We’re officially back in the USA and just in time to celebrate in full red, white, and blue fashion! Although we had an amazing honeymoon and really enjoyed exploring Spain and Portugal, there’s truly no place like home after two weeks of travelling. Well, except for the fact that we really don’t have a “home” currently. Our apartment in Connecticut is full of boxes, we’ve started orientation/working in NYC as of yesterday, but our lease here doesn’t start until Saturday. So we’re crashing at a friends for the meantime, continuing to live out of suitcases, and trying to bask in the glory of newlywed bliss before real life really hits us. I don’t think Ryan or I have come to the full realization quite yet that we’re 1) married and 2) residents of New York City, but we’ll just continue to fake it ’til we make it. And in the meantime I’m sharing a patriotic treat to help celebrate the 4th of July because apparently it’s July next week, omigosh!!
In the first year of this blog I posted a recipe for chocolate hazelnut mousse and I’ve received rave reviews from readers and friends ever since – it really is a great and simple dessert that is always a crowd pleaser. You’d think after almost four years I’d try another mousse recipe since the first was so popular, but for some reason I’m just getting to it now. I think it’s because I’ve always thought of mousse as too boring of a dessert on its own – I’ll always go for the chocolate cake or creme brulee on a menu, but sometimes simple is better, especially in the summer. So I’ve created a recipe that goes perfectly with all the primely-ripe berries these days and also happens to be very festively colored for this time of year. I decided to go with white chocolate to add some sweetness and the coconut is a subtle flavor addition with a few splashes of coconut rum. Plus I found these addicting roasted coconut chips at Trader Joes recently and was dying to use them as garnish :) The crunch from the chips didn’t hurt either!
I was so pleasantly surprised by the result of this combination and am excited to share it as a great dessert for a summer BBQ. The parfaits can be made ahead of time and pulled out of the fridge right at dessert time with little fuss. I chose these adorable little glasses my Grandma got me to serve them in, but little mason jars would also be really cute! For the berries I went with blueberries and raspberries, but you could also use chopped cherries or strawberries for some red if that’s more your taste. Whatever seems freshest at the store – that’s the beauty of summertime. I may not be able to take a drive to the local berry patch to do berry picking this summer, but at least I know there’s still plenty of freshness (and just about everything else you can imagine) at our fingertips in the big city!
White Chocolate Coconut Mousse Parfaits
Ingredients:
8 ounces good quality white chocolate
1-1/2 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp coconut rum (I used Malibu)
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint blueberries
Toasted coconut chips, for garnish
Directions:
Melt white chocolate in 30 second intervals in the microwave at half power until smooth, mixing well in between each interval. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until medium peaks form. Add the sugar and rum and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the white chocolate with a rubber spatula until smooth and just incorporated. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
To assemble parfaits, layer mousse with berries and coconut chips into desired containers. Garnish with coconut and serve cold.
Hi, Erica: I’m a first time visitor to your blog (via Foodgawker) and just had to tell you that I love your blog! It’s beautiful and so fun to explore! Keep up the good work – your photography is amazing!
These look fabulous! I’m always looking for cute little things to bring to my husbands 4th of July gatherings, so I can’t wait to try these!
P.S. I totally know what you mean about not being hit with the fact that you’re married. I’ve been married for a month and I’m still calling him my fiance. Congrats on your marriage!
Seriously gorgeous pics!
These are so adorable and festive!
White chocolate mousse… yes please.
Hi! I loved making this recipe for the 4th. It was delicious. Just a note on the ingredients: I used the heavy cream and it went straight from liquid to butter. I decided to try whipping cream instead and it worked so much better.
Erica — July 7th, 2013 @ 4:10 pm
Ahhh you’re totally right, sorry that was a misprint of mine. I fixed the recipe above, thanks for catching that. Glad you liked it!!
Is there a non-alcoholic version?
Erica — October 30th, 2013 @ 2:21 am
Yes, just sub some milk or half-and-half for the rum!