createChocolate mousse
Truly one of my all time favorites, this dessert is all about lots of air and bowls. Even the French word mousse means “lather” or “foam”. Properly made, it is light, airy and dissolves into an intense, chocolate. This will work your dinner guests into a lather too.
Ready
- 8 oz good quality, dark, bittersweet chocolate (I prefer a 60% cocao)
- 1 cup heavy cream (note you will need two cups total)
- 3 large eggs separated at room temperature*.
- Pinch of cream of tartar (less than ⅛ tsp)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream (2nd Cup)
Set
- Several heat proof bowls
- Mixer with whips
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
- Plastic wrap
- Serrated knife
- Cutting board
Go
- Using the serrated knife finely chop chocolate and place in heat proof bowl.
- Bring cream in small sauce pan to a boil (cream will rise and threaten to boil over) over medium heat.
- Immediately pour cream over chocolate. Make sure chocolate is settled in cream.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let set 1 minute.
- Using spatula, stir chocolate for about two minutes.
- Continue stirring making sure that the chocolate is completely melted.
- Let set until it cools to about 70º or room temperature.
- Whisk egg yolks in small bowl.
- Temper yolks by adding a small amount of warm chocolate to yolks while stirring.
- While stirring, add all of yolk mixture to chocolate mixture and set aside.
- In mixer with whips, whip egg whites on medium speed. When large bubbles appear add cream of tartar and continue to whip to soft peaks.
- Slowly add sugar a little at a time and continue to whip until egg whites reach medium peak stage (about 4 minutes) and transfer to clean bowl.
- Using same bowl, whip the second cup of cream on medium speed to soft peaks (about 2 minutes).
- Gently fold (cut spatula through center down to bottom follow along bottom to side, lift up and over to center. Repeat) egg whites into cream.
- Gently fold in chocolate until incorporated.
- Cover and chill for about hour before serving.
- Will keep in refrigerator for 2 days.
What you should know
Ingredients such as eggs and cream whip better, rise better and all around incorporate better at room temperature (its almost a baking creed.)
By pouring the hot cream over the chocolate you guarantee that you won’t burn the chocolate. It’s also easier and faster than a double boiler.
When we made this earlier today, at step 7 the chocolate seemed to separate. It looked kind of grainy sitting in an oil. We were a little worried, but it all went back together when we added the egg yokes. Is this normal (we used 70% cocoa chocolate)?
Anyway, it turned out great.
I was nervous when my sister-in-law asked for Chocolate Mousse for her birthday treat. But this recipe gave me peace of mind- it was easy to make- and a HUGE hit at the table! It may become our new birthday tradition!
This was easy. And amazing.
This looks easy and I am making it for our holiday party. Can I spoon the mousse into individual cups before serving or should I do it before refrigerating?
No need for a double boiler! Brilliant! I love how you figured out to heat the cream first and then pour it over the chocolate. Now you don’t have to endlessly stir worried the whole time that the chocolate will burn. I’m trying this super easy chocolate mousse tonight.
Yummmmmm!
Mmmm… Thanks for a very delicious recipe. I’d love to prepare it. I love chocolate immensely. I wonder if it is possible to prepare it without the cream of tartar or what can I substitute it with.
There is not a good substitute for creme of tartar. But with this recipe you can get away without it if you are desperate. The egg whites will not be as stiff and your mousse will not be as airy, but it will still taste good.
Before you make this mousse again be sure to get some creme of tartar. t lasts a very long time, is relatively inexpensive and you will notice a difference in the quality of your chocolate mousse.
Yummy!!! Your chocolate mousse looks really mouthwatering. Thanks for sharing.
OMG! This is soooooooo gooooood!!!!
The overall process is very easy so the recipe can be easily prepared. It’s really Yuumy!!
This recipe is amazing. I can’t tell you how many times I have burned the chocolate trying to make mousse. I love your trick for pouring the cream into the chocolate. No need for a double boiler. I love it!
We made this at dinner the other night. It was simple and we had great fun doing it with the kids — who were happy to taste test every single step. And even with their “help” the mousse turned out light, airy and delicious.