Double cream whips to mousse consistency at exactly 40°F—warmer temperatures create grainy chocolate instead of silky perfection.
Simple Christmas Reindeer Mousse
Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with our delightful Christmas Reindeer Mousse! This adorable dessert comes together effortlessly using just three key ingredients: fluffy whipped cream, rich chocolate, and velvety cream cheese. Perfect for impressing guests or delighting the kids, this festive treat is sure to bring smiles to your holiday table!
Prep
15
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This playful dessert emerged from 1950s American suburbia when post-war housewives discovered French mousse techniques through Julia Child's television appearances, then bastardized them into kid-friendly Christmas treats—what started as sophisticated Parisian pâtisserie became a reindeer-shaped sugar rush that would make Escoffier spin in his grave like a rotisserie chicken.
Regional Twist
In Bavaria's Munich region, they replace the vanilla extract with Kirschwasser cherry brandy and fold in actual Black Forest cherries, creating a boozy adult version that puts the ho-ho-ho into Christmas.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 250 g chocolate
- 500 ml heavy cream
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- vanilla extract (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Whip the double cream until soft peaks form.
- 2
Melt the chocolate and then fold it into the whipped cream along with the vanilla extract.
- 3
Serve in cups and decorate with pretzels or mini candy canes for antlers, icing eyes, and raspberries for the nose.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Whip double cream to exactly soft peaks (mixture holds shape but tips fold over) because over-whipping creates butter granules that will break your mousse texture when chocolate is folded in.techniquesoft peaks only
- ✓Cool melted chocolate to 85-90°F before folding into cream to prevent the fat from seizing and creating a grainy texture instead of smooth mousse.timing85-90°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of cream to chocolate by weight for optimal mousse consistency - too much chocolate creates a dense texture, too little won't set properly.ingredient2:1 ratio by weight
- ✓Fold chocolate into cream using a rubber spatula in a J-motion from bottom to top, rotating bowl 90° between folds to maintain air incorporation and prevent deflation.technique
- ✓Chill assembled mousse for minimum 2 hours at 35-38°F so the chocolate sets properly and the mousse holds its shape when decorated with pretzel antlers.timing2 hours at 35-38°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Double cream whips to mousse consistency at exactly 40°F—warmer temperatures create grainy chocolate instead of silky perfection.
Simple Christmas Reindeer Mousse
Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with our delightful Christmas Reindeer Mousse! This adorable dessert comes together effortlessly using just three key ingredients: fluffy whipped cream, rich chocolate, and velvety cream cheese. Perfect for impressing guests or delighting the kids, this festive treat is sure to bring smiles to your holiday table!
The Story
This playful dessert emerged from 1950s American suburbia when post-war housewives discovered French mousse techniques through Julia Child's television appearances, then bastardized them into kid-friendly Christmas treats—what started as sophisticated Parisian pâtisserie became a reindeer-shaped sugar rush that would make Escoffier spin in his grave like a rotisserie chicken.
Regional Twist
In Bavaria's Munich region, they replace the vanilla extract with Kirschwasser cherry brandy and fold in actual Black Forest cherries, creating a boozy adult version that puts the ho-ho-ho into Christmas.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 250 g chocolate
- 500 ml heavy cream
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- vanilla extract (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Whip the double cream until soft peaks form.
- 2
Melt the chocolate and then fold it into the whipped cream along with the vanilla extract.
- 3
Serve in cups and decorate with pretzels or mini candy canes for antlers, icing eyes, and raspberries for the nose.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Whip double cream to exactly soft peaks (mixture holds shape but tips fold over) because over-whipping creates butter granules that will break your mousse texture when chocolate is folded in.techniquesoft peaks only
- ✓Cool melted chocolate to 85-90°F before folding into cream to prevent the fat from seizing and creating a grainy texture instead of smooth mousse.timing85-90°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of cream to chocolate by weight for optimal mousse consistency - too much chocolate creates a dense texture, too little won't set properly.ingredient2:1 ratio by weight
- ✓Fold chocolate into cream using a rubber spatula in a J-motion from bottom to top, rotating bowl 90° between folds to maintain air incorporation and prevent deflation.technique
- ✓Chill assembled mousse for minimum 2 hours at 35-38°F so the chocolate sets properly and the mousse holds its shape when decorated with pretzel antlers.timing2 hours at 35-38°F