Berry Compote Dairy Milk Mousse: Make-Ahead Dessert for Any Occasion

If you're looking for a dessert that’s easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and still feels like something special, this berry compote Dairy Milk mousse is a solid choice. It combines the creamy richness of chocolate mousse with the refreshing and slightly tart flavor of a quick berry compote. The two parts come together in simple layers, but the end result looks and tastes like something you'd find on a restaurant menu.

There’s no baking involved, no complicated tools, and no last-minute prep. You can make everything in under 30 minutes, chill it, and serve it when you're ready. It’s a practical dessert that works just as well for a dinner party as it does for a quiet night in.

Berry Compote Dairy Milk mousse

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Mousse:

• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• ½ cup Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, chopped
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 large egg whites
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tbsp confectioners' sugar

For the Berry Compote:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup raspberry juice or a mix of raspberry + cranberry juice

For Serving:

• Whipped cream
• Fresh raspberries

Method:

1. Place a heat-safe glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add the heavy cream and chopped Dairy Milk chocolate. Stir frequently until just melted, remove from the heat to avoid burning.
2. Stir the egg yolks into the warm chocolate mixture until smooth and well blended. Set aside.
3. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they start to form soft peaks. Add cream of tartar and confectioners’ sugar, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.
4. Gently whisk a quarter of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the remaining egg whites in batches. Be careful not to overmix, stop once fully combined, and the texture will be light and airy.
5. Divide the mousse into 6 glasses or small bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
6. In a saucepan, combine raspberries and sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the berries begin to break down. Add the raspberry juice and bring to a gentle simmer.
7. Let the compote simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool fully before refrigerating.
8. Just before serving, spoon the chilled berry compote over the mousse. Top with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Tips & Tricks:

• After melting the chocolate with cream, give it two to three minutes off the heat before adding the yolks. If the chocolate is still hot, the yolks can cook on contact and turn the mixture grainy or thick.
• When separating eggs, it’s worth taking an extra minute to do it over a small bowl. One broken yolk can ruin your whole batch of egg whites, and starting over wastes time and ingredients.
• Use a metal or glass bowl for whipping the egg whites, and make sure it’s fully clean and dry. A small trace of grease or moisture is enough to stop the whites from whipping properly.
• Don’t skip the cream of tartar. It’s not just for stability – it helps the egg whites whip faster and hold their shape longer, which is especially important in a mousse with no gelatin or thickener.
• Fold slowly and stop as soon as the color is even. The first bit of whipped egg white is meant to loosen up the chocolate. After that, each fold should be gentle. If the mixture starts looking runny, you've gone too far.
• The mousse needs time in the fridge to set, not just chill. Six hours is the minimum, but if you're prepping for a gathering, make it the night before to give it a firmer texture.
• Make the compote while the mousse chills, and let it cool to fridge temperature before using. Even slightly warm compote will sink into the mousse and ruin the separation of layers.
• Choose serving glasses with wide openings. Narrow cups make it hard to spoon in the layers cleanly, and difficult to eat from. A short tumbler or dessert bowl works better than tall, narrow glasses.
• Wait until serving time to add whipped cream and fresh berries. They’ll hold their shape better, and the presentation will look cleaner. If added too early, the cream may deflate, and the berries may start to bleed into the compote.