This chic dessert Mousse au Chocolat (or French Dark Chocolate Mousse) is surprisingly fuss-free, made with only 4 simple ingredients, ready in 20 minutes, and no baking is required.
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This ultimate French Dark Chocolate Mousse is a versatile dessert; you can pack it for a picnic or add it to your 5-course menu for a touch of sophistication. It is rich, elegant, and delicious, and has an intense dark chocolate flavor with a creamy texture.
What Is A Mousse?
In definition, the word mousse (French: [mus]; "foam") means a soft food that incorporates air bubbles with a light and airy texture. It can range from light and fluffy to creamy and thick, depending on preparation techniques.
Sweet mousses are usually made with whipped egg whites, whipped cream, or both. But, the original French dark chocolate mousse recipe (Mousse au Chocolat) is made with egg whites.
This dark chocolate mousse recipe follows traditional methods, and it is absolutely delicious! When a dessert is originally French, I often find it intimidating to try in the kitchen. But the good news is that the dark chocolate mousse is one of the rare exceptions in French cuisine.
If you love French food, you might want to have a look at my other delicious French recipes such as Strawberry Mille Feuille, Chicken Liver Parfait - Pate, Traditional French Onion Soup, and French Strawberry Custard Tart.
Why This Recipe Works
- This French Chocolate Mousse recipe requires only 4 ingredients, is ready in 20 minutes, and is very easy to follow/make.
- Made from scratch the French way, this Dark Chocolate Mousse is extremely smooth and is a chocolate lover's dream!
- It is the perfect way to finish a dinner whether it is a romantic dinner for two or a big family gathering.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Chocolate
Here in this Mousse au Chocolat recipe, chocolate is the star of the show so it is important to choose top-quality chocolate.
Same as I used for Chocolate Strawberry Tartlets, Cranberry Cheesecake Brownies, and Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies, I used Lindt 70% dark chocolate. Valrhona chocolates are also quite popular for baking.
Make sure you buy your chocolate from the baking aisle of grocery stores, not the confectionary aisle.
Egg Whites
Raw egg whites are the key ingredients in this Dark Chocolate Mousse Recipe and provide a fluffy and creamy texture without adding any cream.
Make sure you separate the egg yolks from the whites while they are still cold, out of the fridge. Bring the egg whites to room temperature before using them.
Sugar
This recipe requires very little sugar. You can adjust it to your taste.
Use less sugar if you are using dark chocolate with a lower cacao percentage than %70.
Is It Safe to Eat Raw Eggs in Chocolate Mousse?
Eating raw eggs may cause salmonella food poisoning. This concern is most prevalent in the USA, while raw eggs are commonly used in Europe to make desserts such as Classic Italian Tiramisu. To eliminate your concern about eating raw eggs, use pasteurized egg whites for this recipe. However, consuming raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women and babies.
How to Make Dark Chocolate Mousse?
It’s hard to mess up this easy Dark Chocolate Mousse recipe. However, there are a few simple steps and tips that you should pay attention to make sure your dark chocolate mousse turns out just right, light and airy:
Melt the chocolate using the bain-marie method. Place the chocolates in a heat-resistant bowl which you will set over a pan of simmering water. (Do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water).
Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice in a large bowl until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until firm peaks form. (Don't whisk after this stage – the egg whites will start to collapse and make a runny liquid, and you'll lose all the air that you whisked in).
When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the heat.
Fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the hot chocolate quickly with a silicone spatula until nicely combined. (If you add the egg whites in slowly, their cold temperature can make the hot chocolate solidify and result in a lumpy mousse).
Fold the other ⅓ of the egg whites and then the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture until all of the egg white has been completely mixed with the chocolate. (Try not to over mix at this stage as you'll knock out the air bubbles).
Place the mousse mixture into four glasses. Do not panic, it is normal for the mousse to feel a bit runny at this stage. Let it chill in the fridge for 3 hours. Top each portion of mousse with 1 passion fruit pulp and 2-3 raspberries.
Top Tips From The Chef
- Your eggs should be at room temperature - Take the eggs out of the fridge for at least an hour before using them. Cold eggs harden the melted chocolate and change the texture of your dark chocolate mousse.
- Beat it! - The key is to beat your eggs very firmly – add a pinch of salt to help the process. The firmness of the egg whites is very important because the beaten egg whites are what will give the mousse the desired light and airy texture. The test here is that the egg whites should grab firmly to the whisk.
- Gently fold the egg whites - Add the egg whites into the chocolate very delicately and gradually. Typically, you should add the eggs in three batches. Start with ⅓, then another ⅓, and fold in the remaining ⅓. You should never mix but gently fold your beaten egg whites to gather the melted chocolate at the bottom of the bowl.
- Choose good quality chocolate - This rule is applicable for any recipe: use the best wholesome ingredients. Here in this recipe, chocolate is the star of the show so it is important to choose top-quality chocolate. I used Lindt 70% dark chocolate. Valrhona chocolates are also quite popular for baking.
Recipe FAQs
Pudding is made with a milk and sugar base that is cooked with cornstarch to thicken it. Although it is light and creamy, their texture is denser then a mousse. Keskul - Turkish Almond Pudding and Kazandibi are great examples of a delicious homemade pudding.
Mousse, is traditionally not cooked and made by mixing a flavor base into whipped egg whites or whipped cream. This makes mousse lighter and fluffier then a pudding, with nice air bubbles throughout.
The leftovers would keep refrigerated for up to two days only because of its raw egg content. Cover the leftovers with a cling film to avoid them absorbing the odours from your fridge.
Yes, as soon as your mousse is ready, cover and place them in the freezer. They would keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw them in a fridge for a couple of hours before consuming.
Related Recipes
For more scrumptious sweet treats why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this elegant and delicious French Dark Chocolate Mousse as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Mousse au Chocolat - French Chocolate Mousse
Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Mousse
- 7 egg whites (medium sized eggs)
- 40 g granulated (caster) sugar
- ¼ tablespoon lemon juice
- 170 g dark chocolate (good quality 60-70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped)
Topping
- 4 passion fruit (medium sized, ripe)
- 8-10 raspberries
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate using the bain-marie method (place the chocolates in a heat-resistant bowl which you will set over a pan of simmering water. Do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water).
- Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice in a large bowl until they form soft peaks.
- Add the sugar and continue to whisk until firm peaks form. (Don't whisk after this stage – the egg whites will start to collapse and make a runny liquid, and you'll lose all the air that you whisked in.)
- When the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the heat.
- Fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the hot chocolate quickly with a silicone spatula until nicely combined. (If you add the egg whites in slowly, their cold temperature can make the hot chocolate solidify and result in a lumpy mousse.)
- Fold the other ⅓ of the egg whites and then the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture until all of the egg white has been completely mixed with the chocolate. (Try not to over-mix at this stage as you'll knock out the air bubbles.)
- Place the mousse mixture into four glasses. Do not panic, it is normal for the mousse to feel a bit runny at this stage. Let it chill in the fridge for 3 hours.
- Top each portion of mousse with 1 passion fruit pulp and 2-3 raspberries.
Notes
- Take the eggs out of the fridge for at least an hour before using them. Cold eggs harden the melted chocolate and change the texture of your dark chocolate mousse.
- The firmness of the egg whites is very important because the beaten egg whites are what will give the mousse the desired light and airy texture.
- Add the egg whites into the chocolate very delicately and gradually.
- Here in this recipe, chocolate is the star of the show so it is important to choose top-quality chocolate.
Nutrition
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Ayla
Thank you for this simple and excellent recipe! Made for a birthday. Family rejoiced!