Hojicha Mousse Japanese Dessert (Print View)

A delicate Japanese dessert showcasing roasted hojicha flavors in a light, airy mousse made without heavy cream.

# Components:

→ Hojicha Base

01 - 2 tablespoons hojicha tea leaves
02 - 3/4 cup whole milk

→ Mousse Mixture

03 - 3 large eggs, separated
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ Stabilizer

07 - 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
08 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Garnish

09 - Toasted hojicha tea leaves or cocoa nibs

# Method:

01 - Gently heat the milk in a small saucepan until steaming. Add hojicha tea leaves, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain to remove leaves and set aside the infused milk to cool slightly.
02 - Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl. Let bloom for 5 minutes.
03 - In a heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch until pale. Slowly whisk in the warm hojicha milk.
04 - Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
05 - Stir the bloomed gelatin into the hot mixture until dissolved completely. Mix in vanilla extract. Allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
06 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until glossy stiff peaks form.
07 - Gently fold the egg whites into the cooled hojicha mixture in thirds, being careful not to deflate the mousse.
08 - Spoon the mixture into serving glasses or ramekins. Chill for at least 2 hours, or until set.
09 - Garnish with toasted hojicha tea leaves or cocoa nibs before serving, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, but your guests don't need to know it took barely half an hour of actual work.
  • The hojicha flavor is sophisticated and warm without being overpowering, making this the perfect finish to any meal.
  • No heavy cream means you can eat this without feeling weighed down, which honestly changes everything about how dessert feels in the evening.
02 -
  • Cold eggs won't whip properly no matter how long you beat them, so let them sit at room temperature for at least fifteen minutes before you start—I learned this the hard way after wondering why my whites stayed stubbornly liquid.
  • The hojicha must be strained through a fine mesh sieve or your mousse will have a gritty texture that undermines all your careful work.
  • Don't skip the cooling step; folding warm mousse into egg whites collapses them and defeats the entire purpose of whipping them in the first place.
03 -
  • If your gelatin doesn't dissolve completely into the hot mousse, warm it gently for a few seconds—never let it get hot enough to cook, just warm enough to loosen up.
  • The bain-marie seems like extra work, but it's the difference between a smooth, custardy base and scrambled eggs disguised as dessert, so it's worth every second.
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