White Chocolate Mousse with Frangelico
A dose of Frangelico, my favorite hazelnut liqueur, pushes this luscious White Chocolate Mousse over the top!
I’ve been cooking out of my well-used Silver Palate cookbooks a lot lately; the recipes are no-fail and just as perfect for everyday meals as for entertaining. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, I am sharing a perfect holiday recipe. When I spotted this White Chocolate Mousse with Frangelico in the (affiliate link) Good Times volume, I knew it was an ideal choice…easy and elegant.
Why You Must Make
We are a house divided when it comes to white chocolate. The boys prefer deep dark chocolate desserts; the richer the better. Katie and I love white chocolate, even though it truly isn’t chocolate per se. But we ALL loved this egg white chocolate mousse.
- This white chocolate mousse recipe is rich and incredible! Even die-hard chocoholics love it.
- Adding Frangelico to a white chocolate dessert creates a magical combination when the hazelnut liqueur pairs with the dreamy confection. It gives this mousse a certain je ne sais quoi.
- Serving the mousse in individual dishes topped with berries makes for an easy, elegant presentation. Everyone loves having their own dessert!
How to Make
- Gently microwave white chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stop and stir at 30-second increments until it’s melted and smooth.
- Whisk the yolks, sugar, and Frangelico in the bowl for the top of the double boiler (or a bowl large enough to sit over a pan of simmering water).
- Cook until very thick, about 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and set aside. Do not walk away or stop whisking or the eggs could scramble. If this happens, you must begin again.
- Whisk the white chocolate into the egg mixture.
- In another bowl, Beat the heavy cream over high speed until stiff peaks form.
- In a very clean bowl with clean beaters, Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry.
- Gently Fold the cream and egg whites into the white chocolate mixture.
- Scoop the mixture into pretty serving dishes.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set before serving.
- Garnish with berries with or without mint sprigs or white chocolate shavings/curls if desired.
Expert Tips
This white chocolate mousse has a good number of steps, but it is a very doable recipe if you don’t mind a few dishes to wash!
- As with all recipes, read through it once or twice to familiarize yourself with the steps and ingredients. Nothing worse than starting a recipe and finding out you don’t have all the ingredients on hand.
- I like melting my chocolate in the microwave, but it must be done gently. I start with 30 seconds, stop and stir and repeat. When the mixture is almost smooth and completely melted, you can let the residual heat finish the job by letting it sit for a minute or two, then stirring again.
- I like melting my chocolate in the microwave, but it must be done gently. I start with 3o seconds, stop and stir and repeat. When the mixture is almost smooth and completely melted, you can let the residual heat finish the job by letting it sit for a minute or two, then stirring again.
- PRO-Tip: If you’ve never whipped egg whites before, you need to know that any egg yolk or oils on the bowl, beaters, or in the whites will prevent the whites from beating properly. Make sure all your equipment is scrupulously clean and that your egg whites are not contaminated with any yolk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mousse is a French word that translates to froth or foam. It’s a rich, light as air dish that can be sweet or savory and hot or cold. Cold mousse is usually made with fruit or chocolate with either whipped egg whites or cream to make them fluffy. A savory mousse can be made with meat or seafood lightened with whipped egg whites. A savory mousse is usually baked in a water bath to prevent curdling.
White chocolate is not true chocolate. It doesn’t contain chocolate liquor but instead is made of sugar, cocoa butter, milk solids, and vanilla.
Covered with plastic, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.
This can happen if the chocolate gets too cold before adding it to the egg whites.
Whisk in a couple of tablespoons of cream and it should smooth out again. This won’t work if it’s so overwhipped the cream has turned to butter. In that case, it’s not salvageable.
According to the Food Lover’s Companion, it is a hazelnut-flavored liqueur that’s “enhanced with a secret formula of flower and berry essences.”
You May Also Like
As with a lot of holiday desserts, my kitchen was a wreck after making this mousse. Melting white chocolate, whisking the custard in a saucepan, whipping the cream, and then the egg whites. I won’t even start counting the bowls and mixing utensils used. But the end result was worth every one of them!
- White Chocolate Frangelico Cheesecake
- Frozen Chocolate Mousse Cake
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- Layered Mousse Cake
- Chocolate Truffle Mousse!
White Chocolate Mousse with Frangelico Recipe
A dreamy white chocolate mousse kicked up with a splash of hazelnut liqueur!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 1 stick) butter
- 6 eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup Frangelico (hazelnut) liqueur
- 2 cups heavy cream, cold
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Gently microwave white chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, stopping and stirring at 30-second increments till melted and smooth.
- Whisk the yolks, sugar, and Frangelico in the bowl for the top of the double boiler (or a bowl large enough to sit over a pan of simmering water). Cook until very thick, about 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Whisk the white chocolate into the egg mixture.
- In another bowl, beat the heavy cream over high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Using a mixer with the whisk attachment and a very clean bowl (any oil or grease will prevent whites from whipping properly), with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar till stiff but not dry.
- Gently fold the cream and egg whites into the white chocolate mixture. Scoop mixture into pretty serving dishes. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set before serving. Garnish with berries or chocolate shavings/curls if desired.
Notes
Total time does not reflect 3+ hours chilling time.
Servings vary depending on the size of your serving dishes.
Adapted from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 462Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 213mgSodium: 95mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 0gSugar: 32gProtein: 8g
80 Comments on “White Chocolate Mousse with Frangelico”
I’ve made this recipe before and it’s scrumptious. But it’s been so long. I cannot remember what size eggs I should use. Will it matter if I use extra large or jumbo?
Hi, Margaret, I always use large eggs. Merry Christmas!
Hello, what if I don’t want to use Frangelico? What would I substitute? Thank you!
Hi, Brandi, I’d look for another liqueur that would pair well with white chocolate, but not anything dark or the color of the mousse will be muddied. Some thoughts are Sambuca (anise), Praline (pecan) or Amaretto (almond). You can always stop in the liquor store and ask for suggestions if none of those sound appealing. I hope that helps!
I’m excited to make this for a dinner with friends this week! I’m concerned about it being very sweet – any issue with reducing the amount of sugar in the recipe by half?
Thanks!
Hi, Sarah, I haven’t tested it, so I can’t say for sure if it will set properly. I’m thinking it will be OK, but maybe try 3/4 the amount as the powdered sugar may contribute as a thickening agent as well as a sweetener. If it was granulated sugar, it would be a different story! Good luck!
Completely separated and grainy when all
Put together. Didn’t even bother putting it in the fridge. Must have done something wrong
Oh, I’m sorry, Jessica. The chocolate probably got too cool before adding it to the egg mixture. That’s what causes grainy mousse. If you want to try it again, read through the tips. Merry Christmas!!
That’s such a great cookbook! I used to cook from it a lot — I need to take another look at it. And I definitely need to take a close look at this recipe. And, well, make this. Wonderful dish — thanks.
I also prefer dark chocolate, but I like white one every now and then when craving something super sweet. This mousse looks absolutely wonderful, so rich, silly, and smooth. And with the addition of Frangelico? I’m in!
Sounds good. I’ve never tasted Frangelico so will have to check it out. Thanks!
I think desserts prepared as individual servings are so elegant. Lovely for guests. I also love Frangelico! I’ve never combined it with white chocolate, but I’ll be trying it. YUM! 🙂 ~Valentina
This really does look like a wonderful holiday dessert, i just love the presentation, perfect dessert for a dinner party.
Wow, that sure does look like a special dessert! Add a couple blueberries and you have the summer holidays covered:@)
I made this and it was delicious. However it wasn’t really of mousse consistency. That didn’t affect the taste. What might I have done incorrectly?
Hi, Aleida,
I’m glad it was still tasty, but I’m sure you were frustrated that it wasn’t thick enough. My first thought is that when you cooked the egg and sugar mixture in the double boiler. I would try cooking it a little longer if you try the recipe again. Or possibly the egg whites were deflated in the process of folding? If they’re over stirred instead of folded, the mousse will not be light. Hope that helps!!
What a great dessert recipe for my next dinner party!
The frangelico in this made the recipe. Great and easy to follow!
Gorgeous! I would eat this for dessert every day.
The white chocolate here is a nice change from dark. Wonderful.