When I was younger, I used to love Neapolitan ice cream…you know the one, the traditional chocolate, strawberry and vanilla flavor that used to be sold in these large rectangular brick shaped packages that you would then slice to get the full effect of each flavor. Most of the time, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, so I would just pop open the lid and go at it with a spoon. With all of the new flavor and texture combinations being offered today, this one may appear so simple in comparison, but it was always so delicious. Nowadays, you can find this classic flavor in huge tubs and also in individually wrapped slices. It is comforting to know that it has stood the test of time, and has not met the fate of so many other flavors that have slowly found their way to the ice cream graveyard.
In my last post, I had promised to share a Bavarian mousse recipe with you since we had been discussing the topic of gelatin. Many of you have made a traditional mousse which usually includes melting chocolate, sometimes adding in egg yolks for an extra richness and folding in egg whites and/or whipped cream…but a Bavarian mousse is a little different. In a traditional Bavarian mousse, also called Bavarois (pronounced ba-va-rua) in French, a cooked crème anglais base is slightly heated to melt the gelatin and then a sweetened whipped cream is folded in. This anglais base is what adds the richness to this very light and delicate mousse.
I have made this Neapolitan mousse many times for friends and family, and it is always a showstopper because of the tricolor exterior. If this may be a little too time consuming or complicated for you, don’t worry! Just pick your favorite flavor and make the entire cake out of that, just remember to triple the recipe. But if you are just a little bit adventurous, go ahead and try it!
Neapolitan Bavarian Mousse (makes 2-8” mousse cakes)
Half the recipe for yellow chiffon cake, sliced into 3 layers
1 recipe crème anglais
Chocolate Bavarian
8 oz crème anglais
4 oz semisweet chocolate
¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
4 gelatin sheets, bloom strength 125
12 oz whipped cream, slightly sweetened with ¼ cup powdered sugar**
Strawberry Mousse
8 oz strawberry puree
6 gelatin sheets, bloom strength 125
¼ cup granulated sugar
16 oz whipped cream, slightly sweetened with ¼ -½ cup powdered sugar**
Vanilla Bavarian
8 oz crème anglais base
4 gelatin sheets, bloom strength 125
12 oz whipped cream, slightly sweetened with ¼ -½ cup powdered sugar**
**begin with ¼ cup of powdered sugar and if you would prefer it sweeter you can always add more
Begin by making the cakes and allow them to cool. Make sure to bake the cakes in a cake pan that is slightly smaller than the mold you plan to use or you will have to trim the cake back so that the cake edges do not show on the sides of the mold. Next follow the procedure on how to make the crème anglais, and set this aside. Once the cakes are cool, slice them into 3 equal layers and set them aside. Measure out the amount of anglais for the chocolate Bavarian and put into a small pot, and add the semisweet chocolate and cocoa powder. Fill a large bowl with very cold water and add in the gelatin sheets to soften. Make sure the water is very cold or the sheets will melt in the water. Once softened, squeeze the gelatin sheets well in your hand to remove all of the excess water and add them to the other ingredients in the pot.
Over very low heat, gently combine all of the ingredients until everything has melted.
Put this chocolate mixture into a medium sized bowl and whisk in half of the sweetened whipped cream until the chocolate mixture has lightened and all the cream is incorporated. Make sure to fold in the other half of the whipped cream since this will give the light and fluffy texture to your mousse.
I made one large 10” mousse cake, and had some of each of the flavors leftover, but the recipe is designed for 2-8” cakes.
In the next step, you will need a stainless steel rim to mold the cake. We currently have some of these available for sale in our used equipment section of the blog. You can also use the removable rim of a cheesecake pan, although it may not have smooth inside edges. Place the stainless steel rim on a half sheet pan, add a single cake layer in the middle, and pour in the chocolate mousse until it is about a third up the rim of the mold. For a 10” rim, it took about 4-4 ½ cups of mousse. Once you have completed this, add the next cake layer and then place the tray in the fridge to chill the mousse.
For the strawberry mousse, puree about 1-2 cups of either fresh or frozen strawberries and place the puree into a small pot. Add the sugar and heat until the sugar has melted. Soak the gelatin sheets in a small bowl with cold water and when they have softened, squeeze out the extra water and add them to the warm strawberry mixture. Heat this slightly until the gelatin has melted and then pour this into a medium sized bowl. Add half of the whipped cream and whisk well, then fold in the other half. To create the middle layer pour 4-4 ½ cups mousse on top of the chilled chocolate mousse, and then add the other cake layer before returning this to the refrigerator.
The final layer is the vanilla mousse which follows the same procedure as the rest. Add the crème anglais to a medium sized pot. Soften the gelatin in cold water, then squeeze out the extra water and add to the pot with the anglais sauce. Heat gently until the gelatin has melted. Add half of the sweetened whipped cream and whisk until it is all well incorporated, then fold in the other half.
Pour this on top of the already chilled chocolate and strawberry mousse. Use an offset spatula or a very long knife to even out the top and chill well for at least 2 hours. When ready to unmold, place the entire cake on your serving platter with the mold still attached. Use a torch to gently heat the sides of the rim, and lift the mold upwards to slide it off.
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