Mousses

Question 1

What is a mousse?

Answer 1

A mousse is a prepared food that incorporates air bubbles (through whipped cream or whipped egg whites) to give it a light and airy texture. It can range from light and fluffy to creamy and thick depending on preparation techniques.

Question 2

What is Bavarian Cream?

Answer 2

Bavarian Cream is a creme Anglaise stabilized with gelatin and lightened with whipped cream.

Question 3

What are the 4 components of a mousse?

Answer 3

1) The Base
2) Egg Foam
3) Whipped Cream
4) Setting Agent

Question 4

What is the base used for a Chocolate Mousse?

Answer 4

Chocolate

Question 5

What is the base used for a Fruit Mousse?

Answer 5

Fruit Puree

Question 6

What is the base used for a Bavarian Cream?

Answer 6

Creme Anglaise

Question 7

What is the base used for a Chiboust Cream?

Answer 7

Pastry Cream

Question 8

What is the base used for a Nut Paste Mousse?

Answer 8

Nut Paste

Question 9

What is the base used for an Alcohol Mousse?

Answer 9

Trick question! Alcohol is rarely used as a base, rather it is used as a flavouring agent.

Question 10

What stiffness should the whipped cream in a mousse be?

Answer 10

It should be whipped to soft peaks.

Question 11

What is Pate a Bombe?

Answer 11

A mixture of a sugar syrup poured over whipping egg yolks or whole eggs, whipped to a foamy texture. It is used to lighten a mousse, especially chocolate mousses, and acts as an emulsifier.

Question 12

What percentage of fat must whipping cream have?

Answer 12

30%

Question 13

What enzyme causes gelatin to not set? Where is it found?

Answer 13

Bromelain is the enzyme which does not allow the gelatin to set. It is often found in tropical fruits such as pineapple, kiwi, mango, papaya, peach, and guava.

Question 14

What are the 2 most important aspects of mousse production?

Answer 14

Timing and MEP

Question 15

What causes a mousse to be grainy?

Answer 15

The separation of fat particles due to overworking the mousse itself or overworking the whipped cream. Working at the wrong temperature can also cause graininess. If the mousse is too warm it will melt the cream, if it is too cold it will cause the fat to clump.

Question 16

What is the recommended base temperature of a Bavarian Cream? How does it compare to a fruit mousse?

Answer 16

The recommended temperature for a Bavarian Cream is 24-29C this is colder than a fruit mousse (27-29C) due to the large quantity of whipping cream present.

Question 17

What is the recommended base temperature of a Chocolate Mousse? How does it compare to a fruit mousse?

Answer 17

The recommended temperature for a Chocolate Mousse is 35-41C this is warmer than a fruit mousse (27-29C) due to the presence of cocoa butter which will set at low temperatures.

Question 18

Why is Creme Anglaise not boiled while a Pastry Cream is?

Answer 18

Creme Anglaise is not boiled during the production process because there is no starch present. Since Pastry Cream does use a starch it must be boiled out.

Question 19

Does a mousse need a setting agent?

Answer 19

Not necessarily. If the base, for instance, a chocolate base, already has a high ratio of a setting agent such as fat.

Question 20

What are hydrocolloids?

Answer 20

Hydrocolloids are a heterogeneous group of long-chain polymers (polysaccharides and proteins) characterized by their property of forming viscous dispersion and/or gels when dispersed in water.

Question 21

What are 3 examples of thickening hydrocolloids?

Answer 21

1) Starch
2) Xanthan
3) Guar Gum
4) Locust Bean Gum
5) Gum Karaya
6) Gum Tragacanth
7) Gum Arabic
8) Cellulose Derivatives

Question 22

What are 3 examples of gelling type hydrocolloid?

Answer 22

1) Alginate
2) Pectin
3) Carrageenan
4) Gelatin
5) Gellan
6) Agar

Question 23

Why is gelatin bloomed in cold water?

Answer 23

Warm water will dissolve the gelatin.

Question 24

When is gelatin added to a mousse?

Answer 24

1) Gelatin can be added to the base, either directly or melted separately, and added if the base is not warm enough.
2) After the mousse is completed by combining 10% of the mousse with the melted gelatin and folding it back into the mousse.

Question 25

What is a gelatin mass?

Answer 25

A way to store presoaked and melted gelatin for later use.

Question 26

How much water does a gelatin leaf absorb?

Answer 26

5-6 times its weight in water.

Question 27

What temperature must gelatin be heated to and what temperature should it not reach?

Answer 27

Gelatin should be heated to 50C and not above 60C

Question 28

What are 2 advantages of gelatin and 1 disadvantage?

Answer 28

Advantages
1) Gelatin has great flavour release
2) Gelatin melts at 25-40C so it has good mouthfeel and texture
Disadvantages
1) The pH range is from 4-10 and citrus has a pH of 3.2 so it does not work with a portion of fruits

Question 29

What are some gelatin inhibitors?

Answer 29

Salt, Acids, Prolonged Heat, Proteolytic Enzymes, and High Alcohol

Question 30

What are some gelatin promoters?

Answer 30

Milk, Sugar, Transglutaminase

Question 31

What is bloom strength?

Answer 31

The amount of gelatin will set/the firmness of the final product

Question 32

What are the 5 categories of gelatin and what is the bloom strength of each?

Answer 32

1) Bronze - 140
2) Silver - 160
3) Gold - 200
4) Powder - 225
5) Platinum - 250

Question 33

Name two plant-based gelling agents and one animal-based gelling agent.

Answer 33

Plant-Based - Agar Agar and Pectin

Animal-Based - Gelatin

Question 34

What is the melting temperature of agar agar?

Answer 34

90C

Question 35

What are the two main types of pectin?

Answer 35

Low Methoxyl (thermoreversible) and High Methoxyl (not thermoreversible)

Question 36

What is a Crèmeux?

Answer 36

Crèmeux is a rich creme anglaise set with gelatin.