Go Back
A glass bowl of swirled dulce de leche mousse drizzled with golden caramel sauce on top, with a spoon alongside and blurred serving dishes in the background on a light surface.

Dulce de Leche Mousse

A light, airy caramel mousse made with dulce de leche and cold whipped cream, swirled into clear glass bowls and finished with a glossy dulce de leche dollop on top. No baking required.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Latin American
Calories: 465
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g dulce de leche, plus extra for topping Must be at room temperature and completely cool before folding in cream
  • 400 ml heavy whipping cream, very cold Must be cold from the refrigerator for the best whipped volume
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Deepens the caramel flavor throughout the mousse
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar Stabilizes the cream slightly without adding noticeable sweetness
  • 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt Sharpens the caramel flavor and balances the sweetness
  • 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin (optional) Bloomed in 1 tablespoon cold water; helps the mousse hold its swirled shape
  • 1 tablespoon cold water For blooming the gelatin before dissolving

Equipment

  • 2 Large mixing bowls, one chilled The chilled bowl is for whipping the heavy cream to soft peaks
  • 1 Hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment For whipping cream efficiently to the right consistency
  • 1 Wide silicone spatula For folding the cream into the dulce de leche without deflating
  • 4 Clear glass serving bowls Transparency shows the pale golden color and swirled texture as in the image
  • 1 Small bowl for gelatin For blooming and dissolving the gelatin before adding to the mousse
  • 1 Piping bag with wide round tip (optional) For the swirled finish; a large spoon works as an alternative

Method
 

  1. Spoon dulce de leche into a large bowl and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes until loose enough to fold smoothly without streaks.
  2. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl and let it bloom for 5 minutes until fully swollen and spongy before dissolving.
  3. Set the gelatin bowl inside a larger bowl of hot water and stir until fully dissolved into a clear liquid with no visible granules remaining.
  4. Stir dissolved gelatin into the room-temperature dulce de leche immediately and mix until fully incorporated before it begins to set.
  5. Pour cold heavy cream into a chilled bowl with powdered sugar and vanilla extract and whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form that hold a shape but still move gently.
  6. Add fine sea salt to the dulce de leche mixture and stir briefly, then add one third of the whipped cream and fold with a wide spatula using slow circular strokes to lighten the base.
  7. Add the remaining whipped cream in two additions, folding each one gently until no white streaks remain and the color is an even warm ivory-gold throughout.
  8. Spoon or pipe the mousse into clear glass bowls, creating a gentle swirl at the top surface by pulling a spoon or spatula in one smooth arc as shown in the image.
  9. Cover each bowl loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight until the mousse firms to a sliceable, spoonable consistency.
  10. Just before serving, add a generous dollop of room-temperature dulce de leche to the center of each bowl so it sits glossy and slightly melting on top of the set mousse as shown in the image.

Notes

The dulce de leche must be completely cool and the cream must be whipped cold before folding or the mousse will deflate. Add the dulce de leche topping only just before serving so it stays glossy. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before serving for the best swirled texture.