Mmm, chocolate mousse. Who knew only a few little ingredients can create such a delicious, indulgent dessert. I made this exact recipe for Valentine’s Day a couple years ago, and I wanted to post it last week, but time just got away from me! This is absolutely a perfect dessert to indulge in on V-Day, but it can definitely be enjoyed year-round and doesn’t call for a special occasion.
The thing I think I like the most about chocolate mousse is the fluffy texture. Sure, a bowl of straight up melted chocolate would also be delicious, but the fluffy creaminess of this mousse recipe really elevates simple bittersweet chocolate to a restaurant-worthy delicacy.
Besides the chocolate, all you’ll need for this recipe is eggs, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla – all pantry staples that you probably already have sitting around if you decide on this recipe on a whim!
tackling the technique
Make chocolate mousse seems like it should be intimidating since it’s such a classic dessert found on many a restaurant menu, but it’s actually extremely simple! The long cook time is only because it needs to chill in the fridge for a couple hours so it can set. Your active time making the mousse is really only about half an hour max, so it’s a total quickie! Just make sure to get started a couple hours at least before you plan to enjoy your dessert.
The most important part of the mousse (besides the chocolate, of course) is the eggs. For this recipe, you’re only going to use the yolks, so you’ll have to separate the eggs first. I always store the whites in a Tupperware and throw together a nice little egg white omelet the next day. Some mousse recipes call for whipping the egg whites and adding those for the fluffiness, but I found that whipped heavy cream does the job and adds a bit of extra creaminess to the finished product.
Once the eggs are separated, you’ll whip together the yolks and sugar. Then you’re going to temper the egg mixture with some heavy cream, which is a process of heating the yolks in a saucepan without actually cooking them. You’ll need to be pretty diligent during this step, whisking the mixture continuously and making sure the heat isn’t too high and you end up with scrambled eggs!
Once the egg mixture is nice and thick, you’re going to add the chocolate and vanilla, and refrigerate. Then, you’ll whip the heavy cream until it’s super thick and fluffy, and fold it into the chocolate mixture. And that’s about it! You’ll want to chill the mousse for at least 2 hours in the fridge to allow it to set fully and get nice and cold.
This easy chocolate mousse is truly the perfect recipe to make before dinner, pop it in the fridge, cook your meal, and then by dessert time it’s ready to go! I love to add a fun little fruit garnish to most of my desserts, and this rich chocolate mousse is begging for fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries. You can also get fancy by adding some chocolate shavings, a mint sprig, whipped cream, or a powdered sugar dusting. Yum!
⟶ the recipe
fluffy chocolate mousse
ingredients
3 large egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ cups heavy cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Pinch of sea salt
Prep time
30 minutes
Cook time
3 hours
Total time
3 hours 30 minutes
4 servings
instructions
Using a hand mixer, whip the egg yolks and sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
Warm ½ cup of the heavy cream and sea salt in a medium saucepan over low heat. Slowly pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan, tempering the eggs (keep heat on low or remove from heat momentarily if cream begins to boil).
Return the saucepan to the heat if removed, and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and chocolate until fully combined. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, whip the remaining heavy cream on high speed in a large bowl. Once stiff peaks have formed, fold cream into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Chill again for at least 2 hours. Spoon into ramekins or dessert bowls to serve, and top with fresh berries if desired.
⟶ recipe notes
- If any chunks form when cooking the egg and cream mixture, strain them out through a mesh sieve or a cheesecloth (being very careful not to burn your hands)
- You can also top with chocolate shavings or sweetened whipped cream (just whip the heavy cream with
⟶ store it
- Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. The fluffiness might go down a bit, but it will still be tasty
