Stacked Mousses

[RuthWells]

After buying Alice Medrich's "Bittersweet" last year, I was inspired to attempt contrasting mousses stacked in ring molds. On my first attempt, the bottom layer went squish, though the 2nd and 3rd layers held up fine. I was using Alice's recipes, so was surprised by this result. Second attempt this weekend -- again, the bottom layer of mousse (this time a gelatin-set fruit mousse) went squish.

Does anyone have a reliable formula, or ratio of gelatin to liquids/purees, that will yield a mousse that will hold up its end?!

TIA!

[chefpeon]

I don't have Medrich's book, but does she tell you to freeze the mousse layers before adding the next ones?

That's what I've always done when I make multilayered mousse desserts. Regardless of the method used to set them, putting the ring mold in the freezer between layers has always been very reliable.

[RuthWells]

I don't have Medrich's book, but does she tell you to freeze the mousse layers before adding the next ones?

That's what I've always done when I make multilayered mousse desserts. Regardless of the method used to set them, putting the ring mold in the freezer between layers has always been very reliable.

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Medrich does not freeze between layers, and that's a great idea. How do you thaw them for service -- in the molds, or after unmolding?

[chefpeon]

Medrich does not freeze between layers, and that's a great idea. How do you thaw them for service -- in the molds, or after unmolding?

Once I've added my final layer of mousse, and the whole thing is frozen, I take the mold (or pan) out of the freezer, warm the sides up with my trusty propane torch, and it slides right out. Then I do whatever I do with them.....put them on cake boards or cut for individual servings.......they're so much easier to work with when frozen!

[chiantiglace]

ruth, you used mango puree for you mouse, which is a tropical fruit. I wonder did you bring the puree to a boil first to kills the enzyme which destroys the gelatins stength? If not that may be what happened

[RuthWells]

ruth, you used mango puree for you mouse, which is a tropical fruit.  I wonder did you bring the puree to a boil first to kills the enzyme which destroys the gelatins stength?  If not that may be what happened

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Um -- err -- no, my recipe didn't call for it. Dangit! Thanks for that info.

[porkchop33]

ruth, you used mango puree for you mouse, which is a tropical fruit.  I wonder did you bring the puree to a boil first to kills the enzyme which destroys the gelatins stength?  If not that may be what happened

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hi

from what i know mango puree does not need to be boil

the acidity does not affect the gelation.

[Patrick S]

I haven't made Mango mousse, but I've made mousses with lots of other fruit purees, and never needed to boil first. There are a few gelatin-based Mango mousse recipes on the web (e.g., this one), and none that I saw specify to boil the puree.

[RuthWells]

I haven't made Mango mousse, but I've made mousses with lots of other fruit purees, and never needed to boil first. There are a few gelatin-based Mango mousse recipes on the web (e.g., this one), and none that I saw specify to boil the puree.

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Are you using commercial (pasturized) purees, or using fresh fruit to make your own puree? That might make a difference. I heard on another board that pineapple and papaya have the same enzyme that mango does (the gelatin-killing one) but I haven't done any independent research.

[Patrick S]

ruth, you used mango puree for you mouse, which is a tropical fruit.  I wonder did you bring the puree to a boil first to kills the enzyme which destroys the gelatins stength?  If not that may be what happened

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hi

from what i know mango puree does not need to be boil

the acidity does not affect the gelation.

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chiantiglace is referring to the protein-degrading enzymes papain or bromelain, rather than the acidity of the puree. If acidity were to blame, lemon mousse would never set. Theoretically these enzymes could prevent gelatin from setting, yet I don't know if that is actually the case, as most recipes do not have a step for boiling the puree?

EDIT: I was too hasty. Actually, there are some recipes that specify to bring the puree to a boil.

Edited July 27, 2005 by Patrick S (log)

[Patrick S]

I haven't made Mango mousse, but I've made mousses with lots of other fruit purees, and never needed to boil first. There are a few gelatin-based Mango mousse recipes on the web (e.g., this one), and none that I saw specify to boil the puree.

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Are you using commercial (pasturized) purees, or using fresh fruit to make your own puree? That might make a difference. I heard on another board that pineapple and papaya have the same enzyme that mango does (the gelatin-killing one) but I haven't done any independent research.

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I've never used a commercial puree, not because I dislike them, just because they are not readily available to me. I have never made mango or papaya puree though, so my experience might not be relevant here. I would try chiantiglace's suggestion -- I don't see how it could hurt. Maybe you have mango with exceptionally high levels of the enzyme?

[RuthWells]

I would try chiantiglace's suggestion -- I don't see how it could hurt. Maybe you have mango with exceptionally high levels of the enzyme?

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I guess anything's possible. I'll try boiling the puree next time (couldn't hurt). Meanwhile, I tossed the remainder of the soft mousse in the freezer and we're eating frozen mango mousse this week.

[sanrensho]

Ruth, what are the ingredients for the mango mousse you made? (I don't have the "Bittersweet" book.) I'll be trying out a mango mousse this weekend and want to avoid the problems you ran into.

Thanks in advance.

[RuthWells]

Ruth, what are the ingredients for the mango mousse you made? (I don't have the "Bittersweet" book.) I'll be trying out a mango mousse this weekend and want to avoid the problems you ran into.

Thanks in advance.

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The mango mousse recipe is not from "Bittersweet" -- I was borrowing a technique of "stacking" contrasting mousses from that book. I grabbed the mango mousse recipe off Recipezaar -- it was gelatin, mango puree, sugar, lemon juice, and heavy cream. As I noted above, I used fresh mangos for the puree. I'll be really interested in your results. Are you going to boil the puree as Chiantiglacee suggests?

[jgarner53]

I've made mango mousse before (from fresh mangoes) and didn't have to boil anything. It set just fine.

[RuthWells]

I've made mango mousse before (from fresh mangoes) and didn't have to boil anything. It set just fine.

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Well, now I just don't know what to think.......

[sanrensho]

I'll actually be using sweetened mango pulp, since it's readily available to me year-round. There's a good chance it's already been heated/boiled, so I don't plan to do any boiling.

[RuthWells]

I've made mango mousse before (from fresh mangoes) and didn't have to boil anything. It set just fine.

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When you have a moment, could I ask you to post your formula so I can compare it with what I used?

Edited July 28, 2005 by RuthWells (log)

[chiantiglace]

this is a recipe I made, and I used it for the plated dessert thread. Unfortunately I didnt post it cause i was in a rush.

Mango Mousse:

-160g Mango puree

-1 pt cream

-80 g sugar

-40 g brown sugar

-20 g water

-3 sheets gelatin (bloomed and clarified)

-30 g rum

Bring your mango, sugars and water to a boil and simmer for 1 minute

Cut the heat and add your rum and gelatin.

Allow puree mixture to rest to room temp

Whip your cream to stiff peaks; fold in the puree mix and fill molds.

[RuthWells]

this is a recipe I made, and I used it for the plated dessert thread.  Unfortunately I didnt post it cause i was in a rush.

Mango Mousse:

-160g Mango puree

-1 pt cream

-80 g sugar

-40 g brown sugar

-20 g water

-3 sheets gelatin (bloomed and clarified)

-30 g rum

Bring your mango, sugars and water to a boil and simmer for 1 minute

Cut the heat and add your rum and gelatin.

Allow puree mixture to rest to room temp

Whip your cream to stiff peaks; fold in the puree mix and fill molds.

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Thanks, Chianti. Can you give me an equivalent to the gelatin sheets using powdered gelatin?

[chiantiglace]

3 sheets, equals three tsp equals 1 tablspoon equals 3/10 oz

[RuthWells]

3 sheets, equals three tsp equals 1 tablspoon equals 3/10 oz

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Gracias!

[pissaladiere]

I'm not sure if this will solve your squishing problem, but I have made a triple chocolate stacked mousse with discs of dark chocolate in between each layer. I just used the ring mold to cut the discs out of a thin layer of hardened chocolate. It seemed to stop the mousses from squishing as well as providing an interesting presentation.

[RuthWells]

I'm not sure if this will solve your squishing problem, but I have made a triple chocolate stacked mousse with discs of dark chocolate in between each layer. I just used the ring mold to cut the discs out of a thin layer of hardened chocolate. It seemed to stop the mousses from squishing as well as providing an interesting presentation.

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Interesting idea. I had a disc of dark chocolate at the bottom of the stack, and it was no help at all in holding everything together. If/when I solve the squish problem, I'll try chocolate discs between the layers.

[Wendy DeBord]

I haven't made a mango mousse with fresh mangos, instead I've always had purchased purees for mango. Off hand I can't recall if mango has that enzyme..........but off hand I don't think it does..........at least in an amount similar to how much a kiwi has.

I can say I've struggled with kiwi mousse and boiling it, didn't kill that enzyme enough for my mousse to set.

With-out having studied the recipe you used Ruth, I can tell you from experience that almost every mousse recipe sets differently. When your working from a recipe where the author is giving you stacked/multi layered mousses, the author (if creditable) should have tested each recipe and made them consistant in strength. You can't build layers on top of a soft-settting mousse. You may have just grabbed a mousse recipe that wasn't ever meant to be served free standing. When you putting mousse in a torte or multi-component item you gotta be sure your using a firmer setting mousse.

If you take random recipes (with-out having made them before to know how they turn out) it's highly possible each mousse will turn out with a slightly different texture. You could have too much gelatin in one mousse or too little gelatin in the next. You have to consider your source and what the mousse recipe was developed for, bowl or torte.