This rich and decadent dark chocolate mousse makes the perfect dessert for all chocolate lovers. Made with eggs, cream and dark chocolate this dessert is perfect for all special occasions like Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or if you are like me just because.
Chocolate mousse is just one of those desserts that always goes over well. However, this dark chocolate mousse takes the cake. It isn’t nearly as sweet, and it is perfect with a cup of coffee. The best part about this is such an easy chocolate dessert to make and it is one of my go-to recipes for those that are gluten free. This is also a wonderful vegetarian chocolate dessert, so it is easy to go over in a group with certain dietary restrictions.
Table of Contents
In this recipe
There aren’t a lot of ingredients to this recipe which makes for a simple dessert, and it is perfect for when you are wondering what desserts I can make with heavy cream.
Chocolate: a good bittersweet chocolate is perfect for this recipe. However, if bittersweet chocolate is too intense then you can go half and half with bittersweet and semisweet chocolate.
Eggs: these will provide lightness and air to the mousse. More on that later.
Heay Cream: will add richness to the dessert and make it creamy.
What kind of chocolate should I use for mousse?
The first thing I would suggest is to choose a bar of chocolate over chocolate chips. That is because chocolate chips have stabilizers in them to help them keep their shape when cooking/baking. This is why your chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies keep their perfect shape after baking. Bar chocolate has been tempered and will give a better flavor. Now all that being said you can use chocolate chips if that is all that you have.
Is it ok to eat raw eggs?
This is going to depend on where you are getting your eggs. If they have been pasteurized, then you are safe to eat them raw without worry. They are heated to a temperature that does not change the structure of the egg but kills the harmful bacteria. These eggs may be difficult to find in your grocery store, but they are there. If they aren’t pasteurized the risk of foodborne illness increases. Pregnant or nursing women should be cautious when consuming raw eggs.
How do I make chocolate mousse?
This is where your stand mixer comes in. The first thing that you want to do is make sure that the bowl in the stand mixer is clean and completely dry. I like to do these first that way I don’t have to worry about anything getting into the whites and preventing them from whipping into stiff peaks. The reason why you want to separate the whites and yolks is because the whites hold the most aid and give the mousse the lightness that you cannot get by using whipped cream alone.
Once both parts of the eggs are whipped as well as the cream you will want to add the yolks to the chocolate. Fold it in by taking a spatula down the middle of the bowl and making a half circle while gently lifting the chocolate towards the center of the bowl. Alternate sides to incorporate everything. Repeat with the heavy cream until it is all mixed in. Then you want to add ¼ of the egg whites. This will help loosen the chocolate so that you don’t end up knocking all of the air out of the egg white. Fold in the remaining egg whites and you are good to go!
The long chill
Now you can eat the mousse immediately, but if you give toss it in the refrigerator for a few hours you will give the flavor time to develop. The espresso powder will intensify and complement the chocolate. Three hours is long enough to set however you can easily make this recipe ahead of time. Serve with some whipped cream, chopped chocolate, and/or berries and you will end up having a wonderful, and special dessert.
Looking for other chocolate desserts?
Dark Chocolate Mousse
Equipment
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment
- Metal mixing bowl
- Saucepan
- Spatula
- 4 Glasses or small serving bowls
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 5 eggs separated
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar divided
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan with an inch of water to boil. Place the chocolate in a metal mixing bowl and set on top of the boiling water. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water and stir until the chocolate is just melted. Stir in the butter and espresso powder, remove from the heat, and set aside.6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon espresso powder, 4 tablespoons butter
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment combine ¼ cup of the sugar with the egg white. Whisk on high until the whites reach stiff peaks. Place into a separate mixing bowl.5 eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg yolks into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the remaining sugar. Whisk on high until the yolks have at least doubled in volume and they are pale yellow. Pour the yolks over the cooled melted chocolate.5 eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Using a spatula gently fold the yolks into the chocolate.
- Add the heavy cream to the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk on high until stiff peaks form. Don’t overmix to turn it into butter. Gently fold in the whipped cream until just mixed being careful not to overmix.½ cup heavy cream
- Scoop in ¼ of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and fold in. This is to help loosen the chocolate. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold in until they are just mixed in.
- Spoon into 4 glasses or small bowls. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Top with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and fresh fruit.
Nutrition
This is one of my most requested desserts from my friends and it is so easy to make!