Have you seen the Marshmallow Experiment video? Researchers plop a single marshmallow down in front of a child in a closed room and explain, “You can eat the marshmallow now, or wait to eat it and I will bring you another one.”A hidden video camera records the hilarious results. A few kids stoically wait, face glazed over with determination, masters of delayed gratification. Others succumb to the temptation and lick, nibble, or gulp the treat.
I’ve always had strong willpower, and I can imagine little six-year-old me sitting fiercely motionless until I earned the second marshmallow. But this recipe crushed my patience.
After blending the ingredients together, I stuck a spoon in the food processor bowl and scooped out a generous taste of the unset mousse. My tastebuds jumped into happy dance mode! I poured the mixture into a bowl and set it in the fridge to set. The mousse did not rest peacefully, however, because I kept prodding, poking, and tasting it–just like the kids from the marshmallow video. Finally, four hours later, I was rewarded with a creamy mousse theoretically equal to many, many delayed-gratification marshmallows.
Grassfed gelatin for a simple mousse
Traditional mousses rely on an arduous process of whipping and heating eggs for a stabilized base. Many alternative mousse recipes use pureed nuts or even thyroid-supressing, infertility-promoting tofu. Gelatin, creamed coconut, and coconut milk provide a sturdy yet fluffy base for this mousse.
This recipe took a lot of experimentation to perfect (yeah, poor me–having to eat all of those mistakes). I am beyond pleased with the final result, which tastes like a bite of whipped strawberry shortcake! The texture perfectly balances light, rich, creamy, and sweet.
Creamed Coconut is pureed coconut meat. I like this brand because it is the most economical, but you could also substitute coconut butter.
Why grassfed gelatin? I discuss some of the health benefits of gelatin in my Gelatin Coconut Flour Pancakes post.
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 2 Tbs. grassfed gelatin
- 1 cup whole strawberries (I used thawed frozen, organic ones)
- 2 Tbs. creamed coconut or coconut butter, liquified (optional)
- About 2 Tbs. raw honey, to taste
- Pinch of salt
- In a saucepan, whisk together coconut milk and gelatin. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then turn on the burner and whisk over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved. Let cool.
- Puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Add the cooled coconut milk mixture, creamed coconut, honey and salt. Blend, then taste and adjust honey, if necessary. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.
- Before serving, transfer the chilled mixture to a food processor. Puree until creamy and serve. If the mousse is too thick, add more coconut milk, a teaspoon at a time. You can store leftover whipped mousse in the fridge, but for best results re-whip it in in a food processor after letting it sit in the fridge.
Thank you for this recipe .. definitely need to try it in chocolate version for my son (who has been having a hard time finding good pudding in the store without color added). Questions: can I used almond milk instead coconut milk and the creamed coconut?
Hey Grace! A chocolate version sounds delicious… I might have to borrow that idea and post a recipe for that 🙂 In your case, I would suggest using my recipe for whipped coconut pudding, which is made with a similar technique. It doesn’t require the creamed coconut. Take out the spices and substitute almond milk for coconut milk (this will reduce the fat content of the recipe, so it may not be as creamy). Add cocoa powder and a bit more honey (or stevia, if you want) for a chocolate version. You could blend in melted chocolate in the whipping step instead, if you want. Enjoy!
I just made this with four ripe bananas. Can we say banana pudding? Yum! I think we’ll try using the pre-chilled “custard” in the ice cream maker to see what happens. Can’t wait for peach season! And blueberry and cherry and raspberry, etc!!!
Is it supposed to be teaspoons of gelatin and not Tbsp? I’m pretty sure I messed mine up because when I tried to beat it it just became lumpy. Still tasty though.
Make sure you mix the gelatin into cold liquid, since it will clump if mixed into warm liquids. And yep, the measurement is teaspoons.
Lauren,
I truly appreciate your website and your willingness to share through your blog.
I am learning how to use this gelatin. Is it necessary to dissolve the gelatin in warm liquid after I mixed it into the same liquid only cold? I would love to simplify, if possible, omit the warming step and just toss it all in my vitamix and whirl away. Does the gelatin properties change when heated? Just wondering what your thoughts are on this.
Thanks!
Lauren, I just printed this out to make, I received my gelatin in the mail yesterday and I am so excited. I saw your last comment reply to someone about Tablespoons vs. teaspoons for the gelatin. The recipe says Tbsp. Let me know and please change it in the original recipe if it is supposed to be teaspoons. THANKS!
Sorry for the confusion, Tablespoons (as the recipe says) is correct.
Great – thanks!!!
I have bowls of blackberries from my backyard every single day these past two weeks, and today I got my grass fed gelatin (yay!), so I will try this with blackberries! Can’t wait to report back!
Ana
Can you please clarify:
1 cup additive free coconut milk – Does this have to be the canned milk or can it be the stuff in cartons?
2 Tbs. creamed coconut, liquified (optional) – Is this the thick part in canned coconut milk?
Thanks,
-Zosia
Creamed coconut is like coconut butter, not the cream of coconut in the can. And the coconut milk is the canned stuff.
How do you liquify the creamed coconut? Just heat it or do you add water? I am confused!
Hi there! Is it a possibility the 2 T gelatin was supposed to be 2 tsp instead? My mixture was so thick you could stand a fork in it. Even after putting through the food processor after setting it was very thick and not mousse-like at all…more like super firm jello. I added extra coconut milk as suggested to thin it down but that didn’t work. Regardless, the flavor is nice and I will try again with 2 tsp of gelatin. Thanks!
Do you realize that the coconut milk you recommend is coconut extract and water, not true coconut milk? A Thai chef taught me to watch for that in the list of ingredients when buying canned coconut milk – there are a few brands that are 100% coconut milk instead, which is preferable.
Wow…so I just made a triple batch of this to bring to a dinner tonight…and you are so right. I’m going to have a hard time leaving it alone in the fridge so that it sets! LOL! I followed the recipe to a T, and it tastes awesome as written. Can’t wait to blend it up and enjoy it tonight for dessert with my family. 🙂