This Chocolate Mousse is made the proper French way, with the right ingredients and technique so it has beautiful chocolate flavour with a rich and luscious texture, yet not too sweet. It feels a little fancy but is surprisingly straightforward. Excellent for dinner parties – make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for days, ready to serve!
A classic, proper Chocolate Mousse recipe
I’ve never been 100% happy with the various chocolate mousse recipes I’ve tried in my lifetime. Not fluffy enough, not chocolatey enough, too sweet, too grainy. But the most common flaw was that they left a greasy mouthfeel from excessive use of whipped cream which many “easy” chocolate mousse recipes tend to solely rely on to set the mousse, rather than a combination of cream and whipped eggs which is the classic way chocolate mousse is made.
Thus, when Chocolate Mousse was submitted by a reader as a Recipe Request, I had reason to focus and make it over and over again until it was exactly what I wanted.
Let me repeat: I had to make chocolate mousse over and over again for work purposes.
Life is tough, my friends. The sacrifices I make…. (she says sadly, shaking her head, thinking about the various body parts on which all that chocolate mousse appears to have ended up residing…)
What goes in chocolate mousse
Just FIVE ingredients, all good stuff we like: chocolate, cream, sugar, eggs and butter. Make sure you use chocolate intended for cooking purchased from the baking aisle! More on this below. Don’t use eating chocolate – the only exception is Lindt 70% cocoa chocolate. That is suitable for eating and cooking.
70% cocoa chocolate
It’s important to use the right chocolate for chocolate mousse to ensure it mixes in seamlessly, gives the mousse enough chocolate flavour and the right texture.
70% cocoa dark chocolate – This is the chocolate I use which has good intense chocolate flavour, is not as sweet as milk chocolate but sweeter than unsweetened chocolate. It is also firmer than milk chocolate so it ensures that the mousse sets to the perfect consistency. Brands I use: Best – Lindt 70% cocoa (which is actually an eating chocolate but because it’s tempered it works for baking too, find it in the confectionary aisle). Every day purposes – Cadbury or Nestle Plaistowe baking chocolate block 70% cocoa.
Must be baking chocolate – Be sure to use a chocolate intended for cooking, purchased from the baking aisle, not one from the candy aisle. Chocolate made for eating is actually designed to not melt easily (think – hot hands, left in car) and if you use an eating chocolate, you’ll find it won’t melt smoothly (you get little lumps) or it burns in patches before it fully melts (if you use the microwave). Lindt is the only exception. As noted above, it’s an eating chocolate but because it’s tempered (“snaps” when you break it, and is shiny) it can also be used for baking and is my premium option.
Bittersweet chocolate can be used – The cocoa percentage of chocolate labelled “bittersweet” can range from 60% to 85% cocoa solids. It will add good chocolate flavour into the mousse but is slightly less sweet than using 70%.
Milk chocolate work too – It has a lower cocoa percentage (30% – 40% usually) so the mousse won’t have as intense a flavour, it makes the mousse a little sweeter and it sets a little softer, but it can be used here.
RAW EGGS
Raw eggs are key for real chocolate mousse, the classic French way to make it the way it’s served at fine dining restaurants. You will not achieve a result as good using a recipe that doesn’t use raw eggs, no matter what they promise. It’s just not possible to replicate the fluffy-yet-creamy texture with anything other than eggs whipped into a foam. Those “no egg” recipes will either be too dense, taste like whipped cream (and leave a slick of cream fat in your mouth that mousse does not), or have a weird jelly-like texture.
Note on raw eggs concern
Raw eggs in food is more common than you think – and you’ve probably eaten it without even realising.
It is true that eating uncooked eggs carries a risk of salmonella food poisoning which is transmitted to the eggs via infected hens, but in this day and age, I do not consider it any greater risk than eating sushi.
This concern seems more prevalent in some regions around the world, most notably in the US and Canada, presumably because of the outbreak in 2010 which resulted in the recall of millions of eggs.
Raw eggs are used in a number of popular desserts including Tiramisu, it’s used in mayonnaise, the Japanese eat raw eggs on rice, the Koreans top Bibimbap with raw egg. And I don’t know about you but runny yolks is the only way I have fried eggs!
If you are concerned about eating raw eggs, you can used pasteurised eggs for this recipe. If you cannot find pasteurised eggs in stores, you can pasteurise eggs yourself at home if you have an accurate thermometer (have a read of this resource).
Note: raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women and babies.
How to make chocolate mousse
The path to light and fluffy Chocolate Mousse involves just a few key steps:
Melt chocolate with the butter;
Whip cream and egg whites separately until fluffy;
Gently fold everything together with the yolks; then
portion into glasses and refrigerate to set.
Here’s are step-by-step photos with a little more detail. And don’t forget there’s a tutorial video below as well which is quite helpful if you are a first-timer!
Beat egg whites and sugar until foamy.
Soft peaks (floppy elf hat!) – Then keep beating to fluff it up into a meringue (ie white fluff) until it is “firm peaks”. This means that the mixture stands upright but the pointy end flops down as pictured above. I call it a floppy elf hat!
If the mixture stands upright with the pointy end pointing up (not flopping) this means it has be beaten to “firm peaks” which is a little far for chocolate mousse. However, don’t worry! It’s ok, the mousse will work fine and will be great for 2 days, but it deflates a bit more on day 3 and beyond.
Whip cream to stiff peaks. This is one step further than firm peaks which we did for egg whites. So for the cream, we want the peaks to point upright – no floppy elf hat! Stop beating as soon as your cream reaches stiff peaks. If you beat it too much, the cream starts to get lumpy – and if you keep beating, you’ll turn it into butter which we definitely do not want!!😂
Fold together cream and egg yolks. By “fold”, I mean gently combining the mixtures using a lifting and turning motion rather than stirring, so you keep all the air in the mixture and end up with a light, airy mousse. Don’t beat furiously – that’s the sure fire way to a pot of liquid chocolate rather than fluffy mousse!
Fold in melted chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is at room temperature but is still runny. If it’s cooled too much and is thick (not pourable), microwave and stir in 5 second increments until it;s pourable again.
Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture. The fluffed egg whites is what makes our mousse beautifully aerated so be gentle in this step!
Mousse mixture – Keep folding until you no longer see egg white lumps or streaks.
Spoon into individual pots or a larger dish, then refrigerate to chill so it sets. It will take around 6 hours for individual pots.
**The recipe video is super helpful to see the consistency of the egg whites and cream, as well as how to fold the ingredients into each other.**
I chose to make little pots (using whisky glasses!) but you can make one dish if you prefer, then scoop out to serve.
First timers – never fear!
If you’re a chocolate mousse first timer and are concerned about deflation because you’re taking your time with the steps, don’t be worried! When I film recipe videos, I’m always faffing around with camera set ups and batting away a certain giant dog who is always sprawled where I want the tripod to be.
So it probably took me 3 times longer than it usually does to get the mousse in the fridge so I was quite concerned about deflation of the egg whites and cream.
But it was fine! The chocolate mousse came out exactly the same as it always has. Fluffy, chocolate perfection, as show in the photo above! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (~55g/2 oz each)
- 125g / 4.5 oz 70% cocoa chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, , break or cut into small 1 cm / 0.2" pieces (Note 1)
- 10g / 0.3 oz unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup cream , full fat (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp caster sugar (superfine white sugar)
Decorations:
- More whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings (Note 3)
Instructions
- For reliable results, work at a steady pace so your whipped egg whites and cream do not get too warm!
- Separate eggs and yolks while eggs are cold. Place whites in a large bowl and yolks in a small bowl. Leave whites while you prepare other ingredients. (Note 4)
- Whisk yolks until uniform.
- Melt chocolate and butter – Place chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl with the butter. Melt in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth. (Stir in optional flavourings at this point, but read Note 6 first). Set aside to cool slightly while you proceed with other steps – we want it at room temperature but still pourable.
- Whip cream – Beat cream until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-whip (see video).
- Whip whites – Clean the whisks. Add sugar into the egg whites bowl. Beat until firm peaks form. GOAL – flopping "elf hat"! (see video and Note 5 for what this means).
Fold together all ingredients:
- Yolks and cream – Fold egg yolks into cream using a rubber spatula – 8 folds max. Some streaks is fine.
- Check chocolate temperature – The chocolate should be cooled to room temperature but still runny (minimum 35°C / 95°F; ideal 40°C / 104°F). If too cool or thick, microwave in burst of 5 seconds at a time until runny.
- Chocolate into cream – Pour chocolate into cream yolk mixture. Fold through – 8 folds max. Some streaks here are ok.
- Fold in egg whites – Add 1/4 of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold through until incorporated – "smear" the spatular across surface to blend white lumps in – aim for 10 folds.
- Pour chocolate mixture into egg whites. Fold through until incorporated and no more white lumps remain – aim for 12 folds max, but ensure there are no obvious egg white patches.
- Chill in fridge – Divide mixture between 4 small glasses or pots. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- To serve, garnish with cream and chocolate shavings. Raspberries and a tiny sprig of mint for colour would also be lovely!
Recipe Notes:
1. Chocolate – Use 70% cocoa or bittersweet for best flavour, colour and texture. I use Lindt 70% (preferred), or Nestle Plaistow / Cadbury for everyday baking.
- Use cooking chocolate (baking aisle), not eating chocolate (candy aisle). It melts smoother and thinner, giving a silky mousse. Eating chocolate can seize and turn lumpy – except Lindt 70% (an eating chocolate), which works because it’s tempered chocolate.
- Milk or dark chocolate (semi-sweet chocolate) can also be used, but the mousse will be lighter in colour, less chocolatey and softer set.
Nutrition Information:
PS More ways to get a serious Chocolate fix: Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or Ganache and Chocolate Mirror Glaze, Chocolate Cream Pie and BROWNIES!
Life of Dozer
Back at the beach with his mates! Under strict instructions to take it easy* and ease back into it. Unfortunately, he doesn’t understand what “taking it easy” means…..
* Post knee op a few months ago. According to Dozer, he was back to 100% the week after surgery, but the doc says no! It will be months! 😂
hi! would this be thick enough to hold up as a cake filling?
I haven’t tried to be honest Hibah! N x
I bet it would work. It seems very similar to the recipe I use for French silk pie.
So delicious and so light! Feels like im eating a cloud🤤 The recipe is clear and concise and I had blast making and eating it!! Is it possible to adapt this recipe for other flavours? E.g. fruit, coffee, vanilla etc.
Let me know,
Thanks a bunch!!
Hi Aliyaan, this one required the chocolate to help it set, there flavours would require a different recipe (something for me to test 🙂 ) N x
Can you use gelatin to help set it? Also thanks for your speedy reply 🙂
Hey nagi.
Can you skip the sugar and instead use 55% dark chocolate. That is the only one available at our store
Hey nagi.
Can you skip the sigar and instead use 55% dark chocolate. That is the only one available at our store
Hi Arnav, I’d just reduce the sugar to 1 tbls – N x
First time I have ever made chocolate mousse and I absolutely love this recipe. So good.
I left out the sugar because the dark chocolate and cream already had a little sugar. Slight problem with the chocolate thickening up which didn’t happen when I microwaved the butter separately from the chocolate. But wow the flavour is fabulous. We all loved it. Made it twice now and it will be my only recipe for chocolate mousse from now on. Garnished it with little whipped cream, grated chocolate and a raspberry. 10/10 Thank you x
Thank you so much for making this so easy to follow! It turned out great for the birthday boy, who fav pud it is. Will look at more of your easy to follow fool proof recipes ❤❤❤ ps hope your knees ok now!
Love this recipe 🥰
So easy and very delicious 🤤
Went down a treat with all the family 🥳
Thank you
Wahoo, that’s so great to hear Georgina! N x
Hi Nagi- Love your recipes! Can you use cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate for this recipe?
Hi Lindsey, no sorry, it’s the chocolate which sets this mousse. N x
I love chocolate mouse I can’t wait to make this. I love almost all your recipes because you keep it simple but elegant with generous information and education. Thank you so much you are amazing 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
As usual another great recipe to keep from you! One chocolate mousse is definitely not enough! I could eat this all day everyday! Thanks Nagi!
I love hearing this Siti!! N x
Doubled up for a dinner party. It was a huge success. A well written and executed recipe. Thank you. It’s a keeper.
Wahoo! That’s great Greg! N x
Hi Nagi,
Can I double the quantity of ingredients to serve 8 people? Will the recipe still work fine and how many times can i fold the batter to mix enough?
Hi Maria, yes you can double it – just mix until combined 🙂 I hope you love it! N x
Hi, would cooking cream be suitable for this recipe?
Hi Sam, it needs to be whipped – so as long as it’s thickened it should be fine. N x
Made this again for the second time and it’s my go to chocolate mousse recipe. Absolutely fantastic. Such a lovely smooth fluffy texture. I use 85% dark chocolate for an even more rich flavour!
Wahoo, that’s great Victoria! N x
I have made mousse twice and both times the texture was not right – it was more runny before putting it into the fridge and even after removing it, it had a runny texture and not the way a mousse is supposed to look. I was thinking it’s maybe the egg yolk but i may be mistaken. Does anyone know what i’m doing wrong?
Hi Riana, sorry you’re having issues here – it should be runny. Are you whipping the cream? N x
Hi, I am still wrapping my head around the types of cream in Australia and what they do. Would “thickened cream” work? Or “pure cream” (says “ideal for pouring” on the pack), If I search “whipping cream” only the canned stuff comes up. Which product should I buy? Thanks!
Hi Gina, thickened cream is shippable and will work here 🙂 N x
Super! Thanks Nagi!
Hi Nagi. Is whipping cream different to whipped cream? I tried making this the other day using whipped cream (the one at Woolworths in the can) and it was completely runny.
Thank you for this Nagi! Am a first time visitor but I think I’ll be a regular from now on. Appreciate your easy to follow style and photos!
Made this mousse today and made a ton of mistakes..
1) crunchy chocolate bits (i liked this texture) and I saw your note on cold cream so I got that part
2) watery layer – this part, I can’t figure out, when I chilled it overnight, there was a moussey and perfect top part and liquid at the bottom of my containers. What did I do wrong so I can avoid this next time?
Hi Julienne, sorry you had issues here – I’m thinking maybe you over whipped your cream and it’s produced a little buttermilk at the bottom! N x
Hi Nagi, love your recipes, your stories and your dog 🐕. Thank you for sharing them all with us.
Made the mousse with my daughter yesterday. Delicious and decadent! Ours had tiny bits of chocolate through it – not unpleasant but not silky smooth. What can I do to avoid that next time?
Hi Kerry, I’m so glad you enjoyed it – sometimes if your cream is too cold, when the chocolate hits it, it can solidify. Just make sure your cream is not SUPER cold 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi
Would it be possible to use dark chocolate chips melted?
Would love to make this for friends that are coming over tomorrow night 😊