What's your mousse method?

[oli]

I was curious what everybodies favourite method for making mousse (just for the sake of conversation, chocolate) and why? I know there is the whole egg base, milk and egg-yolk base and egg-yolk base. There is also the fruit base too but obviously doesn't pertain to this particular example. From some of the recipes I've read a few use the Italian meringue but most don't use this. Why? Is there a significant difference?
Thanks guys

[angrychef]

Hi Oli,
I have two types of chocolate mousse recipes. One is based on ease, simplicity and more geared towards American style cakes. No eggs involved, just more like a chocolate cream. The other one I use is the classic chocolate mousse using eggs, butter and cream. It's a lot more rich and velvety, and I use this on certain cakes, in dessert plates, more high end stuff. I could lighten this mousse further with meringue, but I don't, it doesn't need it. Since I make chocolate mousse by the gallons every week, one with Italian meringue is just much more time consuming(another clean bowl, whisk and pot to dirty-specially when we only have 2 mixer bowls which are constantly in use). But by all means, if you do have the time and willingness, try one with meringue.

[Isa]

For chocolate I love Lenotre's recipe ou melt chocolate add butter and egg yolk and whipped egg whites.


For fruit mousse, I use gelatine and cream.

[W.DeBord]

I haven't meant to ignore your post.....it's a good topic. But your questions are so broad and vast, it's hard to answer you.

Just addressing choc. mousse....I like meringue in mine. I think it add's to your texture (lightness) and taste (more complex). But then I also love mousse with yolks and butter. That provides a real richness that's smoother then any other.

I think Angry brings up a reality, equpiment and man power. I always had multiple bowls and mixers plus fast dish washers so equipment wasn't a problem. Sometimes you pick what works best in your situation....... In order to deside what you want to do, you should try each type of recipe.


Thuries books (at least I think it was his) has a totally different method with mousses. He doesn't use heavy cream.....was it creme fresh or sour cream he uses....I forget now, haven't looked at his books for quite a while. But old world french recipes are an other method.

[Joni]

Timely discussion...am filling very small, bite sized white and dark chocolate shells next weekend...some with a fruit mousse (will use the gelatin and whip cream with this) and some with white chocolate mousse -- any suggestions as to a good recipe for chocolate mousse to use? I will have to pipe it into the shells.

[W.DeBord]

I was last using the white choc. bavarian recipe from Bo Friebergs book when I needed white chocolate mousse. Other white choc. mousses that I've made that were less complex tasted that way too.