Champagne Mousse

It’s hard to believe that 2012 is just a few days away.  I’d like to say I’m ready to dive in head first, but I’m more the type of person to test the water with one toe. For me, easing into the new year means no high pressure resolutions. It’s more fun to make up a few that are easy to keep.  For example, this year I resolve to…

  • Eat birthday cake without feeling guilty.
  • Put sprinkles on everything.
  • Sleep late whenever possible.
  • Watch movies on rainy days.
  • Tell more corny jokes.

Easy.

For this year’s NYE gathering, I whipped up a batch of champagne mousse. In spite of its light texture, it is completely decadent and full of champagne flavor.  I decided to mold mine in a fancy pan, but you can use a regular loaf pan or just pipe it into champagne flutes.  It’s very versatile.  The chocolate ganache was a last minute addition, and I’m including the recipe, but it can be enjoyed with or without.

And of course, it had to be decorated with sugar pearls, shiny dragees… all types of edible baubles.

I wanted to get a good picture of us wishing you a Happy New Year, but the pups weren’t having it.  As you can tell, Churro wanted to get off of my lap so badly, he wouldn’t even look up at the camera.

Oh well.  Happy New Year anyway!!

Oh, and one last thing. 

If you need a more portable New Year’s treat, check out my Sparkling Champagne Cupcakes from last year.

Champagne Mousse

Serves 8-10                                                                                                               [click for printable version]

Note: This can be made ahead and kept in the freezer.

1 cup heavy cream

4 egg yolks

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 1/3 cups champagne, prosecco, or your choice sparkling wine

2 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin

3 tbsp water (or champagne)

  1. In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Place in refrigerator until ready for use.
  2. Place a saucepan filled 1/3 with water over medium-high heat until water is simmering.
  3. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a stainless steel (or glass) heatproof bowl.  Whisk until lightened in color.  Add the champagne and whisk until combined.  Place bowl over simmering water.
  4. Whisk mixture constantly.  The champagne will cause the mixture to fizz and foam.  Keep whisking! Mixture will begin to thicken.  When the mixture is ready the mixture will have thickened and gained volume, and it will have lost its foaminess.  Remove bowl from the simmering saucepan and continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes.  Set aside.
  5. Place the 3 tbsp water (or champagne) in a small microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle gelatin evenly over the liquid.  Let set until absorbed – about 5 minutes.  Heat the absorbed gelatin mixture for 10 seconds in the microwave, or heat until the gelatin has completely melted.
  6. Whisk gelatin into the champagne mixture;  fold in the whipped cream with a rubber spatula.

To mold:  Lightly grease a loaf pan with white vegetable shortening.  Pour champagne mousse into the loaf pan and freeze until solid.  To unmold, run a dish towel under hot water and wrap the bottom of the loaf pan with it.  Turn mousse out onto a serving plate.  If mousse resists unmolding, run the towel under hot water again and wrap around upside down loaf pan.  Repeat this step until mousse releases.  Bring to room temperature.  Slice and serve.

To pipe: Refrigerate mousse for 10-15 minutes, or until stiff enough to pipe.  Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip.  Pipe into champagne flutes.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: Make a half-batch of this recipe to cover the champagne mousse, otherwise you’ll have too much ganache left over.  Or make the whole batch and use it to make truffles.  ðŸ™‚

Chocolate ganache  *Optional

1/2 cup heavy cream
9 oz. chopped chocolate

Sprinkles, sugar pearls and dragees

  1. Place heavy cream in a small microwave safe bowl, and place chocolate in another small bowl.  
  2. Heat cream at 30 second increments, until very hot but not boiling.  
  3. Pour  cream over chopped chocolate and whisk until well incorporated.  Let stand until cooled and slightly thickened, then pour over frozen molded champagne mousse.  Decorate with dragees and sugar pearls before chocolate ganache sets.
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Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
12 years ago

Easy resolutions! ;-P

That mousse looks amazing and magical! A terrific New Year's Eve dessert.

Best wishes for 2012!

Cheers,

Rosa

P.S. I love your gorgeous pugs!!!

Jessica @ How Sweet
Jessica @ How Sweet
12 years ago

you my dear… are an absolute genius. happy happy new year!! <3

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

OMG lovely pics, your pup is like my daughter with NOT wanting to take pics. Great idea for New YeARS.

Heather (Heather's Dish)
Heather (Heather's Dish)
12 years ago

Absolutely beautiful! Of course you know I'm talking about you 🙂 and the mousse is fabulous too!

JerseyJenna
JerseyJenna
12 years ago

Woooooow!!!! For sure this is on our NYE Movie Night menu!!!!

rebecca
rebecca
12 years ago

fancy fancy! i'm impressed. happy new year to you!

Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
12 years ago

This looks so wonderful…fancy and beautiful and a perfect dessert. Anything using champagne would be 🙂

Anne @ Baking Me
Anne @ Baking Me
12 years ago

This looks wonderful, and I love the pearls and dragees they add the perfect festive touch! The pictures with your dogs is so cute 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

So classic and fancy! I love this post ! Just started reading your blog and love it ! Your a great photographer !

A Southern Bee Diary

🙂

Marias cupcakes
Marias cupcakes
12 years ago

Hi!
Just found your page and so far – I love it! So now I know how to spend the rest of my evening =)

shakeshakee
shakeshakee
12 years ago

how pretty!
also the mouse looks like slices of frozen bananas with chocolate on top. mmmmm that would be a swell desert 🙂

cheers to the new year!

Lora
Lora
12 years ago

Gorgeous. Just. Gorgeous. Happy New Year Heather. All the best to you in 2012! Oh and I want so badly to just squish those adorable pug faces/

IFeelCook
IFeelCook
12 years ago

Looks gorgeous! Happy New Year Heather! 🙂 xoxo

Gloria
Gloria
12 years ago

Fabulous dessert, as usual, Heather! Love the photo with your pups not cooperating! LOL! Dogs are just like kids. 😉 Love your skirt too, very pretty. May the new year bring you much happiness and baking successes — you deserve it!
Best,
Gloria
P.S. Oh, as for your resolutions: I've already been completing for years now all of those that you wish to do this coming year. 🙂
Well, except for using more sprinkles… but, then again, you are the QUEEN of Sprinkles!

vanillasugarblog
vanillasugarblog
12 years ago

i've always wanted to do something like this since I adore champagne so.
you do everything to perfection.
happy new year Heather.
thank you for being a great blogger and friend

linda
linda
12 years ago

l.o.v.e this mousse! heather, can you please let me know which "fancy" pan you used…thanks!
may your new year be filled with joy & fun!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
12 years ago

Thanks Linda!

I used a Rehrucken pan. It's used to make an Austrian "saddle of venison" cake. You can get them on Amazon.com or kitchen stores like Sur la Table.

Here's a link:

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-612044/?affsrcid=Aff0001&mr:trackingCode=5B6CAEDC-D781-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

Sophie
Sophie
12 years ago

fwarrrrrr!

Dana
Dana
12 years ago

Fabulous! Perfect for a New Years party!

Magic of Spice
Magic of Spice
12 years ago

I adore champagne mousse, and this is just gorgeous!
Happy New Year!

Lili
Lili
12 years ago

Oh I just love when we get a glimpse of you and your adorable pups! Love all the shots you put together for us, you make everything so fun. As usual, gorgeous and exciting. Happy New Year Heather! xoxo ~Lili

DessertForTwo
DessertForTwo
12 years ago

Lovely! I'm so in love with champagne in desserts!

Jennifer (Delicieux)
Jennifer (Delicieux)
12 years ago

Champagne mousse sounds absolutely divine!!!! Chamapagne is always my drink of choice for celebrations so champagne mousse would be amazing and the bling on top looks amazing! I'm bookmarking this!

Best wishes for the New Year.

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

I never need an excuse to add more champagne into my life, but if I did, this would be it! Love the decadence of this mousse 🙂

Carrie
Carrie
12 years ago

Oooo, how lovely! Time to go buy champagne! Happy New Year!

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

Happy New Year to all of you! Your photo is beautiful! Churro is adorable the way he is looking away and saying "Please, no, I just can't face the camera at this time." You were one of the first blogs I discovered and boy was that a lucky day for me! Can't wait to buy your book this year.

Irmina Díaz-Frois Martín
Irmina Díaz-Frois Martín
12 years ago

Happy New Year!

leaf (the indolent cook)
leaf (the indolent cook)
12 years ago

Such a cool recipe, and so pretty to look at, too. Happy New Year! 🙂

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

Happy New Year!

Do you bribe your dogs with treats for a pic? My chihuahua never used to look at the camera until I started holding a treat right above it…now she loves to get her pic taken. Food bribery works for my pups 🙂

Thanks for sharing the attempts anyway…very cute!

jenna
jenna
12 years ago

i love your resolutions….{and your hair!}! 🙂 i hope you and your family have a fabulous New Year!

A Spoonful of Yumm
A Spoonful of Yumm
12 years ago

so elegant…happy new year !

Xtine
Xtine
12 years ago

Beautiful as always, love the pups! The 3 hands in the first picture are perplexing! 😀 Who's stealing a bite? Happy New Year!

Culinary Collage
Culinary Collage
12 years ago

This is beautiful…what a great idea!

Lori
Lori
12 years ago

I love the idea of no pressure resolutions. I'll change it from eating b-day cake without guilt to eating this mousse! It looks amazing. Your pugs are adorable. I have two laying next to me as I comment. Happy New Year!

beti
beti
12 years ago

I can't wait to try it! it seems so smooth and delicious, what a great and fancy idea

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

Yumm! Looks delish! I love your sparkly skirt. If you have trouble with the eating cake resolution, I think I can help you out:) Especially because chocolate ganache is hardly ever optional for me lol! Hope you have a fabulous New Years!

Jessie at Possible Baker

nicole {sweet peony}
nicole {sweet peony}
12 years ago

this looks gorgeous! i absolutely adore your champagne cupcakes & this mousse sounds just as delicious! happy 2012 heather! xo

linda
linda
12 years ago

thanks heather…i have never heard of a saddle of venison cake but, having googled… it looks pretty delicious…perhaps one day you can share your version with us.
& thanks for the link to the pan…just ordered it!

Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
12 years ago

This looks so pretty! What a great mousse. Cute puppies, even if they won't look at the camera 🙂

Paula
Paula
12 years ago

This is beautiful, a perfect dessert for a New Year's Eve celebration. All of your photos are beautiful. You are so pretty and the pugs are too cute. Happy New Year to you and your family Heather, all the best in 2012.

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

Wow, this sounds like a super-delicious recipe! I will definitely have to find an occassion to suit this very soon (unfortunately, I just discovered it a day too late…).
I really like your resolutions, too. They seem very simple but I tend to feel guilty about sleeping in etc… sometimes so maybe they would work for me.

Rebecca
Rebecca
12 years ago

Awwww, wrinkly pugs! I recently ate a slice of pizza covered in sprinkles. It was…bizarre.

Lindsey
Lindsey
12 years ago

I made your recipe last night for a New Year's Eve party and it was a huge hit! Thanks so much for posting this 🙂 I made the full ganache recipe so now I get to make some truffles today.

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

so gorgeous!

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

OMG, this is so elegant. It looks amazing.

marla
marla
12 years ago

Happy new year Heather!! Love the mousse and those photos of you & your pups. I bet it was hard to get them to pose 😉 I am with you on the resolutions…toe dipping is best for me too 🙂 xo
Can't wait for your book!!

A Little Something
A Little Something
12 years ago

Do I have to wait till eggs mixture cool down a little bit?

Unknown
Unknown
9 years ago

Made this for NYE dessert (2014) – and it was a huge hit! Thanks for such a great (easy) and delicious recipe!!

Anonymous
Anonymous
8 years ago

Thank you so much for this recipe. I just tried and want to use as a filling for a cake. I cooked the custard almost 15 minutes and the volume increased but it is taking much longer than 15 mins to thicken up to pipe. How long should it be cooked?

Lexy
Lexy
6 years ago

1. How long after this come out of the freezer can it be served?
Looks like a fabulous idea for Easter Dinner.
2. Also….is there any recommendation for non-alcoholic liquid to be used instead of the Champaign? Thank you.