This chocolate and mascarpone mousse is rich, elegant and irresistibly simple to make. With silky white chocolate and a pistachio crunch, it’s a proper Italian treat for dessert lovers.
Chocolate might not be the first ingredient you associate with traditional Italian cuisine, but for many of us, it holds a very nostalgic place at the table. For me, it began with Sunday mornings in a small village in Lazio, where thick slabs of pagnotta bread were slathered with Nutella and handed round like treasure.
Since its introduction in the 1960s, that chocolate hazelnut spread has become synonymous with childhood breakfast memories. For decades, a slice of good bread, a generous lathering of Nutella, along with a glass of milk or even a milky coffee, was the benchmark for children across the country starting the day.
Today, Nutella’s reputation has spread worldwide, its Facebook page attracting 30 million fans. I’d say it’s Italy’s most renowned chocolate success story.
Despite this, ironically, chocolate is not used that much in Italian cooking. Historically, Italians used it sparingly in the kitchen, preferring to enjoy it at the end of a meal in its purest form. The reverence for good-quality chocolate remains — chosen with the same care as a bottle of wine or a wedge of cheese — but modern Italian cooking has gradually opened its doors to more chocolate-based dolci.
This white chocolate and mascarpone mousse is a perfect example. A dolce al cucchiaio that feels luxurious but takes just minutes to prepare, it’s ideal for when you want to end a meal with something sweet, smooth and unmistakably indulgent.
Chocolate and mascarpone mousse | Mousse mascarpone e cioccolato
➤ SERVES: 4
➤ PREPARATION: 15 minutes
➤ COOKING: none
Ingredients:
- 150g good-quality white chocolate
- 250g whipping cream
- 100g caster sugar
- 250g mascarpone
- White and dark chocolate, and pistachio nuts for decoration
Method:
- Melt the white chocolate in a bain-marie or the microwave and set aside to cool.
- Pour the cream into a large bowl and begin whisking. As it starts to thicken, add the sugar. Then add the mascarpone and continue whisking until thickened. Finally, add the white chocolate and amalgamate well with a spatula.
- Using a spoon or a piping bag, fill four serving bowls or glasses with the cream mixture. Decorate with shavings of white and dark chocolate and a good sprinkling of chopped pistachio nuts. Serve immediately.
TIP: A bain-marie is more traditional, but there is nothing wrong with melting chocolate in a microwave. Just be careful how you do it. Break the chocolate up into small, even pieces, and set your microwave to its lowest setting. Give it short, 20-30 second blasts and stir the chocolate in between. And let it melt in its own heat.
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Words and recipe by Mario Matassa