White Chocolate Mint Mousse

Our answer

Nigella's White Chcocolate Mint Mousse, along with any mousse that is not set with gelatine, is very unlikely to hold its shape if turned out of a mould. Mousses are usually made with whisked egg whites and/or cream and this gives them the light texture, but this can collapse quickly if not set with gelatine (or agar-agar). Gelatine can help to hold the mousse together, but if you use too much then the mousse can take on a slightly "chewy" texture.

If you are serving a plated dessert then you could serve a spoonful of mousse on the side of the jelly. A pair of dessert spoons (soup spoons for the US) can give a slightly rounded shape known as a "quenelle". Alternatively you could serve a panna cotta instead. This is a cream mixture set with gelatine and can often be turned out. Nigella has a trio of panna cottas (coffee, vanilla and Nutella) in her book Nigellissima.