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    Home » Holiday Treats and Recipes » Christmas

    Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake & Peppermint Brookies- Holiday Recipes

    Published: Dec 1, '14 · Modified: Feb 11, '18 · By: Beth · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Over the holiday weekend, I served party guests the most amazing Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake made using Nestle products and am sharing the recipe with you today as part of a #CollectiveBias sponsored campaign. #HolidayMadeSimple

    Over the holiday weekend, I served party guests the most amazing Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake made using Nestle products and am sharing the recipe with you today as part of a #CollectiveBias sponsored campaign. #HolidayMadeSimple

    On Friday night, after a day spent riding go carts, playing laser tag, and winning prizes at our local arcade, my family gathered at our house for dinner and a movie. Being I had been out all day having fun, I whipped up a quick and easy meal of Stouffer's Lasagna with Meat & Sauce, salad, and bread.

    Holiday Desserts - Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brookies and Pepperming Swirl Mousse Cake | HungryHappenings.com

    For dessert, I prepared Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brookies a combo of brownies topped with Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, and a Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake that had the most incredible fudgy brownie layer made using Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels topped with a lusciously refreshing white chocolate peppermint mousse. To make this dessert extra festive, I used crushed peppermint candy canes to decorate the top to look like a starlight mint.

    Mom enjoying a slice of White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Cake at our holiday party. | HungryHappenings.com

    Before dinner was even served, my mom had to test out the mousse cake. As soon as she spotted it, she wanted a bite. She loves peppermint, so I figured she was going to like it.

    I hadn't even tried the dessert yet. I don't often entertain and serve something I've not tried before, but I had confidence that this dessert was going to be good. I just didn't realize how good.

    My mom took a bite, and told me she wanted to skip dinner and just eat cake. My mom isn't a big sweet eater, so I knew that was a good sign.

    She did sit down and enjoy some lasagna with all of us and saved some of her cake for dessert.

    After I served everyone a slice of each of the desserts, I sat down to enjoy some myself. I was so full from the meal, but was anxious to try them and found myself licking my dessert plate clean.

    The brookie was good, but the cake was incredible.

    Everyone requested the mousse cake be served at Christmas dinner this year. It instantly became a new family favorite.

    White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse topped Brownie | HungryHappenings.com

    Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake (serves 12)

    Ingredients:

    Brownie layer -

    1 bag (12 ounces) Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

    ½ cup (1 stick) butter, cut into ½ inch slices

    1 cup sugar

    3 large eggs

    ¾ cup flourWhite Chocolate Peppermint Mousse layer -

    1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

    1 tablespoon cold water

    2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

    10 ounces Nestle's Premier White Morsels
    ¼ cup sifted confectioners (powdered) sugar
    1 ¼ teaspoons peppermint extractDecoration - 
    6 candy canes
    optional, red gel or paste food coloring

    Supplies:


    10 inch springform pan
    optional, clear acetate cake strip

    Instructions:

    Nestle Toll House Brownie Recipe | HungryHappenings.com

    Brownie Layer - 


    Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

    Spray springform pan with non-stick baking spray. 

    Place the semi-sweet chocolate morsels and butter into a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high power for 20-30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted.

    Stir in sugar, eggs, and flour. Pour into the springform pan. Bake for 26-30 minutes.

    Cool completely.

    white chocolate peppermint mousse recipe

    White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse Layer -Sprinkle powdered gelatin over water and set aside to bloom for five minutes. Heat ⅔ cup of the heavy whipping cream just until it boils and stir in the gelatin until melted. Pour over white morsels. Let sit a minute, then stir until melted. If by chance all of the white chocolate does not melt, you can heat it for 10 seconds in the microwave.

    Combine the remaining 1 ⅓ cups heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar and peppermint extract. Whisk to stiff peaks. Stir ⅓ of the whipped cream into the white chocolate then fold in the rest. The mousse will be light and fluffy.

    Peppermint Mousse Cake Tutorial

    Pour the mousse over the brownie layer and spread it in an even layer then refrigerate it for at least 4 hours.

    Note: I lined the pan with a clear acetate cake strip just to be sure that when I un-molded the cake it came out nice and clean. If you don't use one, you might want to freeze the cake for about 30 minutes, just to ensure your mousse easily pulls away from the side of the pan.

    Crush candy canes in food processor.

    Meanwhile, crush your candy canes into a fine powder. If you want, you can add some red food coloring to make the candy more vibrantly red.

    How to make a Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake that looks like a Starlight Mint | HungryHappenings.com

    Use a toothpick to draw out the starlight mint pattern on top of the peppermint mousse cake then sprinkle the crushed candy cane over top to create a red and white swirl pattern. I even marked which swirls would be filled with red candy.

    I found it easiest to create a guide out of non-stick tin foil. I folded it over into a 3 inch wide strip then shaped it like one individual swirl shape, set it on top of the mousse and sprinkled on the crushed peppermint candy. It worked great.

    How to make a Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake that looks like a Starlight Mint | HungryHappenings.com

    If you use the template, clean it off every time you pick it up and move it.

    Christmas Desserts - Starlight Mint Mousse Cake | HungryHappenings.com

    I refrigerated my cake overnight before taking the final pictures and as you can see the peppermint candy started to melt a bit. It was actually a very cool looking effect and when we ate the cake the mints were only slightly crunchy which was nice.

    If you want a more crisp looking starlight mint on top, add your candies no more than an hour before serving. If you like the brighter red melting candy look, then decorate the cake earlier.

    Peppermint Swirl Mousse Cake is our family's new favorite holiday dessert. You can find the recipe at Hungry Happenings later today. #HolidayMadeSimple #ad

    A video posted by Beth Jackson Klosterboer (@hungryhappenings) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:48am

    PST

    Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Brookies

    I also made a Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brookie using a boxed brownie mix and some Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. It was the first time I made brookies, and put them into a pan that was too small. I poured a brownie mix into an 8 inch pan then topped it with the squares of cookie dough and baked it for almost an hour. I want to try these again in a 9x13 pan. I'm sure they'd be amazing if baked properly, but in the small pan the edges got dried out before the center was baked. Oh, well, there's always next time.

    The Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are available for a limted time only, so I plan to go back to Walmart to buy some more so I can try making the brookies again during the holiday season. Everyone in my family really liked the flavor of the dark chocolate peppermint cookies and they paired well with the brownie.

    Something else I am anxious to try, but didn't have time before the party, was Nestle's Toll House Rolled Sugar Cookie Dough Sheets. They are pre-rolled to the perfect thickness, so all you have to do is cut and bake. That is such a time saver.

    I think they would be perfect for a fruit pizza or jumbo cookie decorated like a Christmas Card.

    As much as I like to bake and cook from scratch, I do appreciate prepared products which help make entertaining at the holidays easier. My family had a great day together and I didn't have to spend every moment in the kitchen.Hey, I have some fun news, Nestle is hosting a giveaway. They'll be giving away $1,600 in Nestle Gift Baskets. 8 winners will
    receive a $100 Nestle gift basket and 2 winners will receive a $400
    grand prize Nestle gift basket.
    Nestlé Holiday Sweepstakes

    This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayMadeSimple #CollectiveBias 

    Be sure to check out all my fun Christmas Recipes! 

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    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth
    Beth
    Hi, I'm Beth Jackson Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth
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    1. Bianca

      December 10, 2014 at 5:13 pm

      obsessed with this recipe!!! love the swirl. #HolidayMadeSimple and #entry

      Reply
    2. Karen@ onthebanksofsaltcreek.com

      December 10, 2014 at 2:59 pm

      Wow! That is gorgeous!

      Reply
    3. FoodtasticMom

      December 09, 2014 at 7:30 pm

      This is a stunning presentation... and I'm sure it tastes great too! Pinned

      Reply
    4. Theresa

      December 08, 2014 at 5:36 am

      That looks so amazingly good! Pinned for later. Hope we get to try making it! Theresa @DearCreatives

      Reply
    5. Jo-Lynne Shane

      December 07, 2014 at 8:12 pm

      Oh my goodness, these are so gorgeous!

      Reply
    6. Danielle Simmons

      December 06, 2014 at 4:51 am

      Gorgeous cake! And the brookie sounds so tasty. #client

      Reply
      • beth

        December 06, 2014 at 12:57 pm

        Thanks, Danielle.

        Reply
    7. Amiejo

      December 06, 2014 at 3:24 am

      I want to try this. I made some peppermint mocha sugar cookies that were really good and now I an hooked on peppermint. Thanks.

      Reply
      • beth

        December 06, 2014 at 12:58 pm

        I love peppermint too and this is definitely my favorite peppermint dessert.

        Reply
    8. Kat Jeter

      December 06, 2014 at 1:12 am

      Stopping by from Best of the Weekend link party. You had me at brownie layer! The top came out so good. Pinning!

      Reply
      • beth

        December 06, 2014 at 12:58 pm

        Thanks for stopping by Kat. I love the brownie in this dessert. It is so fudgy. I appreciate the pin:)

        Reply
    9. The Partiologist

      December 05, 2014 at 1:50 am

      You know how perfect this would be for my party, I LOVE it!

      Reply
      • beth

        December 05, 2014 at 1:53 am

        I wish I could mail one to you!

        Reply
    10. beth

      December 03, 2014 at 11:27 pm

      Thanks, Joseph. It really is delicious!

      Reply
    11. Heather Mason

      December 03, 2014 at 6:53 am

      That cake is really beautiful! I want to make it for my holiday party!

      Reply
      • beth

        December 03, 2014 at 12:57 pm

        Oh, I hope you do make one, you'll love it! Have a wonderful holiday season.

        Reply
    12. Lisa@hooplapalooza

      December 02, 2014 at 3:51 pm

      oh my goodness-perfect timing Beth! i'm having a peppermint party this weekend and am sooo making this! holy heck i hope it turns out as pretty as yours! :>O

      Reply
      • beth

        December 02, 2014 at 5:34 pm

        Oh, that sounds like fun. I'm sure this dessert will be perfect for your party. Enjoy! It really is amazing.

        Reply
    13. Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com

      December 01, 2014 at 7:00 pm

      This is awesome & so pretty!

      Reply
      • beth

        December 02, 2014 at 5:33 pm

        Thanks, Jill.

        Reply

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    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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