Gianduja Mousse

November 13, 2009

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I’m going to have to be brief with this one.  This week has been a little crazy and it’s about to get crazier.  I will be catering a party on Friday night for a wonderful babysitter who is turning 30.  I’m proud that she asked me to do the food and can’t wait to have lots of people celebrating in our house.  I’m hoping that I will be able to get some good photos because I have some great party food recipes to share.

We are also going to a supper club on Saturday night for which I need to make a Rick Bayless appetizer and cocktail.  Uncharacteristically for me with food, I am just starting to wrap my brain around this dish.  Usually I do lots of research and cross-referencing but I have just been so overwhelmed with the catering and Randy being out of town (he is just back from Portugal).  Oh, and Thanksgiving?  The dinner we are hosting?  The one with 19 adults and a turkey invited?  Have barely started planning that.  Clearly I have my work cut out for me.

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So, sometimes you want chocolate mousse.  And maybe sometimes you just want something really sweet, satisfying and mousse-like and easy.  I don’t know how to pronounce Gianduja but I do know that it means a milk chocolate and hazelnut pairing and it originates in Italy.  Nutella is a sort of bastardized but no less delicious version and it is the main flavoring in this mousse.  In my experience, you can eat this mousse right after you make it and it has a lovely light and soft texture.  The longer it sits in the refrigerator, the more firm it becomes.  If you want to, say for example, slather it between two chocolate wafers to make a delightful mousse sandwich, I would let it sit for an hour or more.

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One Year Ago:  Spinach and Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

Gianduja Mousse

Adapted from Food and Wine
Serves 4

½ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
¼ cup crème fraîche
1 ½ tsp. brandy or hazelnut liqueur
½ cup heavy cream

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the Nutella with the crème fraiche and brandy at low speed until smooth.  In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until firm peaks form.  Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the Nutella mixture until no streaks remain.  Spoon the mousse into small bowls and refrigerate for 20 minutes.



28 Comments »

  1. Oh my word Dana, this is awesome!

    Comment by alice — November 13, 2009 @ 7:40 am

  2. That first photo just kills me. Gorgeous. I think I’ll make this for dessert when I cook for Thanksgiving at my aunt’s. I need to plan the menu so not everything is time-consuming and this one would be a nice break from turkey and sides duties. Thanks! :-)

    Good luck with the craziness this weekend. Can’t wait to see the photos. :)

    Comment by Joy — November 13, 2009 @ 7:46 am

  3. It’s…magnificent.

    Comment by CakeSpy — November 13, 2009 @ 8:09 am

  4. Wow! I guess you do have a lot on your plate! But sometimes it’s better to be busy that way. In any case, that mousse looks like something that could ease any stress or pain one might be feeling!
    I’ll certainly give this one try!

    Comment by yael — November 13, 2009 @ 9:17 am

  5. Haha, I’m laughing at “bastardized but no less delicious version”. I love Nutella, and a mousse version sounds perfect to me. I’ve never made mousse before, and I was expecting a looong list of ingredients and steps- but it looks so easy! I might make this on the weekend.

    Comment by Ele — November 13, 2009 @ 9:25 am

  6. Oooh, I’ve been waiting for you to post this! Yum and it does looks so easy.

    Comment by Amy J in SC — November 13, 2009 @ 12:33 pm

  7. I *love* hazelnut + chocolate. This is one of those occasions where I wish I could reach through my computer screen and taste what’s in the photo… Yum.

    Comment by Beatrice — November 13, 2009 @ 1:56 pm

  8. That dessert hits a soft sport for me – Gianduja, I love you

    Comment by chocolate shavings — November 13, 2009 @ 2:22 pm

  9. Dana, this mousse sounds amazing, I can just imagining me eating it right now…your customers are very luck with a treat like this one!! I love your business concept! Well Done!

    Comment by Madalene — November 13, 2009 @ 2:38 pm

  10. I have never made mousse but this seems pretty simple and a perfect treat. Good luck on your upcoming weekend! I’m sure it will hit a hit!

    Comment by fresh365 — November 13, 2009 @ 4:38 pm

  11. Chocolate-hazelnut is one of my favorite flavors, and I love chocolate mousse. Thanks for sharing what looks to be a wonderful recipe. I’ll definitely be “filing” this one!

    Comment by D. @ Outside Oslo — November 13, 2009 @ 4:44 pm

  12. Amazing! I love that spoon, oh my where did you get it? It’s so beautiful!

    Comment by Veggie Wedgie — November 13, 2009 @ 5:05 pm

  13. good luck with your craziness. this looks so lovely!

    Comment by Sara — November 13, 2009 @ 6:48 pm

  14. that sounds wonderful! I amazed you even had time to post this with all that you have coming up! Good luck with this weekend- can’t wait to see what you serve at the party. Oh and those spoons are gorgeous- I’m coveting them…

    Comment by Emily Rose — November 13, 2009 @ 7:14 pm

  15. Seriously?!? A mousse made with nutella? I am so making this for my family when I go home for Thanksgiving. Sorry you’re so hectic, but it sounds like all good stuff – enjoy the festivities :)

    Comment by Allison Arevalo — November 13, 2009 @ 9:08 pm

  16. I very much like the idea of slathering this between chocolate wafers. Good luck with your parties this weekend!

    Comment by lisaiscooking — November 13, 2009 @ 10:02 pm

  17. Simple, beautiful, delicious… I’d love a cup just about right now…

    Have a fabulous party Dana… and enjoy all that beautiful cooking to the fullest!

    Comment by Viviane Bauquet Farre / food & style — November 14, 2009 @ 1:00 am

  18. Busy, busy girl! Lucky me, I get to sample several Dana Treats–the source of the stress and the fruits of your labor–this week. This mousse was so good, and everyone loved it and you on Wednesday! I can’t wait to hear about the party and see what you whip up for tomorrow!

    Comment by Deb — November 14, 2009 @ 3:23 am

  19. I almost forgot to mention that I love those spoons, too. Very cool!

    Comment by Deb — November 14, 2009 @ 3:24 am

  20. Beautiful blog…I’m glad to have discovered it!

    Comment by Jenn — November 14, 2009 @ 3:55 am

  21. just a tiny nothing:
    gianduja is an odd version of the word, now it is written gianduia =)

    Comment by Chiara — November 14, 2009 @ 10:52 am

  22. this looks incredible – looks great with the chocolate shavings. and i covet those leaf spoons.

    Comment by caroline — November 14, 2009 @ 11:14 pm

  23. I read somewhere it is pronounced “john-doy-a”. And I love nutella so it looks like I’ll have to make this one!

    Comment by patti — November 16, 2009 @ 3:10 am

  24. I’ve been in bed most of the weekend w/ a miserable migraine….just woke up and had chocolate pudding! I also took out the gravlax and it came out beautiful!
    Will post it this week.
    You are making me nervous thinking about all this cooking you have to do! yikes!
    I have a great cocktail recipe if you need it……just let me know.

    Comment by Stacey Snacks — November 16, 2009 @ 4:24 am

  25. Oh god! You are hosting NINETEEN PEOPLE for Thanksgiving?!?

    Comment by Lisa @ The Cooking Bride — November 17, 2009 @ 3:37 am

  26. I’m not a big fan of the chocolate/hazelnut combo but this mousse does look amazing!

    Comment by Ashley — November 20, 2009 @ 4:18 am

  27. Yummy…yummy…yummy….plus it has creme fraiche. I want some. I love to make a frosting using equaly quantities of melted (milk) chocolate and creme fraiche – super yum

    Comment by Kitchen Butterfly — November 21, 2009 @ 4:32 pm

  28. I’m straight edged is there anything else i can put instead of brandy or hazelnut liqueur?

    it sounds pretty nasty to put liqueur in mousse..

    Comment by alison — September 22, 2010 @ 11:30 pm



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