White Chocolate Mousse

Every year I cater a brunch for my mother in law and her gal pals for the holidays. Normally I make a chocolate mousse and pipe it into chocolate shells. (Seen here.) This year MIL asked for white chocolate mousse in chocolate shells. Of course I couldn't find any chocolate shells. I had no recipe for white chocolate mousse...had never even made it before. This, possibly, could be a disaster.

I went to Epicurious to search for a white chocolate mousse recipe. Nearly all of them were boring, white chocolate and whipping cream. Really? Zzzzzzzzzz.

Then I saw Gale Gand's name and I knew I could trust her. She is fabulous and everything I have ever made from her recipes has been a success. She absolutely did not let me down with her white chocolate mousse recipe.

If you decide to try this recipe be sure to give yourself a couple days before you serve it. She has you melt the chocolate with the cream two days prior and then whip that one day prior. Believe me...it is worth it. I will definitely make this again. I couldn't stop licking the spoon!!


White Chocolate Mousse
Source: Gale Gand from Food Network
Yield: 6 good size servings...12 small servings (who wants a small serving??!?!)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup egg whites (from about 4 eggs)
2 tablespoons sugar

Two days before you plan to serve the dessert, in a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it boils. Immediately turn off the heat. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Strain into another bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and, using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer, whip it into fluffy, soft peaks. Return to the refrigerator.

In a clean dry bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and continue whipping until glossy and stiff, about 30 seconds more. Fold into the white chocolate mixture, and then spoon the mixture (or pipe through a pastry bag) into glasses. I topped mine with crushed candy cane.