Category: Desserts

LAYERED RAINBOW JELLO

Jiggly, colorful, and bursting with flavor – What’s not to love?! This finger jello is perfect for parties and is always a hit – loved by kids and adults alike!

My kids go crazy over this jello dessert! They consumed an entire 9×13-in pan of this finger jello in two days. I did get a couple of pieces for myself, and I can’t say I blame them! It is amazing!

When you look at this recipe, you’ll notice extra gelatin added to the jello layers. This is finger jello and is intended to be picked up. Jello made per the directions on the box is too soft to pick up easily. Adding the unflavored gelatin creates firmer jello, making it easier to serve and eat with your fingers.

Is Making Layered Jello Hard?

The instructions may appear daunting, but it is not really difficult. However, it is time-consuming. Most of it is not active time but chilling time, as each layer (9 in all) needs to set before adding the next. Plan on the process taking at least 6 hours before you’re done. Again most of that is chilling time. If you can, I recommend making this the day before and allowing it to set up firmly overnight. The longer you chill it, the firmer your finger jello will be.

Making Layered Jello:

  • Start by preparing your 9×13-inch pan. Spray the pan very lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Then take a napkin or paper towel and evenly spread it around. This step helps your jello release more cleanly.
  • First, prepare the white layer: I make this before the jello layer so it can begin to cool. In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, add 3 packets of the Knox unflavored gelatin. Add a ¼ cup of cool water, stirring to moisten the gelatin, then allow the gelatin to soak for 5 minutes. Soaking the gelatin first helps soften it, so it dissolves better when you add hot water. Skipping this step often leads to clumpy gelatin. After 5 minutes, add 1¼ cup boiling water, stirring with a whisk until completely dissolved. Next, stir in the two cans of sweetened condensed milk. Add more hot water, if needed, to make a total of 4 cups. Set aside to cool.
  • Prepare the first jello layer while the milk mixture is cooling. This is the blue layer. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add 1 packet of Knox unflavored gelatin. Add 2 tablespoons of cool water, stirring to moisten the gelatin, then allow the gelatin to soak for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add 1½ cups of boiling water, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Then pour in the box of blue jello, stirring until dissolved. Let cool for 20 minutes, then pour it into the prepared 9 x 13-inch pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator, making sure it is sitting level and flat, and allow it to set up for 30 minutes or until firm.

**If you can, I recommend pouring the layers with the pan in the refrigerator. As you add more layers and the pan gets fuller, it becomes increasingly difficult to carry it back and forth to the refrigerator without spilling. For the first layer, it doesn’t really matter.

  • Add the white layer: When the first jello layer is set firm, measure 1 cup of the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Pour it slowly and carefully over the first jello layer, ensuring the entire blue layer is covered. Allow it to set up for 20 to 30 minutes or until firm.
  • While the white layer is chilling, begin working on the next jello layer, the green layer. This will give the jello enough time to cool, and it will be ready when the white layer has set firm in about 30 minutes. Be sure to follow the same steps you did for the blue layer.
  • Continue to make layers, alternating jello layers with the white layers, letting each layer set up firm before adding the next one until all of the jello has been used up. If you find the white layer is setting up on the counter in between waiting for the colored layers to cool, place it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir. (Be careful not to make it hot). You want to keep it smooth and runny enough to pour nicely over the jello layers.
  • After adding your final layer of jello, allow it to set up for at least 2 hours or, for best results, overnight.
  • Then slice into 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch pieces and remove using a small spatula. The first few pieces are the most challenging to get out of the pan, but you should have no problems after that.

Jello Variations:

One of the great things about this dessert is its versatility! You can use any flavor of jello you prefer or whatever jello color suits the occasion. You can also do fewer layers or make the layers thicker. So let your imagination go wild! Here are some other ideas for customizing these rainbow jello cubes for different events and holidays.

  • Fourth of July – Red (raspberry or strawberry jello), white (sweetened condensed milk layer), and blue (berry blue jello) – See my version here.
  • Valentines Day – Red (raspberry or strawberry jello), white (sweetened condensed milk layer), and pink (watermelon jello)
  • Christmas – Red (raspberry or strawberry jello), white (sweetened condensed milk layer), green (lime jello)
  • Baby shower or gender reveal party – pink (watermelon jello), white (sweetened condensed milk layer), and blue (berry blue jello)

Layered Rainbow Jello

Jiggly, colorful, and bursting with flavor – What's not to love?! This finger jello is perfect for parties and is always a hit – loved by kids and adults alike!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 6 hours
Course Dessert

Equipment

  • 9 x 13 inch pan

Ingredients
 

  • 8 individual packets Knox unflavored gelatin
  • 2 (14-ounce cans) sweetened condensed milk
  • 5 (3-ounce) packets of different Jello flavors (Berry Blue, Lime, Lemon, Orange, and Raspberry or Strawberry for red)

Instructions
 

  • Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, add 3 packets of the Knox unflavored gelatin. Add a ¼ cup of cool water, stirring to moisten the gelatin, then allow the gelatin to soak for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add 1¼ cup boiling water, stirring with a whisk until completely dissolved. Next, stir in the two cans of sweetened condensed milk. Add more hot water, if needed, to make a total of 4 cups. Set aside to cool.
  • In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add 1 packet of Knox unflavored gelatin. Add 2 tablespoons of cool water, stirring to moisten the gelatin, then allow the gelatin to soak for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add 1½ cups of boiling, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Then pour in the box of blue jello, stirring until dissolved. Let cool for 20 minutes, then pour into the prepared 9 x 13-inch pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator, make sure it is sitting level and flat, and allow the jello to set up for 30 minutes.
  • When the first jello layer is set firm, leave the pan in the refrigerator if possible, and measure 1 cup of the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Pour slowly and carefully over the first jello layer, making sure the entire blue layer is covered. Allow to set up for 20 to 30 minutes or until firm.
  • While the sweetened condensed layer is setting up, prepare the green layer of jello, repeating the instructions in step 3.
    **Before adding the green layer, make sure the sweetened condensed milk layer is set firm.
  • For the remaining layers, alternate the milk mixture with a jello layer (alternating steps 3 and 4). For the remaining jello layers, the order is yellow, orange, and red.
    Remember to allow the jello to cool for 20 minutes before adding it to the pan.
    Allow each layer to set for at least 30 minutes before adding the next layer.
    **If possible, leave the pan in the refrigerator while pouring the layers. As the pan gets fuller, it gets challenging to carry it back and forth to the refrigerator without spilling.
  • Once all the layers have been added, allow the finished jello to set up for at least 2 hours or, even better, overnight before attempting to cut and remove.
  • Once completely set, cut into 1-inch to 1½-inch squares.

Notes

It is important to make sure your pan is sitting level in the refrigerator. Otherwise, you’ll have uneven layers. 
If, during the process, your sweetened condensed milk mixture starts to thicken, place it in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir well until smooth and thinned out. **Do not make it hot! If you do, allow it cool before using it.
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LILIKOI (PASSION FRUIT) MOUSSE

Light, fluffy, and bursting with lilikoi flavor! This amazing dessert comes together in 10 minutes for a decadent yet delicate dessert that will have you coming back for more!

I’ve been throwing a lot of lilikoi recipes at you lately…sorry, not sorry! Lilikoi is too fantastic of a fruit to regret any of it! The flavor is incredibly bold and lands somewhere between extremely sweet to extremely tart, depending on the individual fruit. But there really is nothing like it!

We had an incredible harvest this year. We had so much fruit! Our vines produce more than I can use right away, so I freeze the juice in half-cup containers, making it super easy to pull out what I need for a recipe.

This recipe is a favorite not only because it tastes amazing but because it comes together in 10 minutes with just a few ingredients.

One of the challenges with mousse is getting the texture right and having the whipped cream set up and firm. With the addition of just a little unflavored gelatin, it gives this mousse the perfect, foolproof consistency every time! Give it a try! You won’t regret it.

The Simple Steps to Making Lilikoi Mousse:

  • Place a mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer 20 minutes ahead of time. Whenever whipping cream, you want your tools very cold.
  • In a small microwave-safe bowl, soften the powdered gelatin in 2 tablespoons room temperature water, stirring gently to moisten all the gelatin. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Then microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until the gelatin is translucent. Set aside.
  • In the cold mixing bowl, add sugar, lilikoi juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream.
  • Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, wiping the sides of the bowl with a spatula at least once.
  • Add the melted gelatin mixture and beat at low speed until well-blended and smooth.
  • Pipe or spoon mousse into desired serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Garnish with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

That’s it! You’re done! So simple and so good!

Lilikoi Mousse

Light, fluffy, and bursting with lilikoi flavor! This amazing dessert comes together in 10 minutes for a decadent yet delicate dessert that will have you coming back for more!
5 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lilikoi juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, very cold

Garnish Suggestions:

  • fresh fruit
  • lemon wedge
  • whipped cream or cool whip

Instructions
 

  • Place a mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer 20 minutes ahead of time. Whenever whipping cream, you want your tools very cold.
  • In a small microwave-safe bowl, soften the powdered gelatin in 2 tablespoons room temperature water, stirring gently to moisten all the gelatin. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Then microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until the gelatin is translucent. Set aside.
  • In the cold mixing bowl, add sugar, lilikoi juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream.
  • Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, wiping the sides of the bowl with a spatula at least once.
  • Add the melted gelatin mixture and beat at low speed until well-blended and smooth.
  • Pipe or spoon mousse into desired serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Garnish with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Notes

A NOTE ON SERVING SIZE: This is a rich dessert, so I recommend small serving sizes. 
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LILIKOI CHIFFON CREAM PIE

Light, fluffy, refreshing, and oh-so-indulgent! Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut, and you have pie perfection!!

This pie is one of our favorite ways to use our lilikoi fruit. I have made this pie so many times I can make it in my sleep. It’s light, fluffy, tangy, and so indulgent! Adding the whipped cream and toasted coconut to the pie makes for pure perfection (so don’t skip either)!

This pie recipe is from Hawaii’s beloved chef Sam Choy. If you are from Hawaii or have lived here for any length of time, I’m sure you are familiar with Sam Choy and have certainly dined at one of his restaurants. He has several highly successful restaurants in Hawaii, San Diego, and Tokyo. This particular recipe comes from his cookbook Sam Choy’s Island Flavors. This cookbook is full of amazing recipes, and his lilikoi chiffon cream pie is just one of the many recipes we love!

Tips on Making this Pie:

  • You can use a frozen pie crust or a homemade one. Use pie weights to keep your pie crust from puffing up during baking. Allow it to cool completely before adding the pie filling.

  • Use fresh lilikoi juice if possible. Processed lilikoi juice almost always has sugar added. If you are using processed or frozen lilikoi juice with added sugar, reduce the sugar in the pie filling from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup. But make sure it is lilikoi juice and not syrup.
  • Use unflavored powdered gelatin, which will thicken and stabilize the pie filling. The easiest way to soften the gelatin is to soak it in 1/4 cup of cold water for 5 minutes. Stir to moisten all the gelatin. After the 5 minutes, heat it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. It should be melted and translucent. Set aside.
  • After you separate the egg yolks and egg white, set the egg whites aside. Beat the egg yolks until slightly thickened, then add the salt, lilikoi juice, and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix this well.
  • Heat the egg/lilikoi mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. This only takes about 15 minutes, but do not bring it to a boil, turn the heat down if needed.

  • Remove from heat and stir in the melted gelatin and lemon zest. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, use an electric beater to beat the egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar until you have stiff peaks. How do you know you have stiff peaks? Turn the beater right-side up, and those peaks should hold proudly! They should point straight up without collapsing (or maybe a little bit just at the tips).

  • Pour the pie filling into the egg whites and fold together until completely incorporated. Pour into the cooled pie crust. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.
  • Toasted coconut adds something special to this pie. To me, it’s just not complete without it! Toasting coconut is incredibly easy to do. While the pie is chilling, you can toast the coconut. I prefer to do mine on the stovetop. Coconut does burn easily, and toasting it on the stovetop allows you to keep a close eye on it.
    1. Place the desired amount of shredded coconut in a large skillet.
    2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the flakes are mostly golden brown (about 10 to 15 minutes).
    3. If the coconut is sweetened, it tends to brown faster, so it will take less time.

To serve, top with whipped cream or cool whip and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Enjoy!

Lilikoi Chiffon Cream Pie

Light, fluffy, refreshing, and oh-so-indulgent! Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut, and you have pie perfection!!
4.77 from 17 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
 

Pie Filling:

  • 1 baked 9-inch pie shell
  • 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup fresh lilikoi juice
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest

Garnish:

  • whipped cream
  • shredded coconut, toasted (See notes for instructions)

Instructions
 

  • Bake premade or homemade pie crust according to instructions. Set aside to cool completely.

Lilikoi Pie Filling:

  • In a small microwave-safe bowl, soften the powdered gelatin in ¼ cup cold water, stirring to moisten all the gelatin. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until the gelatin is translucent. Set aside.
  • Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks until thickened. Add to the egg yolks; salt, lilikoi juice, and ½ cup sugar. Mix well.
  • Add the egg mixture to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until thickened, about 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat.
  • Zest one lemon or until you have 2 teaspoons of zest. Stir the lemon zest into the pie filling and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • While the pie filling is cooling, beat the egg whites with the remaining ½ cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Pour lemon filling into the bowl with egg whites, and fold together until completely combined.
  • Pour the filling into the baked and cooled pie crust and chill in the refrigerator until firm (about 3-4 hours). Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut and serve.
  • Keep pie covered in the refrigerator. The pie will stay fresh for 3 to 4 days.

Notes

Toasting Coconut:

Stove Top Method

  1. Place the desired amount of coconut in a large skillet.
  2. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the flakes are mostly golden brown.
  3. If the coconut is sweetened, it tends to brown faster, so it will take less time.
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LILIKOI (PASSION FRUIT) POSSET

Rich, creamy, smooth, and decadent all describe this amazing dessert! Not only does it taste amazing, but it also comes together in about 15 minutes with only four simple ingredients.

We had a great lilikoi season this year! So be prepared to see more lilikoi recipes makings their way onto the blog soon. Why do I love lilikoi? With its strong floral fragrance and distinct flavor, ranging from tart to sweet, it’s hard not to love this unique fruit. It’s also incredibly versatile; it can be used in teas, lemonade, cocktails, jams, butter, sorbets, ice cream, pies, cakes…really, the list of possibilities are endless!

I freeze most of the juice we get from the lilikoi, so we enjoy its amazing flavor year-round – it really feels like we are spoiled sometimes! If you want to read more on lilikoi, you can find information here.

What is a Posset?

It is a dessert that originated in England as a creamy beverage curdled with wine, ale, or liquor and flavored with spices. But today’s posset is something altogether different: a chilled dessert with a luxurious texture that comes together almost by magic from nothing more than sugar, cream, and citrus juice. The three ingredients work perfectly together to get that silky, smooth texture. The citrus reacts with the cream (there is a whole chemical reaction that goes on that you can read about here) and causes the cream to thicken, and the sugar works to give the posset an amazingly smooth texture.

This is one of those recipes where you can not make substitutions, except for changing up the citrus. You need the fat from the heavy cream to react with the acid in the citrus. So you can not use milk or lower-fat cream, it must be heavy cream; otherwise, you’ll be drinking your posset. The portions are meant to be small, usually just half a cup, so you don’t need to worry too much about the calories. Just dive right into the silky decadence and enjoy!

For this Recipe:

This dessert comes together very quickly, in about 15 minutes, to be exact! You simply combine the heavy cream and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil, and boil for 3 minutes, continuing to stir. If the boiling cream is bubbling too much, turn the heat down to a medium, but maintain a gentle boil. To prevent it from boiling over, lift the saucepan off of the burner for a few seconds to allow the posset to settle down, then return to the burner and continue stirring. After the 3 minutes, remove from heat and whisk in the lilikoi juice. Pour the mixture into the serving dishes. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until set. That’s it; you’re done!

The serving size for this dessert is just 1/2 cup. It is a rich dessert, yet delicate. You certainly could make the serving sizes bigger, but you obviously would get fewer servings. For 1/2 cup servings, ramekins or custard cups work perfectly for this recipe.

Check Out my Other Posset Recipes:

 

Lilikoi Posset

Rich, creamy, smooth, and decadent all describe this amazing dessert! Not only does it taste amazing, but it also comes together in about 15 minutes with only four simple ingredients.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill 4 hours
Course Dessert
Servings 4 half-cup servings

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 8 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ cup lilikoi juice, unsweetened
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Garnish

  • lilikoi pulp with seeds
  • fresh fruit
  • cool whip or homemade whipped cream, optional

Instructions
 

  • Using a small saucepan, put the heavy cream and sugar over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil, and boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. If the boiling cream is bubbling too much, turn the heat down to medium, but maintain a gentle boil. To prevent it from boiling over, lift the saucepan off the burner for a few seconds, then return to the burner and continue stirring.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in the lilikoi juice and the lemon juice. Pour the mixture into serving dishes. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or until set.
  • To serve, garnish with cool whip or whipped cream, fresh berries, or lilikoi pulp with seeds.

Notes

The serving size for this dessert is just 1/2 cup. It is a rich dessert, yet delicate. You certainly could make the serving sizes bigger, but you obviously would get fewer servings.
For 1/2 cup servings, ramekins or custard cups work perfectly for this recipe.
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CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE FOR TWO

Warm, rich, indulgent lava cake is the perfect dessert to complete any romantic dinner. Easy to make and comes together in just 30 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries for a dessert that’s sure to impress!

I am a chocolate lover through and through! And I absolutely love chocolate lava cake. I remember having my first lava cake at a nice restaurant my husband and I went to on one of our date nights. I thought about making lava cakes myself at home, but I assumed they must be tricky to make. Boy, was I wrong!! These are easier to make than most desserts. So if you have some basic baking ingredients and 30 minutes to spare, you could make these amazing chocolate lava cakes yourself! And trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Chocolate Lava Cakes Are Easy…

There are no tricks or secrets here, just a simple recipe with delicious results. But I’ll go through the steps.

  • This recipe is written using 8-ounce ramekin dishes. You could use different-sized baking dishes, but you will need to adjust the baking time. I recommend using something comparable to this 8-ounce size.
    • Begin by greasing the ramekin dishes with butter or shortening, then lightly dust them with cocoa powder. This allows the baked cakes to release cleanly from the dish when you flip them over to serve.
  • Next, melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Cut the butter and chocolate into smaller pieces to speed up the melting time. Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate are completely melted, smooth, and creamy. You could also melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave. Place the cut-up butter into a medium heat-proof bowl, then add the chopped chocolate on top. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, then in 10-second increments, stirring after each until completely smooth. Set aside.
    • A note on the chocolate – Do not use chocolate chips. They have an ingredient in them that prevents them from melting smoothly. That is why they hold their shape when used in chocolate chip cookies. When you are melting chocolate, you want to use chocolate baking bars because they are made to be melted and will yield smoother melted chocolate.
  • Sift together the flour, powdered sugar, and instant coffee. **Instant coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, and I highly recommend using it to get that rich, decadent chocolate flavor.
  • Whisk the eggs until they are pale and foamy.
  • Add the chocolate mixture, eggs, vanilla, and salt to the flour mixture. Stir with a whisk until combined.
  • Pour equal amounts into the prepared ramekin dishes and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. **They will look under-baked. The sides should look done, but the center should still be soft. If you bake these too long, the center won’t be runny like you want it to be.
  • Allow it to cool for two minutes. Then place an inverted plate on top of the cake, and using a kitchen towel or oven mitts, flip the cake and the plate over. It should release easily from the ramekin.

Lava Cake Toppings:

This is where you can get creative! Once you flip the cakes over, you have all kinds of options for toppings. I typically go with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and strawberries or raspberries. But you could use any flavor of ice cream you like; chocolate, mint chocolate chip, rocky road, etc…Some other great options are salted caramel, whipped cream, raspberry sauce, sprinkles, or chopped nuts…Let your imagination run wild! Whatever you decide, Enjoy!

Chocolate Lava Cake for Two

Warm, rich, indulgent lava cake is the perfect dessert to complete any special or romantic dinner. Easy to make and comes together in just 30 minutes. Top with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries for a dessert that's sure to impress!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 2 cakes

Ingredients
 

Preparing Ramekins:

  • butter or shortening for greasing ramekins
  • cocoa powder for dusting ramekins

For the Cakes:

  • 4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, (not chocolate chips)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 3 eggs
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon instant coffee
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Prepare your 8-ounce ramekins by greasing the bottoms and sides with butter or shortening. Then dust with powdered cocoa, making sure all surfaces are covered. Set aside.
  • Cut up the butter and chocolate into smaller pieces for quicker melting. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when mostly melted and stir until smooth and creamy.
    **Microwave Instructions: Place the cut-up butter into a medium heat-proof bowl, then add chopped chocolate on top. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, then continue in 10-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
  • Sift the flour, powdered sugar, and instant coffee together into a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl until pale and foamy. Set aside.
  • Add the chocolate mixture, the eggs, vanilla, and salt to the flour mixture and whisk slowly until just combined and smooth.
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared ramekins, filling almost to the top. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. **Do not overbake! The sides should look done, but the center should still look soft and jiggly. Also, it should look slightly underdone.
  • Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes. Then using a kitchen towel or oven mitts, place an inverted plate on top of the ramekin and flip it over. The cake should release easily from the ramekin.
  • Serve immediately while still warm.
  • Topping Suggestions: Vanilla ice cream (or other ice cream flavor), chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, raspberries, or strawberries.
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DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Rich, smooth, fluffy, delicious, dark chocolate mousse…It doesn’t get much dreamier than this! And believe it or not, this decadent dessert comes together in about 10 minutes.

I’ve been thinking about Valentine’s Day and desserts…I think about desserts a lot – but more recently, I’ve been thinking about what desserts would complete a romantic Valentine’s dinner for two. Of course, I always come back to chocolate – chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate lava cake, chocolate pudding… So I finally decided I wanted to create a chocolate mouse that was as easy as it was delicious. But any day is a good day to eat chocolate, am I right? So if you are craving chocolate, look no further; I’ve got you covered!

You’ll often see mousse made with eggs. Some will even use raw eggs. I wanted to create a version that left the eggs out altogether but still had the rich decadence that mousse is known for. Eggs are used to help thicken the mousse and also add to its richness. I chose instead to use unflavored gelatin to help thicken the mousse. Leaving out the eggs also eliminates the need to cook the mousse, which allows this recipe to come together extremely fast – 10 minutes, to be exact!

For this Recipe:

  • To start with, you always want to chill your bowl and beaters when you are whipping cream. Cream whips up better when it’s cold, and you don’t want your equipment warming up the cream. You’ll have lighter and fluffier whipped cream if the cream and your equipment are good and cold. The best way to quickly chill your bowl and beaters is to place them in the freezer for about 20 minutes before starting the mousse.
  • Next, add the unflavored gelatin and cold water to a small bowl. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the gelatin to soften. 
  • After the 5 minutes, heat it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. It should be melted and translucent. Set aside. I use unflavored gelatin in a lot of my desserts. It’s a great way to thicken or stabilize your desserts (whipping cream, pies, puddings, etc.).
  • Now, this is where things come together super-quick! Add to your chilled bowl the sugar, dark cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until stiff peaks form. This will take just a few seconds! **I highly recommend using dark cocoa powder. It gives this mousse a richer flavor that adds to its decadence.  
  • Add in the unflavored gelatin mixture, and beat again at low speed until well blended and smooth.

If the presentation is important, I recommend pipping the mouse into your serving bowls using a large round tip. If it’s not, just spoon it into your serving bowls. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the mousse to set up.

A NOTE ON SERVING SIZE: This is a rich dessert, so I recommend small serving sizes. 

Top with strawberries or raspberries and whipped topping, serve and enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse

Rich, smooth, fluffy, delicious, dark chocolate mousse…It doesn't get much dreamier than this! And believe it or not, this decadent dessert comes together in about 10 minutes.
4.34 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup dark cocoa powder **see notes
  • 1 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Garnish:

  • Strawberries or raspberries
  • whipped cream or cool whip

Instructions
 

  • Place a mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer 20 minutes ahead of time. Whenever whipping cream, you want your tools cold.
  • Add the unflavored gelatin and water to a small bowl. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the gelatin to soften. After the 5 minutes, heat it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. It should be melted and translucent. Set aside.
  • In the cold mixing bowl, add sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla.
  • Beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, wiping the sides of the bowl with a spatula at least once.
  • Add the gelatin mixture and beat at low speed until well-blended and smooth.
  • Pipe or spoon mousse into desired serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  • Garnish with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Notes

**I highly recommend using dark cocoa powder. It gives this mousse a richer flavor that adds to its decadence.  
A NOTE ON SERVING SIZE: This is a rich dessert, so I recommend small serving sizes. 
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