Coffee Mousse Recipe

Yankee Bill’s paternal grandmother-Lila-was by all accounts a fantastic cook. Although I never met her (she passed before we even started dating) I feel as though I know her a little bit through some of the recipes she left behind, and the stories that the family tells. Not only was she a fabulous cook, but also an uncommonly kind woman. My dear Mother-in-Law frequently says “If Lila didn’t make it into heaven, the rest of us don’t have a chance!”

Two of the favorite desserts that Lila used to make were her orange cookies and her coffee mousse. Unfortunately both original recipes have been lost (although thankfully I am the recipient of her incredible homemade chili sauce recipe!). My Sister-in-Law and Mother-in-Law have both tried a bunch of different orange cookie recipes, but none of them come close. They are too soft, or too sticky, or the icing doesn’t harden up to a shell like Lila’s did.

Fortunately we are much luckier on the Coffee Mousse front. My Mother-in-Law has come across a recipe that is much easier to make than the original was, but tastes almost the same. This desert was always one of Yankee Bill’s favorites growing up, so I like to make it for him on special occasions.

So if you want an fairly inexpensive, light and classy dessert? Try coffee mousse!

1pkg Unflavored Gelatin

1/4C Water

1 1/4 C Milk

1/3 C Sugar

2 TBS (heaping) Instant Coffee

1tsp Vanilla

1 3/4C Cool Whip

Sprinkle gelatin and instant coffee over water in a small pan and let set for 5 minutes.

Cook water/gelatin mixture over low heat until dissolved

Combine milk, sugar, and vanilla. Slowly add this to the gelatin.

Take off heat and fold in cool whip.

Refrigerate.

Tagged as: recipe