Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Mousse (Printable)

Airy strawberry mousse with chocolate ganache—decadent, refreshing, and perfect for special occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Strawberry Mousse

01 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin
04 - 2 tbsp cold water
05 - 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Chocolate Ganache

08 - 3.5 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Garnish

10 - Fresh strawberries, halved
11 - Shaved chocolate or chocolate curls
12 - Mint leaves

# How-To Steps:

01 - Blend fresh strawberries until completely smooth in a food processor or blender.
02 - Pass the strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove all seeds.
03 - Combine strained puree and sugar in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves completely and mixture reaches a gentle simmer. Remove from heat immediately.
04 - Sprinkle powdered gelatin over cold water in a small bowl and allow to bloom for 5 minutes without stirring.
05 - Stir the bloomed gelatin into the warm strawberry mixture until completely dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature.
06 - In a large bowl, whip chilled heavy cream with vanilla extract and salt until soft peaks form.
07 - Gently fold the cooled strawberry mixture into the whipped cream using a spatula until thoroughly combined with no visible streaks.
08 - Spoon or pipe mousse evenly into serving glasses, filling each approximately two-thirds full. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until set.
09 - Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until just simmering, being careful not to boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let stand undisturbed for 2 minutes.
10 - Stir the ganache until smooth and glossy. Allow to cool to room temperature before spooning or pouring over the set strawberry mousse in each glass, creating a distinct layer.
11 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until the ganache layer is completely set.
12 - Just before serving, top each dessert with fresh strawberry halves, shaved chocolate, or mint leaves as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours but the actual hands on time is under thirty minutes.
  • The mousse is forgiving and stays silky even if you slightly overwhip the cream.
  • You can make it a full day ahead so hosting feels calm instead of frantic.
  • The layers give you that fancy dessert moment without any baking or complicated techniques.
02 -
  • Let the strawberry mixture cool completely before folding it into the whipped cream or the heat will deflate all that air you worked to build.
  • Soft peaks are your target when whipping cream, stiff peaks make the mousse dense and heavy instead of light.
  • Bloom the gelatin properly or it won't dissolve evenly and you'll end up with rubbery bits in your mousse.
  • Don't skip straining the strawberry puree, those tiny seeds ruin the texture more than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for ten minutes before whipping cream, it makes the whole process faster and more stable.
  • If your ganache seizes or looks grainy, whisk in a tablespoon of warm cream to bring it back to silky smoothness.
  • Taste your strawberry puree before adding sugar, really ripe berries need less sweetness than you think.
  • Use a piping bag without a tip to fill the glasses neatly and avoid smudging the sides.
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