White Chocolate Mousse with Rose

Let me 'whisk you to Paris' with this white chocolate mousse recipe. It's as simple as it gets with just three key ingredients, yet it's anything but ordinary. Ideal for a Valentine's or galantine's treat or just to pamper yourself, this unique mousse is about effortless French chic.

White Chocolate Mousse - Parisian Inspiration

This easy French mousse recipe was inspired by a beautiful Merveilleux meringue cake savoured at "Un Dimanche à Paris", a Parisian address now moved to the pâtisseries of Dubai.

Back in my kitchen, I wanted to recapture these blossoming flavours and texture, without the extra sweet meringue. The result? I developed this quick and easy gluten-free dessert that lets the nuances of orange blossom and rose shine.

What are the Main Ingredients of White Chocolate Mousse?

This easy white chocolate mousse recipe begins with good quality white chocolate chips. I use Cacao Barry's Zéphyr (34%) chocolat blanc drops, but any top brand is best (Valrhona, Ghirardelli, Guittard, Nestlé) that's less sweet than the more commercial supermarket generic brands. Better quality also means that there's no need to add vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste - the taste is already in the chocolate.

Select heavy whipping cream or heavy cream with a minimum of 30% fat content - this is crucial for achieving the perfect whipped consistency. Half-fat cream won't work for this recipe. Add just one egg white to make this extra light and fluffy - not even needed if you have a siphon - and no gelatin needed.

The unique addition to this recipe which makes the dessert special is the rose and orange blossom waters.

At about 200 calories a portion, added sugar is unnecessary. The sweetness of the white chocolate is enough to satisfy your cravings.

What Could Go Wrong with Whipping White Chocolate Mousse?

Perhaps the most disappointing problem is if your cream curdles. This happens when the melted white chocolate and cream mixture is too hot. When added to the cold, whipped cream, the fat in the chocolate doesn't like it and the whole thing separates.

To avoid this, just ensure that the white chocolate has completely cooled down - place in the fridge or freezer while whipping the cream. Test with your finger that the chocolate mix is cool, not warm, then fold it into the whipped cream.

Perhaps it also sounds obvious, but it happens to us all: check the 'best before' date on the white chocolate. As it doesn't last as long as other chocolate, it can easily go out of date and so will not behave as it should.

Two Ways of Making This Mousse

There are two ways of making this white chocolate mousse. Either:

• Using an electric whisk (hand or stand mixer), whip up most of the cream and egg white to nearly stiff peaks, then fold in the melted cooled white chocolate with a little of the cream. See the recipe card below; or
• With a siphon, there's no need for the egg white. Simply heat together 100g (4oz) each of white chocolate, whipping cream and whole milk with the floral waters, pour the whole lot into the can, add a gas canister for the air bubbles and you're done. For this method in full, see the rhubarb crumble revisited recipe.

What I love about this recipe is that we avoid extra steps, like melting the chocolate in a bain marie. Instead the cream is heated and chocolate is melted in.

How Best to Serve White Chocolate Mousse

While the mousse can be served proudly on its own, a final garnish can take it to the next level.

Try the following topping ideas. They can turn a plain dessert into party sizes in shot glasses or a larger serving dish, great for your valentine desserts to Christmas and New Year's Eve parties:

• rose petals or raspberry rose macarons or garnish with a macaron heart - see how to pipe out macaron hearts.
• with almond tuile cookies.
• layer the mousse with fresh berries: strawberries, raspberries or a dollop of rhubarb compote. Alternatively, spoon some mousse to top rhubarb crumbles or red fruit bavarois.
• a simple wedge of orange or clementine to complement the delicate orange blossom along with edible flowers such as winter pansies.
• Some extra white chocolate curls.

No matter your choice, the mousse acts as an elegant canvas waiting for your creative touch. If entertaining, accompany this with glass of chilled Muscat dessert wine.

Love mousse? Then try even more French recipes:

• Fluffy French Dark Chocolate Mousse (without cream)
• Chocolate Mousse with Passion Fruit and Nougatine
• Strawberry mousse