Description

This Irresistible White Christmas Mousse Cake is a delightful holiday dessert featuring a crunchy shortbread and pistachio base topped with a luscious white chocolate mousse, garnished with cherries and festive silver and gold cachous. Perfect for festive gatherings, this cake combines creamy textures with crunchy elements and a hint of fruity sweetness, making it a showstopper for any holiday table.

Ingredients

Scale

Base

250 g shortbread biscuits (Can substitute with graham crackers.)
75 g shredded coconut (Optional for nut-free.)
25 g pistachios (Chopped, reserve 75 g for mousse)
125 g unsalted butter (Melted coconut oil is a dairy-free alternative.)
100 g pure icing sugar (Granulated sugar is a substitute.)

Mousse

100 g pistachios (Chopped, for folding into mousse)
15 g gelatine powder (Agar-agar can be used as a substitute.)
60 ml water (For hydrating gelatine.)
500 ml milk (Almond or oat milk can be used.)
200 g white chocolate (Can substitute with dark chocolate.)
300 ml thickened cream (Whipped coconut cream is a non-dairy option.)
100 g glace cherries (Fresh cherries can be used.)

Decoration

Additional whipped cream, to taste
Silver and gold cachous, to taste (For decorative purposes.)

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Instructions

Preparation Steps: Prepare all ingredients and equipment. Grease a 20cm springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper to prevent sticking.
Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 180°C (or 160°C fan-forced) to preheat while preparing the base.
Make the Crust: Use a food processor to blend shortbread biscuits, shredded coconut, and 1/4 cup of chopped pistachios until fine crumbs form. Add melted unsalted butter and icing sugar, then pulse until the mixture combines well.
Press and Bake Base: Firmly press the crumb mixture into the base of the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden. After baking, allow the crust to cool completely before adding the mousse.
Hydrate Gelatine: In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatine powder over water and let it hydrate for a few minutes.
Dissolve Gelatine in Milk: Heat the milk gently in a saucepan until just simmering. Remove from heat and stir in the hydrated gelatine until fully dissolved.
Melt White Chocolate: Pour the hot milk-gelatine mixture over the chopped white chocolate in a bowl. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then stir gently until smooth and the mixture cools to room temperature.
Whip Cream: In a separate bowl, whip the thickened cream to firm peaks to create a light and airy texture.
Combine Mousse: Fold the whipped cream gently into the cooled white chocolate mixture in batches to keep the mousse light and airy.
Add Nuts and Cherries: Fold in the remaining chopped pistachios and glace cherries to the mousse for added flavor and texture.
Assemble Cake: Pour the mousse mixture over the cooled crust, smoothing the top gently with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to let the mousse set properly.
Decorate and Serve: Just before serving, whip additional cream and pipe decoratively on the cake. Garnish with cherries and a sprinkle of silver and gold cachous for a festive finish.

Notes

For a nut-free version, omit pistachios and shredded coconut or replace with nut-free alternatives.
Gelatine can be substituted with agar-agar for a vegetarian option; follow package instructions for substitution ratios.
Using melted coconut oil instead of butter makes this recipe dairy-free.
White chocolate can be swapped for dark chocolate if preferred, but it will alter the sweetness and color.
Make sure the crust is completely cool before adding mousse to prevent melting or soggy layers.
Refrigeration time is crucial for mousse to set properly; avoid rushing this step.
Decorations like cachous are optional but add a festive touch perfect for holidays.