Dalgona Coffee Mousse

Creamy, frothy, sweet and wholesome; this Dalgona Coffee Mousse has all the flavors of the popular coffee in the form of a mousse! 

Often times the simplest ingredients make the most delicious recipes. It is no surprise that they become viral and are loved all over. Add in the impact of social media and you have a revolution.

Over the years several drinks from ube latte and butterfly pea flower lemonade have taken the media by storm. These are not just refreshing, they are also amazing. Not to forget the desserts like ice cream barfi and ube cake that became popular.

One of the amazing drinks that became a rage not long ago was 'Dalgona'. Whether you saw it on social media, in your neighborhood cafe or at a friends place; this coffee is definitely unforgettable.

As a family, we also enjoyed tons of this Dalgona coffee. And inspired by that, is this dessert; Dalgona Coffee Mousse!

Jump to:

• What is Dalgona
• This Dalgona Mousse
• What is agar agar
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Recipe FAQs
• More Delicious Desserts to try
• Dalgona Coffee Mousse

What is Dalgona

Dalgona for all these years was simply a kind of toffee from Korea. A mix of molten sugar and baking soda gives a honeycomb structure to this popular toffee. 

So when Dalgona coffee became popular; most thought it would be made using a similar technique. However, this coffee does not have the flavor from dalgona but has an appearance like that. Pillowy soft, sweet and made from sugar. 

Dalgona coffee has a close resemblance to the Indian phetti hui coffee. I have enjoyed this since childhood. Instant coffee powder and sugar are mixed with some water and beaten with a spoon till it results in a soft cream. Hot or cold milk is added to make the coffee.

This Dalgona Mousse

As I mentioned, dalgona coffee is a delicious preparation of instant coffee, sugar, water and milk. Together, these make one of the most unique coffee.

And when there is something so amazing; you have to make something from it. This Dalgona coffee mousse is just that.

This dessert resembles the coffee in appearance, is almost similar in taste but is actually a dessert instead of being a drink. We make a vanilla mousse with a vegetarian variant of gelatin called 'agar agar' and add in place of hot or cold milk in the glass. And we top that with the soft and creamy layer of dalgona.

What is agar agar

As we need a mousse layer that is properly set and stay well in the dessert; we use agar agar powder.

This is the vegan substitute for gelatin. It comes in various forms like a powder and in threads. This needs activation by adding in hot liquid like water, milk or juice. Once activated, it slowly begins to set any liquid that it is added in. This has a quality of setting well at room temperature.

This is the easiest way to make mousse, jelly, custards and puddings. Paan Pannacotta and Vanilla Pannacotta are our favorite desserts to make using agar agar. Similarly we use agar agar to set this dalgona coffee mousse.

Why this recipe works

• The recipe is perfectly vegetarian friendly.
• We can taste the flavors of dalgona in every bite of this delicious dessert.
• It is a refreshing coffee flavored dessert.
• The recipe is easy to make ahead of time.
• We need less than 30 minutes of active time to make this one.
• The recipe scales very easily.
• Plus, the recipe is naturally gluten-free.
• It is easy to make this dessert in small cups or in a large bowl.
• The flavor of the mousse is easy to modify by changing the flavoring agent.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Whipping Cream: The base of the mousse layer is whipping cream. I like to whip it using a stand mixer. However, a hand mixer works well too. Both dairy and non-dairy based heavy cream works for the recipe.
• Agar agar: The ingredient used to set the mousse is agar-agar. It comes in a powder form and is a perfect vegetarian alternate for gelatin. We need to activate it in warm water and use it to set the mousse. Gelatin will work in the recipe too. Ensure to use plain agar agar and not any agar based jelly or custard mix.
• Cornstarch: A natural stabilizer, cornstarch helps stabilize the mousse. However, this ingredient is optional. Not using it does not modify the overall recipe.
• Sugar: The sweetener in the recipe is sugar. I use regular granulated sugar in the recipe. Brown sugar works, but leaves a darker tinge in the otherwise white mousse. Use maple syrup or honey if you like in the mousse. However, we need sugar to make the dalgona layer.
• Instant Coffee: The prime ingredient in the dalgona layer is instant coffee. Nescafe is the most popular brand but any kind of instant coffee works. Use a dark roast or medium but remember the medium one dilutes further with all the other ingredients.
• Vanilla Extract: A dash of pure vanilla extract is perfect to flavor the mousse. I opt for an alcohol free bottle from Trader Joe's but really any kind of vanilla extract works. Moreover, use coffee extract for for a strong coffee flavor.
• I like to top off the dessert with some coffee beans. However, shaved chocolate or instant coffee powder works well too.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- In a stand mixer or a bowl add 1 cup heavy whipping cream.

2- Whip till soft peaks appear. 

3- In a pan add 2 tablespoon water and dissolve agar agar powder in it. Stir well and place on the stove. Add in sugar, cornstarch and vanilla extract. 

4- Bring everything to a boil and then add 1 cup heavy whipping cream. Mix well and let it warm up.

5- Turn the stove off and let everything cool for a few minutes. Once it is cool, pour the mixture into the whipped cream and mix lightly till smooth.

6- Using a piping bag or spoon fill dessert bowls with the mousse. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

7- In a bowl add all the ingredients for the dalgona layer and beat using a hand mixer. It should convert to a thick foam.

8- Then add a couple of spoons of the foam on the chilled mousse.

Expert Tips and Notes

• The recipe is vegetarian friendly as we use agar-agar. However, we can make the same using gelatin. Simply bloom the gelatin in water and proceed with the recipe.
• Moreover, the recipe is easy to make Vegan. Swap the dairy based cream for a non-dairy cream. The recipe works perfectly.
• The dalgona layer is easy to make using a hand whisk. However, we can use a spoon and some patience to make the same layer.
• Whip the cream till you have soft peaks. That way the cream will blend well with the rest of the ingredients. If the cream has hard peaks, it will not mix too well.
• While it may be tempting to reduce the sugar in the dalgona layer, do not do so. A ratio of 1:1:1 of coffee powder to water to sugar is apt. Very less sugar tends to give us a liquid instead of froth. Instead of that, reduce the sugar in the mousse to balance the sweetness of dalgona.
• Make the mousse ahead of time. That way it has a chance to set well and chill perfectly.
• Do not add the dalgona layer on hot mousse as it will melt away and not stay well. Simply add it after the mousse has set and chilled in the refrigerator.
• To get an extra layer of coffee flavor, replace the vanilla extract with coffee extract in the mousse.

Recipe FAQs

More Delicious Desserts to try

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