It is feeling more like summer, but most of California is still green…unusual for late May. Spring is not gone yet, and cherry season has come to our farmers market, which made me think it was time to make this dessert. Although I am not a big white chocolate fan, but this is perfect for the season. And it is a first-class dessert that no one will be able to resist.
White Chocolate Mousse with Cherry Compote
2016-05-31 13:37:08
Serves 8
Rich, smooth and fresh!
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
30 min
Cherry Compote
- 2 tablespoons (30 gram) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon (30 gram) light brown sugar
- 1 pound (500 grams) cherries, pitted and kept whole
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch, cherry brandy (optional)
- 2 sprigs hyssop, lemon verbena or mint, stemmed and chopped
- juice of 1 lemon
White Chocolate Mousse
- 1 cup (230 grams) heavy cream
- 1 large very fresh egg
- 1 large very fresh egg yolk
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (250 grams) white chocolate, melted and kept warm
- Garnish: whole fresh cherries
MAKE THE COMPOTE
- Put the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and let it melt until it begins to brown. Add the brown sugar and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula (heat resistant) until the sugar is melted. Add the cherries, Kirsch brandy and hyssop and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the cherries become tender. Add the lemon juice; remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Keep the cherries covered until ready to use. You can refrigerate them overnight if desired.
MAKE THE MOUSSE
- Pour the cream in a large bowl and whisk by hand or with a hand-held electric mixer until it holds soft peaks, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside. (If you own two electric mixer bowls, you can whip the cream in an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.)
- Place the egg and egg yolk in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed.
- While the egg is being whipped, place the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. After the syrup has boiled for 1 minute, pour it into the eggs in a slow stream, with the mixer running, down the inside of the bowl. Continue whipping the eggs until they have doubled in volume and are cold (feel the bottom of the bowl to check), about 5 minutes.
- With a silicon spatula, fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, and then fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Fill a pastry bag or a re-sealable plastic bag with mousse, and cut a ½-inch opening in the tip or corner of the bag. Pipe the mousse into the bottom of eight fluted glasses, filling about one third of each glass. Refrigerate until ready to use, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
ASSEMBLE THE DESSERT
- Spoon enough cherry compote on top of each individual mousse to fill the second third of the glass. Then pipe enough mousse on top of the compote to fill up the rest of the glass. Repeat with remaining glasses of mousse. Serve immediately or chilled at least 30 minutes. Top with fresh or compote cherry.
Notes
- It is very important when making this mousse to use good quality white chocolate (I used GHIRADELLI Premium White Chocolate Baking Bar for this recipe), and very fresh eggs. Every prep/baking process is fun for me. It took only 5 minutes to pit 1 pound of cherries. However those who do not have cherry pitter, Trader Joe’s sells Dark Morello Cherry in light syrup that comes in 24 oz. glass jar. You may find it at the jar/can food section. The original recipe uses whipped crème Anglaise for the third layer, which sounds very delicious and rich (more fat). However, I skip the crème Anglaise and still have an amazing dessert.
Adapted from Chocolate Epiphany, by Francois Payard
Adapted from Chocolate Epiphany, by Francois Payard
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