2 Easy Methods To Infuse New Flavors Into Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse is one of the most simple yet decadent desserts you can prepare, and while everyone — including Ina Garten — has their secrets, Victoria Johnson is the one we went to for advice when it comes to infusing mousse with other flavors. As the head chocolatier at Temper Chocolates inside of Denver Central Market, she basically makes a living crafting chocolate infusions. So whether you're aiming for something fruity, alcoholic, herby, or spicy with your chocolate dessert, she has advice to offer.

As simple as chocolate mousse can be, it can also be incredibly complicated — just read through Tasting Table's 10 tips you need for making perfect chocolate mousse to get an idea of all the things that could possibly go wrong. While certainly beneficial, infusing other flavors into your chocolate mousse adds another element to the equation. And while it could go very well, you also run the risk of it potentially going very, very wrong. Fortunately, Johnson has two methods for infusing flavors into your chocolate mousse that are so easy that getting them wrong is simply not an option: adding the flavors into the melted chocolate first, or steeping them into the cream. These methods are fool-proof and, if you stick to them, you'll infuse your mousse without sacrificing texture.

When Tasting Table asked Johnson about infusing flavors into chocolate mousse, she said "I like to add flavors such as fruit purees, alcohol, or oils into the melted chocolate before incorporating the other ingredients." While you can add as much or as little of your chosen flavoring as you like, it's important that they be oil- or alcohol-based. That's because anything water based could cause the melted chocolate to seize or, in other words, turn gritty and tough, which wouldn't be good news for your mousse. To further avoid any textural issues, follow Tasting Table's 15 tips for melting chocolate.

According to Johnson, one of the biggest advantages of opting for this method is that it ensures even distribution throughout your mousse. So whether you reach for a raspberry puree or an orange extract, a liqueur or a bit of peppermint oil, you know that — once it's cooled and whisked into your cream mixture — it's going to come through just the same in every bite you take. It also comes with the added reassurance that, if you're choosing to use a dairy-free substitute, you won't be further complicating your cream base. For example, in her plant-based chocolate caramel tofu mousse recipe, Michelle McGlinn chose to add the caramel to the melted chocolate prior to combining it with the tofu and coconut milk base. In a way, it adds extra precaution so that you know your dairy-free alternative won't act up.

Johnson also recommends steeping ingredients into the cream. "Steeping ingredients into the cream is another great way to infuse flavors, especially if you're using fresh herbs, spices, or citrus. Keep in mind that steeping tends to create a more subtle, softer flavor profile," Johnson told Tasting Table. There are a couple of ways you can do this. One is to do a cold steep, in which you add your herbs, spice, or citrus peels into the cream and leave them overnight in the fridge. Or you could do it by simmering the cream over low heat.

Keep in mind that, should you go the simmering route, you will need to wait for your cream to cool completely before whipping it with the rest of your ingredients — otherwise, you won't achieve the necessary peaks, and your chocolate mousse could turn out grainy. If working with citrus flavors, you'll want to avoid adding the acid so as not to curdle the cream. Johnson also made note that the cream steeping method of infusing your chocolate mousse will create a more subtle flavor, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the milder flavor infusion of steeping can be used to your advantage when adding multiple flavors. For example, a lavender raspberry chocolate mousse or a strawberry rose chocolate mousse could lean on both infusing methods to create an evenly distributed, layered, and dimensional flavor profile all in one.