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Chocolate Mousse: A Potted History
A Celebration of the Classic Chocolate Mousse
by Lyndsey Hall
12 September 2023
Mousse is a silky and satisfying dessert, loved by people of all ages. Light and airy, whilst still managing to be rich, creamy and moreish, a dish of chocolate mousse is the perfect way to end a meal, and pairs very well with coffee or an after-dinner liqueur! Read on to find out why we love the classic chocolate mousse, how it became the iconic dessert we know today, and how you can add a range of sumptuous chocolate mousses to your menu, with ease.
What is a ‘Mousse’?
Like many of our favourite patisseries and desserts, mousse originated in France. The word mousse translates literally to ‘foam’ in English, and from the light, aerated texture, we can see why.
Mousse can be traced back as far as the 18th century, when, instead of the sweet, creamy treat we now know, it was often a savoury dish. Attend a royal banquet at the Palace of Versailles in the early 1700s and you’d likely be served salmon mousse, or even goat cheese mousse, made with painstakingly hand-whipped egg whites.
By the late 19th century, mousse had become better known as a dessert, and since then its popularity has only grown. Chocolate mousse made with melted chocolate and whipped cream has now become a staple on many restaurants’ menus, thanks to its simplicity, affordability and popularity with consumers.
The Magic of Mousse Powder
Traditionally, mousse is made by whipping cream or egg whites until fluffy, light and airy. Before the invention of electric whisks and food mixers, this was a time-consuming and laborious task, taken on by only the most dedicated of pastry chefs.
These days, whisking up a batch of perfectly smooth and creamy chocolate mousse is as easy as 1, 2, 3. All you need is 1 bowl, 2 ingredients, and 3 simple steps!
With Callebaut’s range of ready-to-use chocolate mousse powders, made with real Belgian chocolate, it couldn’t be quicker or easier to make your own high quality, incredibly delicious, chocolate mousses.
Simply combine the contents of one pack of mousse powder with 1 litre of cold milk, beat the mixture at full speed for five minutes, and either pipe into dishes and chill in the fridge for 6 hours, or allow to set first and then scoop into quenelles to serve.
And the best part? Callebaut’s chocolate mousse powders contain no eggs or gelatine, so they’re suitable for vegetarians and those with egg allergies.
Mouthwatering Chocolate Mousse Recipes
Now we know what mousse is, why it’s so beloved and how you can add it to your repertoire without breaking the bank, or spending hours hand whisking and combining temperamental ingredients (we’re looking at you, tempered chocolate), it’s time to talk recipes! All of these suggestions use Callebaut’s ready-mixed chocolate mousse powder and milk, with a couple of other convenient ingredients per recipe, making them all quick, easy chocolate mousse recipes with no eggs and no stress!
White Chocolate and Strawberry Mousse – simply spoon Colac Strawberry Sundae Topping into a glass, top with Callebaut White Chocolate Mousse and decorate with strawberry chocolate curls.
Coffee and White Chocolate Mousse (or Tira-mousse-u, as we like to call it) – another classic combination, coffee and chocolate! Build your ‘tiramisu’ with white chocolate mousse, crumbled biscuit and coffee flavoured whipped cream.
Cherry Chocolate Trifle – layer Cherry Sundae Topping with chunks of chocolate brownie and Dark Chocolate Mousse, and decorate with a Griottine!
Lemon and White Chocolate Mousse – spoon lemon curd into a glass, combine your White Chocolate Mousse with a couple of drops of lemon flavouring, and top with a drizzle of lemon topping sauce and a scattering of candied lemon peel shavings.
Black and White Chocolate Duo – whip up batches of both dark chocolate and white chocolate mousses, then pipe into glasses in layers for an eye-catching and delicious dessert!
Double Chocolate Mocha Mousse – layer dark chocolate mousse with milk chocolate mousse combined with a couple of drops of coffee flavouring oil, and top with dark chocolate curls.
After Dark Mint Chocolate Mousse – add a splash of mint flavouring to your dark chocolate mousse mixture and decorate with candied mint leaves and chocolate curls.
Chocolate Orange Mousse – mix a couple of drops of Orange Spice Oil into your milk chocolate mousse and top with candied orange peel shavings and chocolate curls.
Cookie and Cream Chocolate Mousse – make a modern black and white cookie dessert by decorating a glass with Black Cookie Topping Sauce, filling with white chocolate mousse and dusting with Cacao Barry Noir cocoa powder.
Chocolate Mousse Bombs (or Baubles, if you’re feeling festive!) – pipe your chocolate mousse into a ready-made Dark Chocolate Dome and decorate with shimmering gold creative powder.
Irish Cream Mousse – add a splash of whisky to your white chocolate mousse and pipe into hollow cream cups for an indulgent mini dessert, perfect for after dinner!
Amaretto and Dark Chocolate Mousse – stir a dash of amaretto into your dark chocolate mousse and pipe into dark chocolate carved cups for a deliciously nutty treat.
Mango and Passion Fruit Mousse – layer mango purée, passion fruit purée and white chocolate mousse in a glass for a fresh and fruity summer pudding!
Chocolate Mousse Cake – bake a sponge base, allow to cool and top with chocolate mousse before chilling in the fridge for 6 hours, and decorate however you like before serving.
And there are so many more delicious ways to enjoy chocolate mousse! We hope these mousse recipe ideas have sparked some inspiration, and shown you how easy it could be to add mousse to your product lines or menu, whether you’re a patisserie chef, baker or chocolatier.
We’d love to see what you create with your Callebaut chocolate mousse powder, send us a photo or tag us on social media!
Lyndsey is a marketing executive, writer and lover of books and chocolate from Sheffield.
Her favourite chocolate is Cacao Barry Lactee Superieure.
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