Chocolate Mousse Recipe
Chocolate Mousse is a delicate, light, and yet rich chocolate dessert that’s perfect for any celebration. This smooth and silky mousse is made from scratch by combining homemade whipped cream, melted chocolate, and sweetened tempered egg yolks.
Chocolate mousse is an amazing, smooth, and creamy chocolate dessert that is so special, it works for any occasion.
This is my absolute favorite recipe for a chocolate mousse made from scratch. Homemade mousse is so much better in texture and flavor, it’s worth a little extra efforts that you have to put in.
It’s really not a difficult process, it takes about 30 minutes to prepare and then it’s just chill time.
Much like the classic tiramisu recipe, this is an easy make ahead recipe where you just follow the steps to put it together, and then just wait for it to set in the refrigerator. No baking, and no need to go back and forth to work on it.
How To Make Chocolate Mousse
Make whipped cream: Using a cold whisk attachment, beat cold heavy cream in the cold bowl of an electric mixer, until soft peaks appear (1). Set it in the fridge until ready to use.
Melt chocolate: Preheat water in the double boiler over medium heat. Add chocolate, 1/4 cup of water, butter, and vanilla extract (2). Let it start melting and then stir with a silicone covered whisk until just melted and smooth (3). Take off heat and set aside.
Egg yolks: In a small, heavy-bottom sauce pot, over medium-low (to low) heat, whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar together. Cook stirring slowly but constantly, until the mixture reaches 160° (F). This could take up to 10 minutes but don’t walk away or stop stirring or you will cook your eggs. Take off heat.
Cool: Stir egg mixture into chocolate mixture until all combined and smooth (4). Place some ice into a large mixing bowl. Set the sauce pot in the ice bath. Let chocolate cool, while slowly stirring, for 5-7 minutes (5).
Mix: Fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture until all smooth (6). Don’t rush! Take you time folding with a spatula, you don’t want to whip or it will flatten.
Tips To Make The Best Chocolate Mousse
- Chocolate Mousse has been my go-to recipe for many celebrations and holidays. It’s always a crowd-pleaser and I love the fact that it can be prepared ahead of time. It’s so nice when you can get dessert out of the way the night before you have a party planned.
- This recipe may seem like a lot of steps and that it might take a long time, but it really is not that complicated and it will take you about 30 minutes to make it. Just remember to take it one part at a time because each one demands your attention.
- Use a double boiler to melt your chocolate, if available. Every time I try to take a microwave shortcut while melting my chocolate, it ends in disaster. I end up wasting two bars of baking chocolate and have to start all over. So don’t take that chance and use a double boiler.
- If you don’t have a double boiler, set a glass mixing bowl over a pot filled about half way with water. Water should not be touching the bowl on top. Melt chocolate in and butter in the glass bowl once the water starts to simmer.
- Make sure to bring the egg yolks mixture to a safe temperate of 160°-165°. Use a thermometer to track the temperature while cooking the eggs. Cook them low and slow and remember to stir constantly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.
Recipe FAQs
Can I add liqueur?
Absolutely! Feel free to stir in a tablespoon or two of amaretto, Kahlua, Bailey’s or crème de cocoa. Make sure to stir the liqueur into the egg yolk mixture, after you’ve brought it to temperature and before mixing it with the melted chocolate mixture.
How to store chocolate mousse?
Make sure to store chocolate mousse in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, it will last 5-7 days.
Some More Recipes To Try
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Chocolate Mousse Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz bittersweet baking chocolate
- 1/2 cup water split in two
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks from large eggs
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Whipped Cream:
- Using a cold whisk attachment, beat cold heavy cream in the cold bowl of an electric mixer, until soft peaks appear. Set it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Melting Chocolate:
- Preheat water in the double boiler over medium heat. Add chocolate, 1/4 cup of water, butter and vanilla extract.
- Let it start melting and then stir with a silicone covered whisk until all melted and smooth. Take off heat and set aside.
Egg Yolks:
- In a small, heavy-bottom sauce pot, over medium-low (to low) heat, whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar together. Cook stirring slowly but constantly, until the mixture reaches 160° (F). This could take up to 10 minutes but don't walk away or you will cook your eggs. Take off heat.
Cool and Combine:
- Stir egg mixture into chocolate mixture until all combined and smooth.
- Place some ice into a large mixing bowl. Set the sauce pot into the ice bath. Let chocolate cool, while slowly stirring, for 5-7 minutes.
- Fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture until all smooth. Take you time folding with a spatula, you don't want to whip or it will flatten.
- At this time, you can divide chocolate mousse among dessert cups, cover air-tight, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Baking chocolate – make sure to use baking/cooking chocolate bar and choose either dark or semi-sweet. Get the chocolate from the baking isle, not the candy isle!
- Heavy whipping cream – do not substitute this ingredient! It’s important to use heavy whipping cream to make whipped cream.
- Adding liqueur – Feel free to stir in a tablespoon or two of amaretto, Kahlua, Bailey’s or crème de cocoa. Make sure to stir the liqueur into the egg yolk mixture, after you’ve brought it to temperature and before mixing it with the melted chocolate mixture.
- Storing – Make sure to store chocolate mousse in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, it will last 5-7 days.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on November 23, 2014.
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Categories:
Chocolate Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Father's Day Recipe Ideas, Gluten Free Recipes, Most Popular Recipes, Mother's Day Recipe Ideas, Valentine's Day,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Excellent recipe. The portion with heating the eggs/sugar/water is quite tedious. But it turned out well.
Love this, what tip did you use to pipe it into the glasses?
Looks like a 1M
Hvala.
Čudovita sladica.
You are so welcome! Glad you like it!
Hi I just wanted to know if this could be used as a topping on a cake. I’d like to make mousse for a chocolate cake so I just want to know if this would work
I think that would be delicious! Because it is light and fluffy and porous it won’t be as smoothed as cream cheese or buttercream so it will not spread as well so you should use a piping bag instead of spreading it. And if your cake layers are not too heavy you can add it in the middle as well. Let me know how it goes.
Can I use a metal whisk and get the same results?
Sure, it will be a workout you need to keep a steady pace but you can do that.
Hi, I want to make this, do you have any ideas how to transport it for a few hour car ride? In a cooler with ice, maybe a bowl or gallon ziploc, or something else?
My daughter and I love this recipe and are resolved to eat more of it this year! Your photos are as decadent as your recipe!
Thank you so much, Lucinda!
Hi this looks goid! Did you use the double broiler in cooking eggs or straight from the stove?
Hi, Maria! Yes, you will cook the eggs using the double broiler or you can use a glass mixing bowl if you don’t have a double boiler and place it over a pot of water.