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Coffee Mousse Recipe: How to Make Coffee Mousse

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Dec 13, 2024 • 2 min read

Coffee mousse has a strong coffee flavor combined with sweet and creamy whipped cream. Start with a chocolate ganache and add instant coffee powder for a mocha-flavored mousse, similar in flavor to tiramisu or your favorite coffee shop drink.

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What Is Coffee Mousse?

Coffee mousse is a sweet, slightly bitter, creamy coffee dessert. There is usually a chocolate component to coffee mousse, giving it a mocha flavor, but it is possible to make a mousse with only a coffee flavor. Many mousse recipes start with custard or ganache that gets folded into stiff whipped cream or whipped egg whites, depending on the recipe.

3 Tips for Making Coffee Mousse

There are a few different methods for making coffee mousse, with some using whipped cream or egg whites alone and others incorporating gelatin for stability. Use the tips below for almost any coffee mousse recipe:

  1. 1. Add gelatin for stability. For a firm mousse, use unflavored gelatin. Only use the amount the recipe calls for because too much gelatin results in a rubbery mousse, while not enough gelatin can result in a runny mousse. Bloom the gelatin in a small bowl with cold water until it’s firm, then dissolve it before adding it to the mousse.
  2. 2. Keep the heavy cream cold before whipping. Cold heavy cream whips up better and easier than room-temperature heavy cream. It also helps to refrigerate the mixing bowl and whisk. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, meaning when the whisk is inverted, the whipped cream stuck to the whisk holds its shape without flopping over.
  3. 3. Use instant coffee or espresso powder. Avoid adding more liquid to a coffee mousse recipe by using coffee powder or espresso powder instead of brewed coffee, as you would for other coffee dessert recipes. Dissolve the coffee granules in the hot heavy cream for the ganache, or mix them with other ingredients and allow them to dissolve slowly.

Chocolate and Coffee Mousse Recipe

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8 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

About 3 cups

prep time

10 min

total time

20 min

cook time

10 min

Ingredients

For the chocolate coffee ganache:

For the whipped cream and assembly:

Note: The total time does not include 4 hours and 10 minutes of inactive time.

Make the chocolate coffee ganache:

  1. 1

    Place the chocolate in a large bowl.

  2. 2

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the heavy cream and instant espresso powder until small bubbles form around the edges, about 7 minutes.

  3. 3

    Pour the hot cream and coffee mixture over the chocolate.

  4. 4

    Let the mixture sit until the hot cream melts the chocolate, about 3 minutes.

  5. 5

    Using a whisk or wooden spoon, stir the ganache until the chocolate melts completely and the mixture is smooth.

  6. 6

    Cool the ganache to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

Make the whipped cream and assemble the mousse:

  1. 1

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with another electric mixer, whisk together the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

  2. 2

    Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.

  3. 3

    Working in 3 batches, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate coffee ganache with a rubber spatula until no white streaks remain.

  4. 4

    Portion the mousse into individual serving cups or leave it in a large bowl.

  5. 5

    Chill the mousse for a minimum of 4 hours.

  6. 6

    Garnish the coffee chocolate mousse with chocolate shavings or cocoa powder, if desired.

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