How to Store Mousse (works for chocolate, among others)

Mousse is a light and mild French recipe, which can be sweet or savory. It is an exquisite delicacy for many, but as a counterpart, it is highly fragile; that’s why is it essential to know the answer to how to preserve the mousse?

The mousse is a cold dish, so it cannot be at room temperature for more than 3 hours. If it is well covered in the fridge, it can last between 3 and 4 days. While in the freezer for about 15 days. 

Store Mousse

However, I should clarify that depending on how you prepared the mousse, in other words, if you used eggs or whipped cream, or if it contains gelatin, the duration time may vary.

If you want to know how to preserve mousse made from chocolate, passion fruit, or any other, I invite you to continue reading.

Can the mousse be kept at room temperature?

Mousse cannot be kept at room temperature for long, as it would lose its aerated consistency and water down. 

So if the weather is cool, it can be at room temperature for about 3 hours maximum. On the other hand, the shelf life drops to an hour if it is hot.

However, if the mousse contains gelatin, it can last between 4 to 6 hours at room temperature

Note: some purists consider that if the mousse carries gelatin, it is not a mouse since it loses the airy texture characteristic of this recipe, but it is used a lot in savory dishes.

Store mousse in the fridge

As mousse is a cold dish, refrigerating it is ideal for keeping it in good condition.

Follow the instructions below to store the mousse in the refrigerator:

  • Step 1: Cover with plastic film.

Covering prevents it from absorbing moisture and something from falling into the mousse.

  • Step 2: Store inside an airtight container.

If you will not eat the mousse on the same day, it is best to protect it well and store it covered with film paper (step 1) inside an airtight container.

This way, it will not absorb the smell from other foods and protect itself from the fridge’s moisture. It would be best to put it at the bottom, where the temperature is more stable.

The mousse can last 2 or 3 days based on eggs and 4 to 5 days based on whipping cream. In the case of having gelatin, the shelf life is a week

Freeze the mousse in the freezer

Can the mousse be frozen? Unfortunately, while the mouse can be frozen, it is not a solution that offers great advantages over refrigeration considering it will only last two weeks, with the risk of the mousse losing its aerated texture when thawing.

For this reason, it should not be taken out and thawed at room temperature but should be left in the fridge for a few hours to melt any ice crystals that may have formed in the freezer.

If the mousse has gelatin, this doesn’t occur. To store it properly in the freezer, follow these instructions. 

  • Step 1: Cover the mousse with plastic film.

Covering with a plastic film prevents it from becoming contaminated with something, and ice burns.

  • Step 2: Store in the freezer.

The container where the mousse is must be suitable for the freezer. Usually, the mousse can last about two months inside the freezer, but it is recommended not to exceed 15 days of storage

How to preserve a mousse cake?

Mousse cake is similar to other cakes but very airy and soft, so it is more delicate. Therefore, it should not be left too long at room temperature.

In fact, I recommend you to take it out of the fridge only when you go to eat. So it should be kept refrigerated all the time. You can also freeze but avoid it.

Keep the mousse cake in the fridge

Keeping it in the fridge is ideal for preserving the whole mousse cake since the refrigerator helps maintain its characteristic texture.

To save it properly, do the following:

  • Step 1: Put the cake on a cake holder.

In this way, you prevent it from absorbing odors and flavors from other foods and becoming contaminated.

  • Step 2: Save to the coldest area.

This place is at the bottom of the fridge, where the temperature is much more stable. Mousse cake can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 or 5 days.

Freeze the mousse cake

In this case, I don’t recommend you freeze the entire mousse cake since it could lose its consistency a lot when thawing, so you need to freeze it in pieces.

To do it the right way, you just have to abide by these recommendations:

  • Step 1: Chop the cake.

And wrap each piece with waxed paper. In this way, it will prevent them from sticking to the others. In addition, it is more practical to take out only the piece you want to eat.

  • Step 2: Store in an airtight container. 

It saves space. You can place the storage date to maintain control of the mousse cake. 

In this way, the mousse cake can last about two months without a problem. But it would be best if you remember that it is better to eat everything before 15 days have elapsed to guarantee the best quality of the mousse. [1]

How to know that the mousse is in poor condition?

Detecting if a mousse is in poor condition is somewhat complicated since it does not tend to change color, and if it gets liquid, it is not necessarily a sign that it is bad.

So it remains only to rely on the sense of smell and taste. If it smells or tastes stale, it is best not to eat it and throw away the mousse. If there is mold, you should also throw it away.

How long does the mousse last?

It depends on the form of storage and how you made the mousse. But below, I will leave you a summary of the conservation time.

ProductShelf life
Mousse in the fridge (egg-based)2 – 3 days
Mousse in the fridge (whipped cream-based)4 – 5 days
Mousse in the fridge (gelatin)1 week
Frozen mousse2 weeks
Frozen mousse with gelatin2 months
Mousse cake in the fridge4 – 5 days
Frozen mousse cake2 months

What is the best way to preserve the mousse?

The best way to store the mousse is to refrigerate it because it is a cold dish. In addition, in the fridge, it finishes taking consistency.

Therefore, it is advisable to cover it with plastic film to prevent something from contamination and to change its flavor and texture. 

The mousse can also be frozen, but it isn’t worth it due to the risk involved in thawing it. In addition, the mousse tends to lose consistency after removing it from the freezer.

Therefore, it is advisable to pass it to the fridge and leave it there for an hour to thaw. Mousse tends to melt quickly. Some people reassemble it to try to recover the airy texture. 

If you liked this type of content, I invite you to explore this site and read similar topics about food preservation.


[1] https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/85121/GH1505.pdf?sequence=1

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