Don't Make One Big Mistake When Whipping Up A Fruit Mousse

Whether it's strawberry, mango, raspberry, or pineapple, fruit mousse is a bright, delicious, and creamy dessert that you can make at home. However, there's one common mistake home cooks need to avoid when making fruit mousse. Daily Meal spoke exclusively with experts — Executive Pastry Chef Muhammed Ince from Fontainebleau Miami Beach, and Executive Pastry Chef Meghan Brophy of Pastis Miami – on how to achieve the perfect fruit mousse.

The common mistake in question? Using too much fruit puree. As Ince describes, this is a huge mistake because it can "lead to a runny consistency." If the amount of fruit puree that a recipe calls for doesn't seem like enough, you may be tempted to add extra to make sure that the fruit flavor is front and center when you bite into the final result. As Brophy explains, the ratio of fruit puree to heavy cream is an important factor. She says, "Too much puree will result in a runny mousse as the puree is incapable of holding any air when whipped, however you want to incorporate as much puree as possible to achieve the desired flavor." Just like with chocolate mousse, you want the fruit mousse to be smooth, light, and fluffy.

There is an easy fix when it comes to avoiding too-runny fruit mousse: Stick to the recipe. To achieve the right consistency, you have to be precise with your measurements and techniques during the mousse-making process. One tip that will help with the consistency is to strain the puree before adding it to the already-whipped heavy cream. Chef Muhammed Ince says that the extra step of straining will remove any excess water to get the puree in its best form for combining with heavy cream — and help you get the desired consistency.  

Chef Meghan Brophy also says that when it comes to texture, "gelatin is an imperative ingredient when making fruit-based mousses." So definitely don't skip the gelatin that the recipe calls for, as it is "the sole ingredient which stabilizes the cream and provides a mousse-like texture in the finished product," says Brophy. Follow these tips and be super diligent with the recipe, and your fruit mousse should turn out beautifully.