Easy Chocolate Marshmallow Mousse Parfaits

It’s really hard to believe a year has passed since I originally shared this recipe with you guys. So much has changed since then! I LOVE making this super easy chocolate marshmallow mousse. But before we get to the recipe, I have a little trip down memory lane to share with you…and some exciting news!

If we rewind to a year ago, our family had just gotten settled here in New York when somehow I heard Duncan Hines was hosting a contest featuring their new Frosting Creations Flavor Packets. All you had to do was come up with a fun treat of your own using one of their 12 original flavors, take a picture, and add the recipe to their site! They would be choosing 12 winners, one from each flavor, which would win a trip to Parsippany, New Jersey to visit the Duncan Hines secret test kitchen.

But here’s the thing, I had never won anything. Better yet, I had never tried. But the hubby encouraged me to try and since we were brand new to the area, I didn’t have much else to do! Only one problem – I had 2 days till the deadline!! So I went out and bought every single flavor and began creating fun, easy, and unique desserts. Anybody could bake a cupcake and top it with flavored icing so I thought I would think out side the box and use the icing in creative ways. I quickly submitted my recipes and that was it. I never really thought anything would come out of it – after all, I never win anything.

So you guys can pretty much imagine my excitement when I received an email just one month later saying “Congrats you won!”. Then just another month later I was off to New Jersey where I spent the weekend with the 12 other winners, 3 baking bloggers, and the Duncan Hines crew. We enjoyed incredible food, lots of laughter and baking chit chat, a tour of the secret facility, behind the scenes look at product development, taste testing future products, baking with Master Chef Joe DiPaolo, and lots more. It was truly a once in a life time experience, or so I thought. :)

The Duncan Hines Frosting Creations challenge did SO much more for me then send me on a trip. It gave me the confidence to come home and really make a go of baking and blogging. Before I knew it MBC began to grow faster then I ever imagined, I entered and won 3 other national contests, and even launched MBC’s brand new website! Fun new opportunities seem to be popping up everywhere now.

Recently I received an email from Duncan Hines inviting me back to the test kitchen this fall! Duncan Hines had so much fun last year, they’ve decided to host a 2013 contest but this year, it’s going to be even better! This years winners will also be joined by all 12 of last years winners, 10 Popular Baking Bloggers along with 10 guests they are brining, and the Duncan Hines crew!!

Does that not sounds like a P-A-R-T-Y or what?! Talk about sugar high here. Are you guys as excited as I am?! You should be, because you could be one of the 2013 winners! I thought it would be a great time to revisit my winning recipe from last year to show you just how easy it was, and inspire you to enter too! To get your creative gears turning…here’s my winning recipe – chocolate marshmallow mousse parfaits. The layers of light and fluffy chocolate marshmallow mousse, chewy brownie, and salty pretzel create a seriously yummy sweet and salty combo, with great texture! The brownie was actually an element added by Duncan Hines when they remade my treat to share, I loved it so much I added in in the recipe here.

Here’s what you will need:

1 Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Chocolate Marshmallow Flavor Packet
1 Can Of Frosting Creation Frosting Starter
1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Box Of Duncan Hines Brownies Plus Ingredients Listed On Box
1/2 TBS Powdered sugar (optional)
Pretzels

This recipe makes approx. 10 5oz servings.

Step 1: Bake brownies in a 9X13 in pan as directed on box. Cut up into small pieces, plastic knives work best. (I like to bake mine on parchment paper for easy removal and clean up) You will have extra.

Step 2: Using a ziplock bag and a rolling pin crush up a handful or two of pretzels into pieces.

Step 3: Stir chocolate marshmallow flavor packet into the starter icing.

Step 4: Place metal mixing bowl and metal beater in freezer for five minutes.

Step 5: Pour whipping cream into cold bowl and beat until fluffy.

Step 6: If you would like to use some for topping, remove about 1 cup of whipping cream from the bowl and powdered sugar into the small portion to sweeten it just a bit.

Step 7: Add chocolate marshmallows icing to the whipping cream and beat just until combined.

Step 8: Begin layering pretzels, brownie, and chocolate mousse into small dessert bowls or glasses. Top with set aside whipping cream, pretzel crumbs, and brownie chunks. If using tall thin glasses like mine, it helps to use a ziplock of piping bag to pipe in the mousse.

This recipe was so fun and easy to create. Just about anybody could make it, and enjoy it ;). The best part of it, is how easy it is! As a matter of fact, Chef Jo even pointed out how much he loved this creation because of how simple it really was. So what at you waiting for?! Grab your beater and whip up some chocolate mousse and while you enjoy it…start brainstorming what yummy creation you want to enter! Duncan Hines will kicking off the contest any moment now on DuncanHines.com, so don’t wait! You could be headed to New Jersey in the fall! I’ll keep you guys posted on MBC’s Facebook page as well.