Blackberry Mousse
(Classic & Eggless)
A blackberry mousse is a great way to enjoy summer berries. The blackberry mousse without gelatin uses agar-agar and eggless pastry cream for a vegetarian blackberry mousse. While the classic version uses gelatin and pastry cream made with eggs. Both are decadently delicious. A perfect dessert that sets quick and makes a pretty presentation to serve family and friends
Did you know that the word mousse is an old French word for “froth”? A classic mousse is made with an egg-based custard and cream whipped to create a foamy texture that is light and airy. The more air you incorporate into the mousse the lighter and airier the texture.
One of my favorite desserts, besides cheesecakes, is mousse. I will attempt to make mousse with almost any fruit just because we love it SO much!! And often, I will try to make an eggless or vegetarian instead of the classic. Which is why I have so many different versions of the same recipe.
Food Blog Genius – Monthly Collaboration
Theme – Valentine Recipes from Breakfast to Dessert
This month of Valentine is always so exciting, isn’t it? Everyone is posting things Valentine related, things are all so pink and hearty. Love it! So, this month, my food blogger friends and I decided to bring you some Valentine recipes from breakfast to dessert. And look at the cool choices we have here. Whether it’s French toast for breakfast, shrimp pasta for lunch or cookies for tea. I will link all these recipes below the recipe card for you.
About this blackberry mousse
If you love blackberries you must make this delicious blackberry mousse. The sweet slight tang of the blackberries is incredible. The wonderful color of the mousse really gets everyone excited. Perfect to entertain when you have guests over.
In fact, I like making this mousse or my chestnut mousse when I entertain. Why? Because everyone makes chocolate, strawberry or mango mousse but I like to give people a chance to try something different when they visit us. It’s a great way to make dinner for your guests memorable.
There are 4 component to this mousse
- Making the blackberry puree – 5 mins
- Making the pastry cream – 10 mins
- Whip the cream and dissolve the gelatin – 5 min
- Assemble – Combine everything together – 10 mins
- Chill till set – 3 hours
Let’s talk ingredients and Substitutes (Save/Pin)
- Blackberries – I always use frozen during the year because that’s what I get. I do get fresh in summer, and yet they are quite expensive. So I use them for garnish and still use frozen for the puree.
Please note – If you buy frozen blackberries that have been sweetened you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. The frozen I get are not sweetened. - Agar-Agar/gelatin – I’m not a vegetarian, and yet often I prefer to use agar-agar instead of gelatin because it’s plant-based so a bit more healthy than gelatin. But I have also made this on occasion with gelatin and both work beautifully.
- Vanilla pastry cream – You can use my decadent and delicious classic French vanilla pastry cream with eggs. But you can also make an eggless vanilla pastry cream and no one will know the difference.
I have given you the ingredients and method for both here as well as on their individual post with progress pictures and videos.
Useful Tips and Tools
- A heavy bottom saucepan works great when cooking milk based custards.
- You will also need a good blender to blend the fruit puree.
- I like to use my stand mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the cream, and yet a hand mixer works just as well.
- Also, a few mixing bowls to combine all the ingredients
- And, a whisk and a spatula to combine all the ingredients together.
- Lastly, a few glasses or ramekins to set the mousse in.
How to Make Blackberry Mousse (Save/Pin)
Prepare blackberry puree
- Save a few blackberries for garnish.
- Blend the remaining blackberries in a blender with 60 ml (1/4 cup) hot water. The hot water will ensure the seeds blend too.
- If the puree is very gritty, strain it through a sieve. Mine was just perfect.
- Set aside.
Classic pastry cream
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt.
- Slowly add the milk while whisking to prevent lumps.
- Place the saucepan on medium heat until the pastry cream thickens.
- You want the pastry cream to come to a boil so the cornstarch will thicken the mixture.
- Add the blackberry puree and stir well to combine.
- Sift through a sieve.
- Cover with the plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream.
- Set aside to cool completely.
Eggless pastry cream
- Pour 1/4 cup milk in a bowl, stir in the cornstarch – and set aside.
- Pour remaining milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to almost boil.
- Add cornstarch mixture and stir until thick and creamy.
- Lastly, add the vanilla.
- The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Stir in the blackberry puree.
- Cover with the plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream.
- Set aside to cool completely.
Whip the cream
- Whip the cream using a whisk attachment until soft peaks.
Dissolve the agar-agar or gelatin
- Place 2 tsp agar-agar or gelatin with the remaining 60 ml (1/4 cup) water.
- Let sit for 3 minutes to dissolve.
- For the gelatin – gently warm the gelatin in a double boiler or microwave at 30-sec intervals until completely dissolved.
- For the agar-agar – boil the water for about 3 minutes on low heat.
- Set aside to cool slightly but still warm.
Assembly
- First, add just a couple of tbsp of cooled blackberry pastry cream to the agar-agar or gelatin and whisk well to avoid any lumps.
(we are tampering the agar-agar or gelatin so it won’t seize) - Then add the agar-agar/gelatin mixture to the full batch of blackberry pastry cream.
- Next, fold in the whipped cream until well combined.
- Pour or pipe equal amounts into the desired bowl, cups or ramekins.
Chill until set
- Place the fill cup in the fridge for at least 3 hours to chill completely.
- The mousse will set in an hour or two but it tastes great if chilled for a couple of hours.
- Garnish with a blackberry when ready to serve.
- I dusted with extra powder sugar too.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely, you can use this as a blackberry mousse cake filling between cake layers. Just make sure to use a buttercream dam around the mousse to prevent the mousse from leaking thru.
Read – how to tort and fill a cake – Basic cake decorating.
Absolutely! Try raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or mixed berries. Make sure to strain the puree when using berries to remove the seeds and thick skin.
You can with the following substitutions to the recipe.
Use eggless pastry cream made with almond or coconut milk instead of dairy milk. And use whipped coconut cream instead of dairy whipping cream. With everything else remaining the same.
Yes, if you use the right substitute. Agar-agar is a kind natural gelatin made from seaweed.
Yes, you can. A mousse can stay in the freezer for up to a month at least. Thaw it in the fridge overnight not on the counter.
Having said that mousse does not completely freeze and when it thaws it may separate.
This mousse will last in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Having said that, mousse is made up of whipped cream which starts to lose volume after about 2 days.
Absolutely, both white, as well as dark chocolate, are great options to add to mousse. The color of the mousse will determine the chocolate you use.
If you use white chocolate I highly recommend using no more than 100 grams / 3 oz and reduce some sugar in the recipe since white chocolate is sweet.
If you use dark chocolate – again no more than 100 gram / 3 oz and note that the mousse will be chocolate color and
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Blackberry Mousse Classic & Eggless
Print Pin RateDescription
Ingredients
CLASSIC BLACKBERRY MOUSSE
- 450 grams (15.87 oz) Blackberries fresh or frozen
- 120 ml (0.51 cups) Boiling water
- 100 grams (0.5 cups) Sugar
- 250 ml (1.06 cups) Milk full-fat
- 4 (4 ) Egg yolks
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Cornstarch
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Vanilla extract
- 250 ml (1.06 cups) Whipping cream
EGGLESS BLACKBERRY MOUSSE
- 450 grams (15.87 oz) Blackberries fresh or frozen
- 120 ml (120 ml) Boiling water
- 100 grams (0.5 cups) Sugar
- 250 ml (1.06 cups) Milk
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) Cornstarch
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) Agar-agar
- 250 ml (1.06 cups) Whipping cream
Instructions
PREPARE BLACKBERRY PUREE
- Save a few blackberries for garnish.
- Blend remaining blackberries in a blender with 60 ml (1/4 cup) hot water. The hot water will ensure the seeds blend too.
- If the puree is very gritty, strain it thru a sieve. Mine was just perfect.
- Set aside.
CLASSIC VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt.
- Slowly add the milk while whisking to prevent lumps.
- Place the saucepan on medium heat until the pastry cream thickens.
- You want the pastry cream to come to a boil so the cornstarch will thicken the mixture.
- Add the blackberry puree and stir well to combine.
- Sift through a sieve.
- Cover with the plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream.
- Set aside to cool completely.
EGGLESS VANILLA PASTRY CREAM
- Pour 1/4 cup milk in a bowl, stir in the cornstarch – and set aside.
- Pour remaining milk and sugar in a saucepan and bring to almost boil.
- Add cornstarch mixture and stir until thick and creamy.
- Lastly, add the vanilla.
- The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- Stir in the blackberry puree.
- Cover with the plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream.
- Set aside to cool completely.
WHIP THE CREAM
- Whip the cream using a whisk attachment until soft peaks.
DISSOLVE THE AGAR AGAR OR GELATIN
- Place 2 tsp agar-agar or gelatin with remaining 60 ml (1/4 cup) water.
- Let sit for 3 minutes to dissolve.
- For the gelatin – gently warm the gelatin in a double boiler or microwave at 30-sec intervals until completely dissolved.
- For the agar-agar – boil the water for about 3 minutes on low.
- Set aside to cool slightly but still warm.
ASSEMBLY
- First, add just a couple of tbsp of cooled blackberry pastry cream to the agar-agar or gelatin and whisk well to avoid any lumps.
- (we are tampering the agar-agar or gelatin so it won’t seize)
- Then, add the agar-agar/gelatin mixture to the full batch of blackberry pastry cream.
- Next, fold in the whipped cream until well combined.
- Pour or pipe equal amounts into desired bowl, cups or ramekins
CHILL UNTIL SET
- Place the fill cup in the fridge for at least 3 hours to chill completely.
- The mousse will set in an hour or two but it tastes great if chilled for a couple of hours.
- Garnish with a blackberry when ready to serve.
- I dusted with extra powder sugar too.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Video
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Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Here’s is the list of recipes in the collage below for Valentine’s Day Collaboration
- Strawberry Mimosa Recipe – by Arlene of Flour on my Face
- Stuffed French Toast with Ricotta and Berries by Kirsten, of Treat Your Self Sweeter
- Strawberry Chocolate Pancakes – by Sarah of The Fit Cookie
- Slow Braised Red Wine Lamb Stew with Moroccan Spices by Gloria of Homemade & Yummy
- Spicy Shrimp Pasta by Melisa and Greg by My Wife Can Cook
- Soft Almond Cookies by Julia of Imagelicious
- and of course Easy Blackberry Mousse Recipe by Me!!
You may also like to see my other Homemade Mousse Recipes
- Classic Blackberry Mousse –
- Eggless Blackberry Mousse
- Classic Mango Mousse
- Eggless Mango Mousse
- Vegan Mango Mousse
- Classic Strawberry Mousse
- Strawberry Mousse Domes with pastry cream insert
- Classic Chestnut Mousse
- Eggless Chestnut Mousse
- Best Classic Chocolate Mousse
- Eggless Chocolate Mousse
- Vegan Chocolate Mousse
- Valentine’s Day Chocolate Mousse for two
- Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse
- Cinnamon Apple Mousse
Tisha
The color of this mousse is absolutely gorgeous! A dessert we would devour!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Tisha. I do love the color too
Mikayla
You’re blog is so informative! I love learning from your posts, I’m so inspired to make some fruit mousse with all the summer berries I buy. Thank you so much!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Mikayla. Yes, lots of summer berries in season now. You must try a mousse.
Rae
As I just looked outside, my blackberry bushes are taking over my front lawn and I had no idea what I was going to do with all of them (except for the obligatory jam and BBQ sauce). Can’t wait to try your vegetarian twist on mousse!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Rae, So lucky you have homegrown blackberries. You must try this recipe.
Stephanie
We have so many blackberries growing in my garden right now. This looks like an amazing dessert that I know my boys would absolutely love. We will be making this as soon as we harvest our next set of berries!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Stephanie. So lucky that you have blackberries growing in your home. You must try this recipe.
Andrea Metlika
This is looks so light, fluffy and refreshing.
Veena Azmanov
It really is light and refreshing Andrea
Hannisha
Hello, Veena the mousse looks delicious can this recipe be used for making a layered mousse cake…If yes what changes need to be made? Thanks in advance..
Veena Azmanov
Hey Hannisha. When you say layered mousse cake, do you mean a layer of mousse over a cake then topped with another layer of mousse? If yes, then you can use this mousse recipe. It will need to be set for an hour or two before you add another layer on top.
Hannisha
Hey tried it the way mentioned above and refrigerated the final layer overnight but its a little soft to touch hopefully it doesnt spill off when i de mould it.
Veena Azmanov
Check the agar-agar powder. Did you use full-fat whipping cream? The whipping cream alone is good enough. The agar-agar just helps it stabilize it further. You can see in the picture mine set quite well.
Nidhi
Hi, looks lovely. Definitely would love to try this. Could this be used as a cake filling. Thinking of making raspberry mousse and use it as a filling with white chocolate on the outside.
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Nidhi. You can use it as a cake filling. I would highly recommend adding an extra tbsp of cornstarch to make it a bit more thicker so it sets firm and of course use a frosting dam to keep it all in.
Raymon
Thank you for this recipe. We love blackberry. Made it yesterday and it was a big hit. Such an easy recipe too . Thanks for sharing
Veena Azmanov
Than you Raymon. Happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. We do love it very much as well. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback. Always happy to hear from those who try my recipes. Thanks
Tristan
Tried this recipe last week and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. We love blackberries so this was a treat.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Tristan – So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Always get to hear from those who try my recipes. Appreciate it very much.
Terry Ann Crofts
Did you use agar agar flakes or powder? I have the powder.
Veena Azmanov
I use powder not flakes. Thanks
Mona
One more thing I don’t have frozen or fresh blueberries but Ihave frozen blueberry purée what quantity do I need to make mouse?
Veena Azmanov
I use powdered Agar Agar not the flakes
Mona
Hi
What should be the amount of agar agar to be used for making other mouse.?can I keep your mousse recipe as base and use different fruits purée like lichi,raspberry ,or pistachio?
Veena Azmanov
You can use it as a base for similar fruit purees. Raspberry will work. Pistachio is not fruit and lichi is more liquid. So you will need to create recipes for these two differently. Thanks
Mona
Hello mam
I was making pistachio mousse for entremets but I don’t want to agar or egg . What can be added to make mouse firm that stays stiff in entremets and in what ratio
Veena Azmanov
Well, If you can’t use agar agar than the other is gelatin! But that wont’ be vegetarian. You definitely need something to keep it stiff.
Mona
What quantity of agar can be used in making noises like raspberry, strawberry and litchi ?i would be using fruit purée? Plz let me know the amount to be added?
Veena Azmanov
For the raspberry and strawberry you can use the same amount of agar agar as in this recipe Thanks
Mona
Thanks
Julia
I love all your tips! I didn’t know that blending with hot water would help with seeds – awesome suggestion! Like you I try to make my desserts lighter so I love that there are no eggs in this recipe!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Julia.. yeah I like it lighter so we don’t feel guilty
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
This looks so pretty. I love blackberries. I like to use fresh, but like you, frozen works too. Mousse is such a light dessert, perfect way to end a meal.
Veena Azmanov
Yeah I only get frozen Gloria not so lucky here. Yeah mousse is my favorite of all desserts.
Sarah @ TheFit Cookie
The colors are so pretty! I haven’t made mousse with agar agar before, but I’ve used gelatin. I have been wanting to try the agar agar, I need to get some and experiment with it!
Veena Azmanov
It’s very easy to use and definitely more healthy than gelatin Sarah. You must try.
Melissa
Yum! This sounds delicious I’m so glad it’s gelatin free, because I can’t eat gelatin!
Veena Azmanov
Aww I didn’t know that..Agar agar works just as well Mellissa
Thanh | Eat, Little Bird
I didn’t know you could make eggless mousse, so thank you for this recipe! It’s also a lovely way to use blackberries.
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Thanh.. SO happy to hear that.
Mary
I love the idea of using agar in a mousse! So nice to have a plant-based option!
Veena Azmanov
Exactly Mary.. small step towards living a little healthier
Matt @ Plating Pixels
Wow such beautiful colors. That’s my kind of fancy dessert!
Veena Azmanov
Yup! I love fancy desserts
sushma
I love the fact that these are vegetarian and eggless.. Not many recipes are!!!
Loved the texture and how it has turned out!! And you totally got me there with the valentine’s day recipes…
Veena Azmanov
So glad to hear that Sushma. Thanks
debi at Life Currents
It’s really nice to see a vegetarian mousse recipe. I love that you used agar agar instead of gelatin. I think many people don’t even know that gelatin is animal based. The color of this is beautiful, and blackberries are my favorite berry! Great work!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Debi. Yes, I can consumer gelatin but like you said.. go for plant based..! Thanks for the lovely comment
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
This blackberry mousse looks really delicious. Love blackberries are you get all the goodness of Vitamin C
Veena Azmanov
That is true! Thanks Bintu
April J Harris
It’s so nice to find a beautiful mousse like this without eggs in it. I’m not keen on using raw or lightly cooked eggs and I often avoid mousse because of it. Your Blackberry Mousse is wonderful – great that it is vegetarian too. Also love that you can use frozen blackberries!
Veena Azmanov
yes April I always use frozen.. that’s what I get!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
Yummy. I love all kinds of mousse and this looks fabulous! I love your round up too!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Elaine.. Me too big fan of all kind of mousse
Julia @ HappyFoods Tube
I love mousse desserts! They are easy to make and always look good and taste divine. Haven’t tried blackberry mousse but I am sure this taste amazing.
Veena Azmanov
I did taste awesome Julia. Thanks