What is the difference between mousse and pudding? On Saint Patrick's Day, I sampled a dessert that begged the question. It was easily the most delicious chocolate dessert I've ever eaten, and I resolved to know all that I could about it. I'll include the recipe so that you can see just why I was so motivated!
Wikipedia defines mousse as a "creamy dessert typically made from egg and cream, usually in combination with other flavors such as chocolate or fruit." Egg, cream, and chocolate—all are in this recipe, but the article goes on to say "[t]he ingredients are beaten separately and then carefully folded together to produce a light and fluffy yet extremely rich confection." The recipe does call for two of the ingredients to be heated, but they're poured rather than folded, and instead of carefully doing anything, one uses a blender.
Wikipedia says that a pudding (the second type) "consists of sugar and a thickening agent such as cornstarch, gelatin, eggs, or tapioca to create a sweet dessert similar to custard or mousse." Sugar and eggs—again, we have a match. Since the definition includes "similar to ... mousse," one wonders what the difference is, exactly, but Wikipedia is not helpful.
However, there is a link for chocolate pudding specifically, which describes pudding as "boiled then chilled, texturally a custard set with starch." This page threatens to clear things up by specifying a starch, such as flour or cornstarch, but then it muddies things once again by adding "Occasionally, eggs are still used when making chocolate pudding."
Which is it? Unlike a mousse, this dessert does not call for careful folding. Unlike a pudding, this dessert uses eggs, rather than starch, for firmness.
Free Dictionary defines mousse as "a light creamy dessert set with gelatin," which doesn't fit this dessert at all. However, the same site defines pudding as "A sweet dessert, usually containing flour or a cereal product, that has been boiled, steamed, or baked," which again, doesn't quite fit.
Article comments
1 - Lary Trop
Phillip:
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe so much but just by looking at the ingredients I believe that it could be better. Mousse means foam in French so basically the difference between a pudding and a mousse is that the mousse is lighter and foamy. Just like mousse (foam) for hair, although the chocolate version tastes better. Mousses and puddings can be made with or without eggs although generally a pudding is thickened with some kind of starch while the thickness of a mousse comes from whipped egg whites and whipped cream usually stabilized with chocolate that is melted and then hardens when it cools. Your recipe looks excellent although I would substitute a really good chocolate such as Callebaut and I would whip the cream and eggs-separately-then melt the chocolate gently and fold all together. You would get a lighter and smoother dessert. Just my thoughts.
2 - Phillip Winn
I'm not sure that "lighter and smoother" would actually be an improvement for this recipe, Lary! Actually, it's really smooth already, so the question is more "lighter and fluffier." It's the heaviness of the dessert as-is that caused me to initially question its status as a "mousse," but it's also a bit of what separates the grownups from the kids. :-)
If I wanted to spend much more time preparing it, then yes, I would use the Kitchen-Aid and whip things separately. I would probably also use Scharffen Berger chocolate, my personal favorite.
I may experiment with that sometimes, but for now the emphasis is on a very quick and easy dessert that will knock one's socks off.
Thanks for reading! Give it a try as-is once and then see if you think it would be improved if lighter. :-)
3 - Mark Schannon
Scharffen Berger is an amazing chocolate from San Francisco that's giving the big boys a real run for their money.
The recipe looks great, but let me suggest one thing: find heavy cream that isn't ultra-pasturized to last 5-6 years in your cupboard. The difference in taste is amazing.
4 - Phillip Winn
Lary, after trying the Mousse with quite a bit more blending, to make it lighter and fluffier than I'd had it before, I take back what I said. Lighter and fluffier *is* better! You were right, and I'll try your other suggestions for improvement when I have a bit longer to spend making it.
Proper chilling time in our refrigerator seems to be about 2.5 hours if you want it to be soft by the time you finish eating it, or 3+ hours for firmer consistency.