How can I make fluffy chocolate mousse without gelatin?
I'm not a vegetarian but I don't want to use gelatin.
I have seen various recipes for making mousse but they seem to be the gooey type. I'm looking for a recipe which will set so I can make a mousse cake which can be free standing.
This picture is similar to what I'm looking for:
I have a stand mixer and am happy to use eggs, double cream, etc. and to experiment, but don't want to make a massive amount. I can use agar but so far am always lost as most recipes which call for gelatin cannot easily be converted for use with agar.
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A very easy variant is simply melted chocolate chips and tofu, which can be adjusted in firmness by using silken to extra firm, drained -blended/processed/whipped and left to set.
Amount of each can be varied to suit as well. Done right, you'd never guess there was tofu in there (so better warn the soy-allergic folks not to touch it.)
The firmer types need more aggressive blending/processing to break the tofu down to where it vanishes in the mix - silken goes pretty well with a whisk. Possibly a two step process (to make it smooth) and then whisk (to get more air in) would get closer to what you are after if having it stand up well is important.
About two years ago I read about the "ultimate chocolate mousse" from Heston Blumenthal. Interestingly, the recipe only calls for two ingredients: bittersweet chocolate and water. Sugar can be added, but it is optional. It is all in the technique.
You use an approach that is similar to tempering chocolate and then whip.
Place a mixing bowl over a bowl filled with iced. Melt 265g bittersweet chocolate (chopped) with 240 ml water over medium heat. Gently stir to keep the temperature consistent throughout the chocolate. You pour the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl sitting on the bowl with ice in it and start whisking. Here you will need to may need a bit of practice. If you mix too much, it will become grainy. If that happens, then lightly melt again and then pour back into the cooled bowl. Chocolate can be very fluffy even without added ingredients.
Gelatine has nothing to do with a mousse. That means it's no problem to find a recipe without ;) .
I'm doing Mousse au Chocolat like that:
melt 200-250gr (more is better for stability) of chocolate (70%+ cacao) in a baine-marie
whip 400gr of cream
whip one egg yolk in a baine-marie until fluffy *
mix the chocolate into the egg yolk
carefully fold the cream under the chocolate
refrigerate for a few hours
This mousse is pretty solid after a few hours in the fridge...without gelantine.
*if you want any flavor like vanilla or some liquor in your mousse it is a good idea to add it now to the egg
If you are able to get hold of it, I have used vegetarian gelatin substitute in the past, and found it to be fine. I'm in the UK, and most supermarkets stock something like Dr. Oetker Vege-Gel or their own brand (often called vetetarian gel, rather than gelatin(e), to avoid confusion).
If you are looking for an agar conversion, Joy of Baking suggests that a 7-gram (1 tbsp.) packet of gelatin granules (or 4 leaves sheet gelatin) = 2 tsp. agar.
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