Have you ever tasted French Chocolate Mousse? I’m talking about real chocolate mousse, not the instant or quick versions that use gelatin or cool whip.
They may make fine cake fillings, but once you’ve had the real thing, there is no substitute for Real Chocolate Mousse.
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Trust me when I tell you that once you taste this chocolate mousse, you’ll never be satisfied with imitators.
Ingredients
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Chocolate Mousse. In Chef’s Speak, this is called mise en Place, which translates to “everything in its Place.”
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How to Make Chocolate Mousse
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make chocolate mousse in your home kitchen.
The first step in making this classical French dessert is melting the chocolate. Using a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water will melt the chocolate easily.
Once the chocolate has melted, add the butter to the chocolate and fold it into the melted chocolate. Set aside and let the chocolate cool.
Add the egg yolks to the bowl of your mixer and begin to whip them until they have doubled in size. Then, slowly pour the sugar into the yolks in a steady stream. Continue to whip for another minute.
Add the Kahlua and coffee to the whipped eggs.
Can I add another liqueur to my Chocolate Mousse?
You sure can! Some of my other favorite liqueurs to add to chocolate are:
- Peppermint Liqueur
- Chambord
- Frangelico
- Gran Mariner or Cointreau
**You can also add your favorite extract instead of using liqueurs
Using a double boiler method, whip the mixture over a pot of simmering water until it thickens. **This will also cook the egg yolks.
Transfer the mixture to your stand mixer bowl and whip until it cools (2-3 minutes).
When the sabayon has cooled, gently fold in the chocolate. Thoroughly incorporate the chocolate into the sabayon.
**Do this by hand, don’t use an electric mixer.
Slowly whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
What’s the secret to making Whipped Cream?
The mistake that everyone makes when whipping cream is doing it too quickly. The secret to making whipped cream that lasts for days is to do it slowly.
Start at a low setting and gradually increase the speed of the mixer over 10 minutes. Don’t over-whip the cream or you’ll get butter!
Chef Dennis Tip:
I prefer using heavy whipping cream vs. whipping cream. It holds its shape longer and produces a creamier result. Most heavy cream in grocery stores is 36% but if you can find 40% cream, go for it.
Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.
After you’ve folded the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, you’re done.
The chocolate will firm up as it gets colder. It’s best to place the Chocolate Mousse into the serving dishes before it fully sets up.
**The chocolate mousse can be rewhipped if necessary.
The chocolate mousse is perfect on its own or served with berries. But you can also use the mousse to make other desserts:
- Chocolate mousse pie (pie shell or springform pan)
- The second layer on a cheesecake
- Used between layers of a cake
Recipe FAQ’s
Pudding is usually made with milk and cooked. It’s thickened with cornstarch, which activates when heated with the milk. Mousse is not cooked, but rather thickened by adding whipped heavy cream to the mixture. As the melted chocolate cools, it thickens the mousse, giving it a rich, silky texture. This texture is achieved by folding the cooked egg sabayon into the mousse. Pudding is a semisolid and dense dessert, while chocolate mousse is a lighter and richer treat.
To make the mousse look lighter and airier after refrigeration, re-whip the mousse until it reaches the desired consistency. That will fluff it up a bit and make it easier to serve and more visually appealing.
Traditionally, mousse is made with dark chocolate to achieve that rich taste that only dark chocolate can provide. You can, of course, use milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate to make the mousse. Just don’t use baking chips! Baking chips will work, but they contain added ingredients to keep them solid. Use the best bar chocolate you can find.
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love!
Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 13 oz semisweet chocolate finely cut (milk or bittersweet chocolate can be used)
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened (3 oz)
- ½ cup sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- ¼ cup strong black coffee or espresso
- ¼ cup Kahlua **If you can't use alcohol, substitute with black coffee or espresso
- 3 cups heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate
- Place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl, over a pot of simmering water, stir with a rubber spatula as the chocolate melts, if the pan starts to get too hot, remove it from the heat.
- Continue to stir the chocolate until it has melted completely, then remove from the heat.
- Cut the butter into 8 pieces and mix it into the melted chocolate until it has been completely absorbed by the chocolate.
- Set the chocolate aside to cool to room temperature
Sabayon
- Add the egg yolks to the bowl of your mixer and begin to whip them until doubled in size, then begin to slowly pour the sugar in a steady stream into the yolks. Continue to whip for another minute.
- Add the coffee and Kahlua to the egg yolk mixture and place your mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk the yolk mixture until it becomes very thick.
- When the egg yolks have thickened, continue to whip in your stand mixer until the mixture has cooled.
Combining
- When the sabayon has cooled, fold it into the chocolate mixture until well blended.
- Whip the cream in your stand mixer until it holds its shape, then fold it into the chocolate mixture.The secret to making perfect whipped cream is to do it slowly. Start at a low speed and increase the speed over 10 minutes until firm peaks have formed.
- The chocolate mousse will set as it gets colder. Place the mouse in serving dishes berfore it completely chills. The chocolate mousse can be re-whipped if it sets before you put it into serving dishes.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
Love how food can bring back so many memories! I remember the first time I had chocolate mousse, and have never had something like in since. I am going to have to try this for sure.
Thanks for sharing the recipe and your stories!
Hester aka The Chef Doc says
Thank you so much for sharing this sweet story with us, Chef Dennis. It’s amazing what sticks with us in our hearts and memories, isn’t it? Thank you Mama Jeanette for this chocolate mousse. If Chef Dennis says it’s the best, then I know it is 🙂 Can’t wait to make it for the holidays!
Evelyne@CheapEthnicEatz says
What a fabulous post to read, felt like I was there. And I truly believe in Mama Jeanette’s last comment. That mousse looks divine!
Janet@FCTC says
What a wonderful story, Dennis. I love hearing about the things that shaped other food lovers.
I also love chocolate mousse and this looks amazing!
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says
Great story, Chef! You are right, the pre-mixed chocolate mousse just doesn’t even compare to real chocolate mousse like this!
Christine says
Hey Dennis, your Best Chocolate Mousse is a Recipe Guessing Game on Knapkins. Think your friends can win? http://knapkins.com/guess_games/953?source=blog
Boulder Locavore says
I began to read this on my phone and could not wait to get home to finish reading. I love this story Dennis. Such warmth and depth. Great to know more about your culinary background and such great imagery it evoked. Also I agree with Mama J; you can taste love in food so remembering recipes from your heart is a sure road to the gift of beautiful food. Loved this.
mangiabella says
more profound wisdom from Mama Jeanette…I truly love sharing these memories with you. Chocolate mousse happens to be my all time favorite dessert next to tiramisu…they may be tied for first….but my grandfather who passed away in the early 80’s always made chocolate mousse for me, a memory I treasure. I can’t help but smile at how Mama Jeanette imprinted your heart in ways that has changed you forever….we really do impact the people we encounter in our lives in powerful ways, sometimes in small ways, sometimes in big ways, let us always be mindful of that!
Mary says
This sounds truly heavenly and the story behind it makes it that much more special. I must confess; it never occurred to me that mousse could, and quite possibly should, be made without gelatin. I make a pumpkin mousse each year for my husband and I’ve never thought to make it any other way. Can I use your sabayon instructions with any kind of mousse? Or would it need to be adjusted for different flavors and ingredients? I can hardly wait to try this method. Thank you again for sharing another great recipe with all of us.
Chef D says
hi Mary
a sabayon can be used for any type of mousse, you can just use what ever flavor liquid you need instead of the coffee and kahlua.
while it does not need gelatin, I might be inclined to still use some with berries or anything that weeps, especially if i was using it as a cake filling.
I’ve used the sabayon to make my tiramisu, and it is by far the best tiramisu I’ve ever had, and it holds up for days without breaking down.
Dennis
Mary says
Thank you so much for the reply. I can hardly wait to try it!
anne says
there is NOTHING better than a great chocolate mousse!! NOTHING…anne
Kiri W. says
Okay, I *have* to contest that! 😉 My aunt makes the best chocolate mousse in the world, with dark chocolate. Oh lord.
That said, yours looks amazing, and I *love* the addition of kahlua! I absolutely agree that “real” chocolate mousse shouldn’t have any whipped cream or gelatine, it just can;t compare. Wonderful recipe!
Jen says
I didn’t realize real chocolate mousse had no gelatin. Awesome post.
Jacqueline - The Dusty Baker says
Wow, Chef, that’s a gorgeous recipe and a beautiful story. I’m tearing up a bit here.
Jen says
What a beatiful story! You certainly did her justice with this one!
Nicole, RD says
I think they serve Kahlua and heavy cream in place of skim milk in heaven. And mousse…chocolate mousse. That’s what’s for dessert every night 🙂 It looks HEAVENLY!