Chocolate Mousse Dessert Bowl

This chocolate mousse dessert bowl is extra special thanks to the smooth and delightful flavors of Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. This yummy bowl is made with a bottom layer of rich, chocolate cream cheese mousse, cut-outs of vanilla bean cake, homemade vanilla bourbon whipped cream, and plenty of fresh berries. Yum.

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature preferred 
  • 1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder 
  •  1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 1/4 cup buttermilk room temperature preferred
  • Powdered sugar, for topping 

Chocolate Mousse

  • 1 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups heavy cream, divided
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Additional Toppings

  • 3 cups assorted berries 
  • Chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar to create chocolate shavings) 

Directions

Vanilla Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a jelly roll pan (12x17x1-inch) or cookie sheet by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer) cream together the butter, oil and sugar, until well-combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Using a spatula and gently hand-mixing, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined after each addition.  The batter should be smooth and completely combined, but avoid over-mixing.

Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan and bake on 350°F for 18-22 minutes.  When the cake is finished, the surface should spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with few moist crumbs (no wet batter).

Allow cakes to cool in the pan completely.

Once cake has completely cooled, either cut into squares or use star or heart or preferred cookie cutter to cut into shapes and lightly dust with powdered sugar.  Set aside until ready to serve dessert bowls.

Chocolate Mousse

In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until chocolate chips are completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.

Allow mixture to cool completely before continuing.

In a clean, medium-sized bowl, use an electric mixer to beat remaining 1 1/2 cups  heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer, combine cream cheese and (cooled) chocolate mixture, stirring until completely combined.

Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Set aside until you are ready to assemble dessert bowls (keep refrigerated in an airtight container if not assembling immediately)

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Place a medium-sized bowl (preferably metal) in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.

Once bowl has chilled, remove from freezer and add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste.

Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high, and beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large closed-star tip.

To Assemble

Set out the bowls that you are using for serving and evenly divide the Chocolate Mousse into each bowl, using a spoon to spread it around the bottom and up the sides to form a “nest” that covers the entire bottom of each bowl.

Pipe your whipped cream inside the “nest” until it is completely filled

Place powdered sugared cake cut-outs around the bowl.

Strategically place berries around the cake cut-outs and top with chocolate shavings, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Notes:

Recipe by Sugar Spun Run.

Vanilla Cake

  • 113 g  unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 120 ml canola or vegetable oil
  • 300 g sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature preferred 
  • 1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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  • 390 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 300 ml buttermilk room temperature preferred
  • Powdered sugar, for topping 

Chocolate Mousse

  • 175 g dark or semisweet chocolate chips
  • 474 ml heavy cream, divided
  • 227 g cream cheese, softened
  • 150 g powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Additional Toppings

  • 400 g assorted berries 
  • Chocolate shavings (use a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar to create chocolate shavings) 

Directions

Vanilla Cake

Preheat oven to 175°C and prepare a jelly roll pan (12x17x1-inch) or cookie sheet by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric mixer) cream together the butter, oil and sugar, until well-combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.

In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Using a spatula and gently hand-mixing, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined after each addition.  The batter should be smooth and completely combined, but avoid over-mixing.

Spread batter evenly into prepared jelly roll pan and bake on 175°C for 18-22 minutes.  When the cake is finished, the surface should spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean with few moist crumbs (no wet batter).

Allow cakes to cool in the pan completely.

Once cake has completely cooled, either cut into squares or use star or heart or preferred cookie cutter to cut into shapes and lightly dust with powdered sugar.  Set aside until ready to serve dessert bowls.

Chocolate Mousse

In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and 118.5 ml of the heavy cream over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until chocolate chips are completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Stir in Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.

Allow mixture to cool completely before continuing.

In a clean, medium-sized bowl, use an electric mixer to beat remaining 355.5 ml heavy cream to stiff peaks. Set aside.

In bowl of stand mixer, combine cream cheese and (cooled) chocolate mixture, stirring until completely combined.

Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Set aside until you are ready to assemble dessert bowls (keep refrigerated in an airtight container if not assembling immediately)

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

Place a medium-sized bowl (preferably metal) in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill.

Once bowl has chilled, remove from freezer and add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste.

Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high, and beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large closed-star tip.

To Assemble

Set out the bowls that you are using for serving and evenly divide the Chocolate Mousse into each bowl, using a spoon to spread it around the bottom and up the sides to form a “nest” that covers the entire bottom of each bowl.

Pipe your whipped cream inside the “nest” until it is completely filled

Place powdered sugared cake cut-outs around the bowl.

Strategically place berries around the cake cut-outs and top with chocolate shavings, if desired.

Serve immediately.

Notes:

Recipe by Sugar Spun Run.

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    60 minprep

  • Nielsen-Massey time icon

    20 mincook

  • Nielsen-Massey yield icon

    4large bowls

This Recipe Uses

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

Pure Vanilla Bean Paste