add remainder of evaporated milk, mix well.
  3. Slowly add liquid sugar/gelatin mixture to milk/pawpaw. Mix completely. Chill pawpaw/gelatin mixture till it begins to set up.
  4. Gently fold in 1 ½ cups whipped topping. Leave in bowl, covered with plastic wrap to serve or spoon, while still soft, into small serving containers. Cover if possible and chill or freeze. See notes above.