Mastic White Chocolate Mousse

Name: Mastic White Chocolate Mousse
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 4 oz (113 g) white chocolate, chopped, into small pieces (¼ to ½ inch); ½ tsp (1 g) mastic gum tears, finely ground to powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold, chilled for at least 1 hour; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar; ¼ tsp (1¼ ml) vanilla extract (optional); pinch fine sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, ethereal mousse infused with the distinctive aromatic flavor of mastic gum, a resin prized in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. White chocolate provides a smooth, creamy base while heavy cream whipped to soft peaks creates an airy texture. This elegant spoon sweet requires only a few quality ingredients and minimal active cooking time, making it perfect for entertaining.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 5 min
Wait: 2 hr
Total: 2 hr 25 min
Makes: 4 servings (½ cup each)

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Steps

Before you start

Chill a medium mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes before whipping cream
Use high-quality white chocolate (at least 30% cacao butter) for the best flavor and texture
Have mastic gum tears crushed or ready to grind—they should be fine powder before heating

1
Bloom mastic in milk
- Pour the cold milk into a small saucepan.
- Add the ground mastic gum powder and whisk gently to combine.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the mastic fully hydrates and releases its aromatic oils into the milk.
- You'll notice a subtle piney, resinous aroma developing.
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Ready when: Mastic particles are fully suspended and milk has a faint piney aroma
Tip: Do not heat the milk yet—mastic's delicate flavor volatilizes at high temperature, so we'll gently warm it next
2
Heat mastic-milk mixtureOven 160°F / 70°C
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and warm the mastic-infused milk to just below a simmer—you should see small steam wisps rising but no bubbles breaking the surface, about 160°F (70°C).
- This takes 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir occasionally to ensure even heating and to distribute the mastic evenly.
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Ready when: Milk steams gently; a thermometer reads 160°F (70°C); no rolling bubbles appear
Tip: Do not boil; high heat destroys mastic's aromatic compounds and can scorch the milk
3
Melt chocolate in mastic milk
- Remove the saucepan from heat.
- Add the chopped white chocolate to the warm mastic-milk mixture and let sit undisturbed for 1 minute to begin softening.
- Then whisk vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until all chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
- The residual heat will melt the chocolate without requiring further cooking.
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Ready when: Mixture is completely smooth with no chocolate chunks; pale and glossy
Tip: Whisk thoroughly to fully emulsify the chocolate so the mousse has a silky texture—lumps will ruin it
4
Cool chocolate-mastic mixture
- Transfer the chocolate mixture to a clean medium mixing bowl.
- Set the bowl in an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice water) or place in the refrigerator, stirring gently every 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture cools to room temperature and thickens slightly—about 10 to 12 minutes in an ice bath or 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- It should coat the back of a spoon lightly and feel cool to the touch but not cold.
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Ready when: Mixture is room temperature, slightly thickened, and coats a spoon; feels cool
Tip: Do not over-cool or it will become too stiff; you want it barely set so it folds smoothly with the cream
5
Whip cold cream
- Pour the cold heavy cream into the chilled medium stainless-steel bowl.
- Add the sugar, vanilla extract (if using), and a tiny pinch of salt.
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed (or a whisk by hand), beat the cream for 2 to 3 minutes until soft peaks form.
- The cream should increase in volume and hold a shape when the beaters lift, but the peaks should curl slightly when the beaters are removed—do not overbeat or you'll have grainy whipped cream.
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Ready when: Cream has doubled in volume; soft peaks form and just barely hold shape; peaks curl slightly
Tip: Stop whipping at soft peaks—overbeating will turn the cream grainy and break the emulsion
6
Fold cream into chocolate
- Add one-third of the whipped cream to the cooled chocolate-mastic mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold gently by scooping from the bottom of the bowl and folding over the top, rotating the bowl as you go.
- Mix just until no white streaks remain.
- Add the remaining whipped cream in two additions, folding gently each time until just combined.
- The mousse should be light and airy—avoid overmixing or you'll deflate the air bubbles.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform pale beige, light, and fluffy; no white streaks of cream visible
Tip: Fold, don't stir—aggressive mixing deflates the cream and creates a dense, heavy mousse instead of an airy one
7
Divide into serving glasses
- Spoon the mousse evenly into four chilled serving glasses or bowls (4-oz/120 ml capacity each).
- Use a spatula or spoon to mound the mousse gently; it should look light and fluffy.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the mousse to set and flavors to meld.
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Ready when: Mousse is chilled, set (spoon leaves an indent but it holds shape), and flavors are pronounced
Tip: Chill the serving glasses before filling so the mousse stays fluffy and cold; warm glasses will soften it

Good to know

Tips

Mastic gum is a precious ingredient with a short shelf life; store it in an airtight container away from heat and light, and use within 1 year of purchase for the best flavor
If you cannot source mastic gum from a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean grocer, look for it online from specialty spice retailers; it is essential to this recipe and not easily replicated
For a more dramatic presentation, top each mousse with a few crushed pistachio pieces, a drizzle of honey, or a thin curl of white chocolate just before serving
This mousse pairs beautifully with a crisp shortbread, a delicate phyllo pastry, or a few fresh berries; its light texture makes it an ideal pairing for textural contrasts

Make ahead

Prepare the mousse up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. The mastic flavor deepens and becomes more integrated after a few hours. Do not make more than 1 day ahead, as the texture begins to weep and separate.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: not recommended (mousse will soften quickly). Refrigerator: cover with plastic wrap and store up to 1 day; serve chilled. Freezer: mousse can be frozen in covered serving glasses for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving (the texture will be softer than fresh).

Substitutions

white chocolate, chopped → Pale milk chocolate (30–40% cacao) or ivory chocolate. The flavor will be slightly richer and less delicate; choose high-quality chocolate with good cacao butter content so the texture remains smooth
mastic gum tears → Ground cardamom (¼ tsp) combined with a tiny pinch of anise seed powder. This combination mimics mastic's warm, slightly piney aromatic profile, though the flavor will be distinctly different; mastic is irreplaceable but this is a reasonable alternative if unavailable
heavy whipping cream, cold → Mascarpone cream (¾ cup mascarpone mixed with 3 tablespoons heavy cream and 1 tablespoon milk, whipped to soft peaks). Creates a richer, slightly tangy mousse; reduce sugar to 1 tablespoon if using mascarpone, as it is already slightly sweet
whole milk → Half-and-half or light cream (warmed). Results in a slightly richer, creamier mousse base; the lighter texture of the finished dish will be subtle but perceptible