Description
This strawberry mousse cake filling is a luscious and airy dessert component made from white chocolate, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and whipped heavy cream. It offers a vibrant strawberry flavor with a smooth, creamy texture ideal for layering inside cakes or cupcakes, elevating your desserts with a light and flavorful filling that can be prepared ahead of time.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Mousse
- 1 cup (180g) good quality white chocolate chips
- 1 1/3 cups (320g) heavy cream, cold, divided
- 1/2 cup (56g) freeze dried strawberry powder
- 1/4 cup (30g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of fine salt (less than 1/8 tsp)
- Red gel food coloring (optional, for vibrant color)
Instructions
- Prepare the White Chocolate Mixture: Place 1 cup of white chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of heavy cream into a medium heat-proof bowl. Microwave for 45 to 60 seconds, then let it rest for a minute. Stir gently until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Alternatively, use a double boiler if you prefer not to use a microwave. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whip the Strawberry Cream: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine 1 cup heavy cream, freeze-dried strawberry powder, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Add a small drop of red gel food coloring if desired for a brighter pink color. Whip on medium-high speed until the cream thickens and forms soft peaks, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Fold the Mixtures Together: Gently fold about half of the strawberry whipped cream into the melted white chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula, incorporating it with smooth swooping motions to maintain airiness. Then fold in the remaining strawberry whipped cream carefully to avoid deflating the mousse and to preserve structure.
- Chill the Mousse: Cover the mousse with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow it to set and chill thoroughly. Keep chilled until ready to use as a cake filling to prevent loss of structure.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 3 cups of strawberry mousse, enough to fill a cake or multiple cupcakes.
- The recipe can be doubled to make more mousse if desired.
- Chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer beforehand to help whip the cream more quickly and easily.
- Use good-quality white chocolate (chips, bars, or wafers) for best melting and flavor; avoid white candy melts.
- Ensure heavy whipping cream is used for proper whipping; lower fat creams will not whip well.
- Watch the whipped cream carefully to avoid over-mixing, which can turn it into butter.
- Keep the mousse refrigerated as it can lose its shape when warm.
- When using in cakes, pipe a ring of buttercream around the cake layer edge to keep the mousse filling contained.
- The mousse can be prepared 1–2 days in advance and stored airtight in the fridge.
- Once the mousse is used to fill cakes or cupcakes, keep the desserts refrigerated.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup (approximate)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 45mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
