Easy Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse made from melted chocolate folded into whipped cream, with no raw eggs and no gelatine. Chilled until set.
- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine French-inspired
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- No raw egg, which makes it straightforward to serve to anyone.
- Sets on the strength of the cocoa butter alone as it chills, so there is no gelatine to soften or fail.
- Five ingredients, and the whole thing is made before it goes into the fridge.
Recipe
Easy Chocolate Mousse
Melted chocolate folded into whipped cream, no raw eggs.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Put the chopped chocolate and the salt in a heatproof bowl.
- Step 2. Heat 120 g (1/2 cup) of the cream until steaming but not boiling.
- Step 3. Pour it over the chocolate and leave it to stand for 2 minutes without stirring, then stir from the centre outwards until smooth and glossy.
- Step 4. Leave the chocolate mixture to cool until it is barely warm to the touch. This usually takes 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 5. Whip the remaining 240 g (1 cup) cream with the icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks — the peak should flop over when the whisk is lifted.
- Step 6. Stir about a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate to loosen it. Do not be gentle with this part.
- Step 7. Fold in the remaining cream in two additions, cutting down through the middle and lifting over, until no white streaks remain.
- Step 8. Divide between 4 glasses and chill for at least 2 hours.
Notes
- Temperature is the whole game here. Chocolate that is still warm melts the cream on contact and the mousse deflates; chocolate that has gone cold seizes into lumps the moment cream hits it. Barely warm to the touch is the window.
- Whip only to soft peaks. Cream taken to stiff peaks folds in as lumps and gives a grainy mousse, and it is already close to turning to butter.
- Fold, do not stir. Every extra stroke knocks out air, and air is the difference between mousse and chocolate cream.
Easy Chocolate Mousse — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/easy-chocolate-mousse/
Ingredient Notes
- Semi-sweet chocolate
- This is the whole structure of the mousse. As the cocoa butter cools it firms, and that is what sets the dessert. Use chocolate you would eat on its own, and avoid chips, whose stabilisers resist melting smoothly.
- Heavy cream
- Needs to be at least 35 percent fat to whip and hold. Single or light cream will not form peaks no matter how long it is beaten.
- Salt
- A pinch, but it sharpens the chocolate considerably. Without it the mousse tastes sweet and slightly muted.
Equipment
- Heatproof bowl
- Small saucepan
- Whisk or electric mixer
- Large silicone spatula
- 4 serving glasses or ramekins
Substitutions
- Semi-sweet chocolate
- Dark chocolate up to about 70 percent gives a firmer, less sweet mousse — add another tablespoon of icing sugar. Milk chocolate is much softer and sweeter, and needs a longer chill to hold.
- Vanilla
- A tablespoon of strong coffee, orange liqueur or brandy folded in with the vanilla works well. Add it to the chocolate rather than to the cream.
- Topping
- Softly whipped cream, grated chocolate, flaky salt or fresh raspberries.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add any whipped cream topping just before serving rather than at the start.
Freezing: Freezes for up to 1 month and eats well semi-frozen, closer to a chocolate semifreddo than a mousse. A full thaw in the fridge loses some of the aeration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my chocolate mousse grainy?
The chocolate was too cool when the cream went in, so it seized into small firm specks instead of blending. Let the chocolate cool only to barely warm, and loosen it with a third of the cream before folding in the rest.
Why is my mousse runny and not setting?
Either the cream was underwhipped, or the chocolate was still hot when it was folded in and melted the air out. It also needs a genuine two hours in the fridge — the set comes from the cocoa butter firming as it cools.
Can I make chocolate mousse without eggs?
This recipe already does. Classic mousse uses raw egg for aeration and structure; here the whipped cream provides the air and the cocoa butter provides the set.
How far ahead can I make it?
Up to three days, and it is arguably better on day two once fully set. Keep it covered so it does not take on fridge smells, and hold back any cream topping until serving.
What chocolate is best for mousse?
A good bar chocolate between 55 and 70 percent. Chips are formulated to hold their shape when heated, which is the opposite of what is wanted here.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, and it scales cleanly. Warm the cream for the ganache in the same proportion, and fold in three or four additions rather than two so the larger volume combines without overworking.
Did you make this?
Let other people know how it went. One tap, nothing to fill in.
Thanks — that helps.
