Pistachio Mousse Cake with Berry Insert and Mirror Glaze – A Retro 70s-Inspired Dessert

A retro-chic pistachio mousse cake with berry mousse, almond sponge, and pistachio shortbread, finished with a glossy green glaze. Eye-catching and delicious.

This pistachio mousse cake brings the spirit of the 70s straight to your dessert table – bold colors, clean shapes, and unforgettable flavors. It’s a tribute to pistachio lovers, with layers of pistachio dacquoise, a delicate berry mousse insert, and a light yet rich pistachio mousse. A crisp pistachio shortbread base supports the whole creation, which is elegantly finished with a shiny green mirror glaze and vibrant red decorative toppers. If you love pistachio desserts and creative, retro presentation, this cake is a must-try. It’s a modern pastry showpiece wrapped in nostalgic style – and packed with real flavor.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword cake, pastry, Pistachio Orange Cake, proffitionel cakes, recipes

Prep Time 1 25

Cook Time 25

Servings People

Ingredients

▫️Pistachio Dacquoise

100 g egg whites about 3 eggs
1 pinch of salt
30 g sugar
60 g powdered sugar
60 g finely ground green pistachios
10 g all-purpose flour

▫️Berry Mousse

180 g mixed berry purée e.g., raspberry & strawberry
60 g sugar
3 gelatin sheets 5 g total
140 g heavy cream

▫️Pistachio Shortbread Base

35 g powdered sugar
100 g flour Type 550 or all-purpose
20 g cornstarch
110 g butter cold
1 g salt
10 g ground pistachios
10 g chopped pistachios

▫️Pistachio Mousse

140 g whole milk
60 g heavy cream
85 g pure pistachio paste 100%
4 gelatin sheets 7 g total
170 g white chocolate melted
250 g whipped cream semi-whipped

▫️Mirror Glaze (no condensed milk or couverture)

5 gelatin sheets 8.5 g total
115 g milk
225 g cream
300 g sugar
80 g glucose syrup
21 g cornstarch
Pistachio green and red food coloring

Instructions

🔹Pistachio Dacquoise

Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F), top and bottom heat.
Draw two 18 cm circles on the back of baking paper and place on a tray.
Combine ground pistachios with powdered sugar.
Whip egg whites with salt and sugar until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold in the pistachio mixture.
Sift flour over the batter and fold in carefully.
Pipe the mixture in spirals inside the circles.
Bake for 18–20 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.

🔹Berry Mousse

Soak gelatin in ice-cold water.
Heat the berry purée with sugar until dissolved.
Remove from heat and stir in drained gelatin.
Cool to 30°C (86°F), then fold in whipped cream.

🔹Insert Assembly

Cut two 16 cm circles from the dacquoise layers.
Place one in a 16 cm mold (Tortaflex or springform).
Pour in 2 cm of berry mousse and place the second dacquoise round on top.
Pour leftover mousse into small silicone molds (Globe or Micro Stone) for garnish.
Freeze all components until solid.

🔹Pistachio Shortbread

Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F).
Mix dry ingredients together, then add cold butter and knead quickly into a dough.
Roll out 5–6 mm thick between two sheets of parchment paper.
Chill on a baking sheet for 15 min, then peel off the top sheet.
Bake for ~20 minutes.
While still warm, cut a 17 cm circle using a cake ring. Let cool.

🔹Pistachio Mousse

Soak gelatin in cold water.
Heat milk and cream, then stir in pistachio paste and dissolve gelatin.
Combine with melted white chocolate and cool to ~30°C (86°F).
Fold in semi-whipped cream.

🔹Main Assembly

Fill the Dot silicone mold about ⅔ full with pistachio mousse.
Press the frozen insert (dacquoise + berry mousse) into the mousse.
Cover with more mousse and place the shortbread circle on top.
Freeze overnight.

🔹Mirror Glaze

Soak gelatin.
Heat milk, cream, glucose syrup, and 180 g sugar.
Mix remaining sugar with cornstarch and stir in.
Bring to a boil while stirring.
Cool to 70°C (158°F), then add gelatin.
Separate a small portion and color it red. Color the rest pistachio green.
Blend each color separately and cool to 26°C (79°F).
Glaze can be prepared 1 day ahead and reheated gently.

🔹Finishing

Place a rack over a tray.
Unmold the frozen cake and place on the rack.
Pour green mirror glaze over the top. Tilt slightly to avoid overfilling the center.
Once set, remove drips and transfer the cake to a plate.
Glaze frozen red garnishes and place on top.
Let the cake defrost in a cool place or fridge before serving.