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This easy chocolate mousse recipe is thick, creamy, and loaded with chocolate flavor! Use good quality chocolate for the best texture and flavor. This is a great “make-ahead” chocolate dessert recipe for Valentine’s day or any special occasion. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings to make this a showstopper dessert!
My Easy Chocolate Mousse Recipe
I haven’t been baking a lot these days. It’s just been too darn hot! But that doesn’t mean I’m not making my family dessert. Instead of baking, I’m simply opting for no bake recipes that don’t require me to turn on the oven.
Which is where this decadent chocolate mousse recipe comes into the picture. The chocolate mousse is light and airy… yet rich and intensely chocolatey. Simply divine… and an easy dessert that looks fancy and tastes incredible. Not a classic chocolate mousse, but still absolutely amazing!
Dark Chocolate VS Milk Chocolate
- I highly suggest using good quality chocolate, such as Ghiradelli or Lindt for this chocolate mousse recipe. With plenty of good quality chocolate brands on the market these days, you should be able to find something at any local grocery store.
- I don’t suggest using chocolate chips, as they contain ingredients that prevent smooth melting. If you must use chocolate chips, use high-quality chocolate chips with minimal ingredients.
- For the best flavor, use dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, anywhere between 60% and 78% cocoa. This will ensure this classic chocolate mousse is rich and not too sweet.
- I don’t suggest using milk chocolate, as it would yield an overly sweet mousse. Milk chocolate also won’t provide the rich chocolate flavor you want in a chocolate mousse.
Ingredients for Chocolate Mousse
- Dark Chocolate: Please see my chocolate notes above for everything you need to know about the best chocolate for this recipe!
- Egg Yolks: You don’t have to worry about raw eggs in this recipe. You cook the egg yolks in the custard mixture. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature! Save your egg whites for one of my recipes that calls for whipped egg whites.
- Granulated Sugar: Just a small amount helps sweeten this dessert. For a sweeter chocolate mousse, I suggest using a semi-sweet chocolate instead of dark chocolate or bittersweet.
- Heavy Cream: Aka heavy whipping cream. Use this in the mousse filling as well as in the whipped cream topping. Do not sub milk or half-and-half for real cream.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor in the chocolate mixture. For the best flavor, use high-quality REAL vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla.
- Espresso Powder: You can click here to check out my fave espresso powder. It won’t make the chocolate mousse taste like coffee. Instead, it deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor. But If you don’t have this ingredient, you may leave it out.
- Salt: I love using fine sea salt in this recipe, but in a pinch, table salt will work. Salt enhances the chocolate flavor and the other flavors in the recipe.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Aka powdered sugar. This is a must-have for making perfectly whipped cream. Don’t sub for any other variety of sugar!
How to Make Chocolate Mousse
- Make the Mousse Base: The melted chocolate mixture is super easy to make. The most crucial step is paying attention to the heavy whipping cream while it’s on the stovetop. You never want to let it come to a full boil.
- Chill the Chocolate Mixture: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. You want the chocolate mixture super cold before you add in the whipped cream!
- Make the Whipped Cream: Use an electric mixer to beat the remaining heavy cream. You’ll whip the cream past the soft peaks stage and wait for the stiff peaks to form. Then fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. At this point you can also make a separate batch of whipped cream for topping.
- Dish and Serve: Spoon the chocolate mousse filling into dessert cups. Then top with whipped cream, and chocolate shavings, and serve at once!
If you plan on making your chocolate mousse ahead of time, you don’t top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. You should do this right before serving! Loaded with chocolate flavor, this is the PERFECT chocolate dessert for any occasion.
Equipment for this Not Classic Chocolate Mousse Recipe
The Best Chocolate Mousse Recipe
This classic chocolate mousse recipe is thick, creamy, and loaded with chocolate flavor! Use good quality chocolate for the best texture and flavor. This is a great "make-ahead" chocolate dessert recipe!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Mousse:
- 14 ounces 60% dark chocolate finely chopped
- 8 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
- 4 cups (908ml) heavy cream divided (steps 3,4,and,6)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (57g) confectioners' sugar
- chocolate shavings garnish, optional
Instructions
For the Chocolate Mousse:
- Place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.
- In a large-bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is thick, smooth, and deeply yellow. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-heat, warm two cups (454ml) of the cream just until it comes to a simmer.
- Remove the pan from heat and slowly whisk half of the hot cream into the egg yolk /sugar mixture, whisking constantly and adding it gradually, to temper the mixture.
- Slowly add another half cup of the hot cream (113ml) into the bowl and whisk well to combine. Leave the remaining cream in the pan.
- Transfer the tempered cream mixture back to the pan and cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes (do not bring the mixture to a boil).
- Slowly pour the warm mixture over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted, then whisk in the vanilla, espresso powder, and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Once the chocolate mixture is chilled, beat the remaining 1 and 1/2 cups of the heavy cream (340ml) with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, mixing softly but thoroughly, until evenly combined.
- Spoon the mousse into dessert cups, top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, and serve at once!
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment ,beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar together until medium-stiff peaks form (it should be silky and lusciously smooth, but stiff enough to spoon on top of the mousse).
- Spoon on top of the mousse, top with chocolate shavings, and serve at once!
Notes
If you don’t want to serve right away, store the chocolate mousse in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Make whipped cream topping right before serving.
The heavy cream is divided among 3 steps: Step 3, 4, and 6. You use all 4 cups in the mousse. 2 and 1/2 cups in the chocolate mixture, then 1 and 1/2 cups in the whipped cream mixture that is folded into the mousse.
This is a bittersweet chocolate mousse. For a sweeter mousse, use a semi-sweet chocolate.
The heavy cream called for in the mousse recipe is separate than the heavy cream called for for the whipped cream topping.
Tried it and loved it?Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @Bakerbynature and by using the hashtag #BakerByNature
sounds amazing but may wait until eggs aren’t $10.99 a dozen at Safeway! what do you do with all the egg whites? love your recipes!
It sounds and look delicious, definitely I want to make it…
Can you please specify what kind/name of the chocolate you use for this recipe, I would appreciate it very much.
Thanks a lot!
Hi Carmen. I like using bittersweet chocolate because I don’t like overly sweet desserts. But for a slightly sweeter dessert I’d recommend using semi-sweet chocolate. My favorite brands are Guittard or Lindt or Ghiradelli.
Do you have a link for the dessert cups you used? I’d love to buy some. Recipe looks great!
Hi Connie! Yes – here it is https://amzn.to/4k5Jzj4
What happens with the other half of the hot cream from step 3?
HI! You pour another half cup of it into the bowl (step 4) and leave the rest in the pan.
Made this for a girls night and it was a hit! Everyone was moaning lol and begging for the recipe. Yumm!
Well this might not be classic chocolate mousse but it’s absolutely delicious!!! And was easy to prep a day before my party. Guests loved it!!
Yikes I add 7 oz bitter sweet chocolate and it was just that BITTER
I tried adding sugar and more whipping cream but it was not the chocolate moose I was custom making. What did I do or not do?