In patisserie, mousse, crème, cream, and ganache differ in both composition and texture. Mousse is light and airy because air is incorporated—usually through whipped cream or egg whites, into a flavored base like chocolate or fruit, giving it a soft, foamy structure. Crème is a general term for smooth, often thickened preparations (such as pastry cream or crème anglaise), typically made with milk or cream and stabilized with eggs, starch, or gelatin, resulting in a creamy texture. Cream usually refers to whipped cream (or lightly sweetened whipped cream), which is simply dairy cream that has been aerated to create a light, fluffy texture and is often used as a topping or to lighten other preparations. Ganache, by contrast, is a rich mixture of chocolate and cream, with a dense and velvety consistency; depending on the ratio and preparation, it can be used as a glaze, filling, or even whipped to make it lighter. Together, these components offer a range of textures: from airy (mousse), to creamy (crème), to light and fluffy (cream), to rich and dense (ganache).