Easy White Chocolate Mousse

If I can be remembered for one thing in this life, I hope it’s that I taught people that making chocolate mousse can be easy, and that you don’t need eggs or gelatine to do it.

Sure, there are probably more important things to be remembered for, but I would argue that dessert is also important, so here we are.

When I published my first easy chocolate mousse recipe, one of the questions I was asked the most was, “Can I make it with white chocolate?”

The answer is “You sure can!”

Just like the original, this easy white chocolate mousse recipe is such a simple dessert to make, only needs three ingredients, and you can dress it up or down however you like (we’ll talk more about that below).

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and printable recipe, or keep reading for ingredient tips and process photos.

Ingredients

White chocolate – Choose a high-quality white chocolate, since that’s the main flavour of this mousse. Make sure you use real white chocolate (that contains cocoa butter), not compound chocolate. I prefer to use a block of chocolate (I use my favourite Whittaker’s white chocolate. Don’t use white chocolate chips unless it says on the packet that they’re suitable for melting. Chocolate baking chips will definitely not work, as they have a coating that stops them from melting.
Cream – The cream you need for this recipe is known by different names in different places. Here in NZ, it’s usually called standard cream or whipping cream. In other countries, it may be known as full cream, heavy cream or heavy whipping cream. Double cream is usually too thick for this recipe as it contains a lot more fat (although the fat content can vary by country). “Lite” cream and low-fat cream will not work. For the best results, choose a pourable, unsweetened cream that is around 35% fat. Make sure that it says on the bottle/carton that it is suitable for whipping.
Vanilla – This is optional; you can leave it out if you prefer. If you’re using it, choose a good quality vanilla extract or vanilla paste (keep in mind that you’ll see the flecks of vanilla seeds if you use an extract or paste that contains seeds).

Equipment

Aside from the obvious things like a bowl, silicone or rubber spatula, whisk, etc. you will also need a set of kitchen scales and an electric mixer.

The ingredients in this recipe need to be measured by weight (there is no accurate way to measure chocolate in cups), and the ingredient ratios need to be right in order for the mousse to set. If you don’t already have a set of scales, you can buy inexpensive kitchen scales online, or in most homewares stores and even some grocery stores.

You’ll need an electric mixer to whip the mousse. An electric hand mixer is sufficient, but if you have a stand mixer, you can use that, with the whisk attachment. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can use a whisk and whip it by hand, but you’ll need a strong arm and a lot of patience!

How to make white chocolate mousse

When I say that this mousse is easy to make, I’m not exaggerating.

You’ll heat *half* of the cream until almost boiling, then pour it over the chopped chocolate in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) and leave it to melt for a minute or two. Then whisk until smooth, add in the other half of the cream and the vanilla (and a pinch of salt, if you want) and whisk until it’s all combined.

Then you just need to chill the white chocolate mixture until it is very cold. The best way to do this is to cover it and chill it in the fridge overnight.

But if you’re in a hurry, you can chill it in the freezer for an hour or so, making sure to stir it every now and then to make sure it doesn’t freeze around the edges.

The chilling bit is really important, the mixture will get much fluffier and be less likely to split when the mixture is well chilled.

Once it’s ready, whip it until it’s a little firmer than soft peaks, but not quite stiff peaks.

Spoon or pipe the mousse into dessert glasses or serving bowls.

For a creamy white chocolate mousse, you can serve it immediately. For a more fluffy texture, chill for an hour or so to set.

I topped this mousse with sprinkles, but I have more serving suggestions below.

Storing the Mousse

The mousse mixture can be made 1-2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container or covered bowl in the fridge before whipping it.

Once whipped, the mousse can be stored in the fridge for several days. Cover the individual glasses or dishes with plastic wrap, or place them all into a large airtight container.

You can freeze the white chocolate mousse once it has been whipped. It’s best to put it into freezer-safe serving dishes, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and place the dishes into an airtight container before freezing. Let the frozen mousse soften before eating.

Troubleshooting

Mixture splits when whipped – This is usually because the mousse mixture wasn’t chilled enough. Next time, make sure it’s thoroughly chilled before whipping. To save it, reheat it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring with a whisk, until it melts and becomes smooth again. Then chill it thoroughly, and rewhip. The mixture can also split if the fat content in your cream is too high.

Overwhipped – If you overwhip the mousse and it turns grainy, you can save it by reheating it as described above. Then re-chill and whip (a bit less than you did last time 😉).

Mixture too thin and won’t whip – You likely used a type of cream that was too low in fat or not a type that is suitable to whip. Make sure the cream you use says that it is suitable for whipping and has at least 35% fat content.

Serving Suggestions

• Top with whipped cream and white chocolate curls or shavings.
• Drizzle with some melted chocolate (any kind!)
• Fold some crushed freeze-dried berries or freeze-dried fruit powder into the whipped mousse mixture.
• Serve with fresh raspberries, or any other fresh berries or fruit.
• Swirl through some chocolate caramel sauce (or any other dessert sauce)
• Serve the mousse in one large bowl (family style!) instead of individual glasses.

More Easy Mousse Recipes

If you like this recipe, you should also try this Peppermint Mousse, which uses the same white choc mousse recipe, with added mint extract (and cute peppermint-rimmed serving glasses if you’re feeling fancy.

Likewise, white chocolate and strawberry mousse dresses up the simple mousse with delicious vanilla macerated strawberries.

Or if you prefer milk chocolate, try my easy milk chocolate mousse instead.

Enjoy!

~Natalie
xx