Image is for illustrative purposes only.
A smooth, pale white chocolate mousse set with a little gelatine, so it holds its shape between layers of sponge yet still melts on the tongue. The white chocolate carries plenty of sweetness and a soft dairy flavour, while the whipped meringue and cream keep it light rather than heavy.
This is the kind of mousse I use as a filling inside ring-moulded cakes and entremets. Because it sets firm enough to slice cleanly, you can build tall layered cakes with it, chill them, and cut neat portions without the filling sagging.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 565
Number of Units: 3
Unit Size: 24 cm round cake filling
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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525 |
18.5 ounces
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White Chocolate (Compound)
Compound chocolate is a product made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners. It is used as a lower-cost alternative to true chocolate, as it uses less-expensive hard vegetable fats such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter. It may also be known as 'compound coating' or 'chocolatey coating' when used as a coating for candy.
Buttons or chopped
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melted |
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B
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60 |
2.1 ounces
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Sugar
Sugar is the generalized name for sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. They are carbohydrates, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose and galactose. The table or granulated sugar most customarily used as food is sucrose, a disaccharide. (In the body, sucrose hydrolyses into fructose and glucose.) Other disaccharides include maltose and lactose. Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides. Chemically-different substances may also have a sweet taste, but are not classified as sugars. Some are used as lower-calorie food substitutes for sugar described as artificial sweeteners.
Caster sugar
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C
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90 |
3.2 ounces
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Egg White
Egg white is the common name for the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. In chickens it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms around fertilized or unfertilized egg yolks. The primary natural purpose of egg white is to protect the yolk and provide additional nutrition for the growth of the embryo (when fertilized). Egg white consists primarily of about 90% water into which is dissolved 10% proteins (including albumins, mucoproteins, and globulins). Unlike the yolk, which is high in lipids (fats), egg white contains almost no fat, and carbohydrate content is less than 1%. Egg whites contain just over 50% of the protein in the egg. Egg white has many uses in food (e.g. mousse) and also many other uses (e.g. in the preparation of vaccines such as those for influenza).
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Room temp |
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D
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5 |
0.2 ounce
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Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar, also known as potassium bitartrate or potassium hydrogen tartrate, is a byproduct of winemaking. It is known as cream of tartar in context with cooking. It is the potassium acid salt of tartaric acid (a carboxylic acid).
In food, cream of tartar is used for:
- Stabilizing egg whites, increasing their heat tolerance and volume
- Stabilizing whipped cream, maintaining its texture and volume
- Anti-caking and thickening
- Preventing sugar syrups from crystallizing
- Reducing discoloration of boiled vegetables
Additionally it is used as a component of:
- Baking powder, as an acid ingredient to activate baking soda
- Sodium-free salt substitutes, in combination with potassium chloride
A similar acid salt, sodium acid pyrophosphate, can be confused with cream of tartar because of their common function as a component of baking powder.
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E
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120 |
4.2 ounces
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Egg Yolk
The egg yolk is the internal yellow part of an egg.
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Room temp |
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F
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15 |
0.5 ounce
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Gelatin
Gelatin or gelatine (from Latin: gelatus meaning "stiff", "frozen") is a translucent, colourless, brittle (when dry), flavourless foodstuff, derived from collagen obtained from various animal by-products. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar way are called gelatinous. Gelatin is an irreversibly hydrolyzed form of collagen. It is found in most gummy candy as well as other products such as marshmallows, gelatin dessert, and some ice cream, dip and yogurt. Household gelatin comes in the form of sheets, granules, or powder. Instant types can be added to the food as they are; others need to be soaked in water beforehand.
Powdered
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bloomed |
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G
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30 |
30 millilitres
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Water
For the gelatine
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cold |
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H
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850 |
29.9 ounces
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Thickened Cream
Cream is used as an ingredient in many foods, including ice cream, many sauces, soups, stews, puddings, and some custard bases, and is also used for cakes. Perfect for pouring, baking, whipping or adding the indulgent touch to your favourite recipes.
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chilled, softly whipped |
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1695
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Line your cake rings or moulds and have all bowls and utensils ready, as mousse work moves quickly once the chocolate is melted. |
Everything within reach |
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2 |
Bloom |
Sprinkle F (gelatine) over G (water) and leave it to swell. |
Sponge-like, no dry powder left |
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3 |
Melt |
Melt A (white chocolate) gently over a warm water bath or in short bursts in the microwave. |
Smooth and just warm, not hot |
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4 |
Whisk |
Whisk E (egg yolk) in a bowl over a water bath until warm, thick and pale. |
Ribbon stage, around 60 C |
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5 |
Dissolve |
Warm the bloomed F and G (gelatine and water) until clear and stir it into the warm yolks. |
Completely dissolved, no grains |
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6 |
Whip |
Whip C, D and B (egg white, cream of tartar and sugar) into a meringue, adding the sugar a little at a time. |
Firm, glossy peaks |
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7 |
Whip |
Whip H (thickened cream) separately. |
Soft peaks only, still floppy |
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8 |
Combine |
Stir the warm yolk and gelatine mixture into the melted A (white chocolate) quickly and evenly. |
Smooth, lukewarm base |
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9 |
Fold |
Fold the meringue into the chocolate base in two additions, then fold in the whipped H (thickened cream). |
Even colour, no streaks, still airy |
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10 |
Fill |
Pour or pipe the mousse into the prepared rings or between sponge layers straight away. |
Before it starts to set |
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11 |
Chill |
Refrigerate until fully set. |
Firm to a light touch, at least 4 to 6 hours |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 1,695 g of mousse, enough to fill three 24 cm round cakes as a half-cake filling (roughly 565 g per ring). Work quickly once the gelatine is added, as the mousse begins to set as soon as it cools. Keep the melted chocolate and the yolk mixture at a similar warm temperature before combining, or the chocolate will seize. Cover and keep the finished cake refrigerated and use within 3 days; a mousse-filled cake also freezes well and should be thawed overnight in the fridge.
Tools & Arrangements
Digital scale, heatproof mixing bowls, saucepan for a water bath, electric mixer or hand whisk, rubber spatula, thermometer, cake rings or moulds, acetate strips or cake collars, piping bag (optional).
