Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Mousse (Printer view)

Airy strawberry mousse with silky chocolate ganache creates a decadent, refreshing dessert perfect for any occasion.

# What You'll Need:

→ Strawberry Mousse

01 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
02 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1.5 teaspoons powdered gelatin
04 - 2 tablespoons cold water
05 - 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Chocolate Ganache

08 - 3.5 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
09 - 0.5 cup heavy cream

→ Garnish

10 - Fresh strawberries, halved
11 - Shaved chocolate or chocolate curls
12 - Mint leaves

# Directions:

01 - In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberries until smooth. Pass the puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds.
02 - In a small saucepan, combine strawberry puree and sugar. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is just simmering. Remove from heat. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl and let bloom for 5 minutes. Stir bloomed gelatin into warm strawberry mixture until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
03 - In a large bowl, whip heavy cream with vanilla and salt to soft peaks. Gently fold cooled strawberry mixture into the whipped cream until well combined.
04 - Spoon or pipe mousse evenly into serving glasses, filling each about two-thirds full. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until set.
05 - Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until just simmering without boiling. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy.
06 - Allow ganache to cool to room temperature. Spoon or pour ganache over set strawberry mousse in each glass, creating a distinct layer. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until ganache is set.
07 - Just before serving, garnish with fresh strawberry halves, shaved chocolate, or mint leaves as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It delivers that fancy dessert feeling without needing an oven or complicated techniques.
  • The strawberry layer is so light and airy it almost melts on your tongue.
  • You can make it the night before and pull it out of the fridge looking like a pro.
  • It satisfies both chocolate lovers and fruit fans in one spoon.
02 -
  • The strawberry mixture must be completely cooled before folding it into the whipped cream or the cream will deflate and you'll lose all that airiness.
  • Don't pour hot ganache over the mousse or it will melt the top layer and turn the whole thing into a puddle.
  • If your gelatin clumps, it means it wasn't dissolved fully in the warm puree, so always stir until you can't see any granules.
03 -
  • If your mousse feels too soft after an hour, give it another thirty minutes in the fridge because gelatin needs time to fully activate.
  • For a dairy-free version, use coconut cream in place of heavy cream and make sure it's well chilled before whipping.
  • A tiny pinch of black pepper in the ganache adds an unexpected depth that people can never quite place.
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