Mousse au Chocolat (French Chocolate Mousse)
Local name: Mousse au chocolat
In short: Airy, deeply chocolatey mousse made from only dark chocolate, butter, eggs and sugar, chilled until soft and spoonable. It takes about 30 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Resting
- 4 h
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 290 kcal
French chocolate mousse is made with very few ingredients: dark chocolate, butter, eggs and a little sugar. Melted chocolate is folded into egg yolks, then into whipped egg whites, which gives a mousse that is airy but intensely chocolatey. It is a family dessert in France, usually made a day ahead and served from a big bowl. The eggs are raw, so use very fresh ones or pasteurized eggs.
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate one at a time until glossy. Stir in the coffee or rum, if using.
- In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt to soft peaks. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time and whisk until the whites are stiff and glossy.
- Stir a quarter of the whites into the chocolate to loosen it. Fold in the remaining whites in two batches with a large spatula, cutting down through the center and turning the bowl, until no white streaks remain.
- Spoon the mousse into six glasses or one serving bowl. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Serve cold with a little cream or a few chocolate shavings.
Tips
- Keep the bowl and whisk completely free of grease and egg yolk, or the whites will not whip. Fold gently to keep the air in the mousse.
- Use dark chocolate with 60 to 70 percent cocoa for the best flavor. Milk chocolate makes a much softer mousse, so add 50 g (2 oz) extra if you use it.
Questions and answers
Is chocolate mousse safe to eat with raw eggs?
Raw eggs carry a small risk of salmonella. Use very fresh eggs from a trusted source or pasteurized eggs, and avoid serving the mousse to pregnant women, young children and elderly guests.
How long does chocolate mousse keep?
Covered in the fridge, it keeps for up to 2 days. It tastes best after at least 4 hours of chilling.
Can I make chocolate mousse without eggs?
Yes, but it is a different recipe. Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) whips like egg white and can be folded into melted chocolate for a vegan mousse.
How long does it take to make Mousse au Chocolat (French Chocolate Mousse)?
About 30 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Mousse au Chocolat (French Chocolate Mousse)?
About 290 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 290 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 70 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
