Salted Caramel Mousse Recipe: 5 Tips for Making Mousse
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: May 26, 2024 • 2 min read
Caramel mousse is a light, custardy dessert full of caramel flavor. Learn how to make this quick and easy dessert featuring salted caramel sauce.
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What Is Caramel Mousse?
Caramel mousse is a gluten-free dessert featuring caramel custard folded into whipped cream, often stabilized with gelatin. Popular toppings for caramel mousse include flaky sea salt, fresh berries, and pecans.
Many mousse recipes use gelatin, but you can easily make mousse with a host of thickening alternatives, such as whipped egg whites. Alternatively, you can use whipped cream alone—you’ll just have to eat the mousse immediately after chilling, or it will deflate.
5 Tips for Making Caramel Mousse
When making caramel mousse, consider the following steps:
- 1. Add chocolate for a twist on caramel mousse. Add cocoa powder, chopped dark chocolate, or white chocolate to the custard mixture to make a chocolate caramel mousse.
- 2. Chill the whipped cream. Whipped cream provides lightness and volume in a mousse. The key to making whipped cream is cold cream. After whipping the cream and folding it with the custard mixture, store it in the refrigerator before serving to help it maintain maximum volume.
- 3. Experiment with toppings. You can serve mousse with additional whipped cream on top or with your favorite toppings. Flaky sea salt, chocolate chips, nuts, and fresh berries are popular toppings for caramel mousse. Alternatively, you can use the caramel mousse between layers of cake to make a caramel mousse cake.
- 4. Save the caramel sauce. You can use any extra caramel sauce as a topping for ice cream, brownies, chocolate cake, or to make caramel apples.
- 5. Warm the custard mixture. Mix the caramel and cream with bloomed gelatin to make a thickened, stabilized, and flavorful base for the mousse. Gently warm the mixture to dissolve the gelatin.
Salted Caramel Mousse Recipe
makes
prep time
10 mintotal time
13 mincook time
3 minIngredients
Note: The total time does not include 1 hour of inactive time.
- 1
In a small bowl, combine the cold water and gelatin powder. Set aside to bloom the gelatin for 5 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites until foamy. With the mixer running, gradually add the granulated sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form.
- 3
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt until just warm. Stir in the gelatin mixture until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- 4
In a mixing bowl, combine heavy cream and powdered sugar. Using a whisk, stand mixer, or an electric mixer at high speed, whip until soft peaks form. Set ¼ of the whipped cream aside and refrigerate.
- 5
Carefully fold the cooled caramel mixture and whipped egg whites into the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain.
- 6
Transfer to 4 glasses or jars. Sprinkle the jars with flaky salt.
- 7
For serving, top mousse with remaining whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel, and berries or pecans, if desired.
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