Do Us A Favor And Add Some Melted Chocolate Ice Cream To Your Mousse

If you're looking to clear out space in your freezer, ice cream cartons may be what needs to go. But rather than dumping out that old chocolate ice cream and letting it go to waste, it could be repurposed and used to create a smooth and delicious dessert: mousse. All you'll need to do is let it melt. (Just be sure you're ready to get rid of it — refreezing ice cream will give it a different texture.)

When you're whipping up some homemade mousse, adding the melted ice cream to the recipe can elevate the dessert and make it even sweeter than a standard homemade chocolate mousse. The previously frozen dessert even lends a little extra creaminess to the whole dish.

All you'll need for this convenient mousse is melted ice cream, some heavy cream for an even richer mouthfeel, and a bit of extra cocoa powder to enhance the flavor. You can also add pasteurized egg whites for a sturdier structure. After mixing the ingredients together and letting the mousse set up in the fridge, it'll be ready to enjoy — making for an easy and elevated dessert.

To make the mousse, you'll first want to ensure the ice cream is completely melted. The safest way to do that is to pour the ice cream into a saucepan on the stove and gently heat it up. Allowing the ice cream to sit out on the counter at room temperature and thaw could cause bacteria growth if you leave it out for too long, according to the FDA.

Once the ice cream has melted, you can boost its flavor and thicken it up a little more with some cocoa powder and chopped chocolate pieces. Whisk them together with the heated ice cream until the powder has dissolved and the chocolate has melted, and allow it to cool. In a separate bowl, whip the pasteurized egg whites and a pinch of salt to offset the sweetness. Then, once the egg whites have formed peaks, fold them into the cooled chocolate mix. Finally, you'll also whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks and fold it into the chocolate to give the mousse even more silkiness. You can portion it out at this point or just place the whole mixing bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour and a half so that it firms up properly.

While chocolate may be one of the most popular and commonly made mousse flavors, other ice creams can be used to create unique tastes. Melted strawberry ice cream would make for a fun and fruity flavor. Vanilla, meanwhile, might be a little more mildly flavored on its own but will pair well with toppings like fresh fruit and caramel. Just make sure not to use ice creams with solid pieces, like nuts or cookie dough chunks, or you'll have to add a step to strain them out.

Once your mousse is complete, it can be savored in a few different ways. The simplest is to just grab a spoon and dig in so you can enjoy the light and fluffy texture on its own, but it can also be used as a filling in between layers of cake or layered with cake pieces, whipped cream, and fruit to create parfaits.

The next time you're ready to toss that leftover pint and free up some storage space in your freezer, try repurposing it instead. By melting it down to make the perfect mousse, your taste buds (and your wallet) will thank you.