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.
Trust me when I tell you, once you taste this chocolate mousse, you’ll never be happy with the imitators.
What ingredients do I need to make Real Chocolate Mousse?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Chocolate Mousse. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into 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.
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 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 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 fold the chocolate into the sabayon. Completely 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 whipped cream that will last for days is doing it slowly.
Start out at a low setting and gradually turn up 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 the colder it gets. 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 by itself, or served with berries. But you can also use the mousse to make other desserts:
- Chocolate mousse pie (pie shell or springform pan)
- 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 and is thickened by adding whipped heavy cream to the mixture. As the melted chocolate cools, it thickens the mousse and gives you that rich silky texture which is due to the cooked egg sabayon, which is folded into the mousse. Pudding is semisolid and dense, while chocolate mousse is lighter and much richer.
If you want to make the mousse look lighter and airier after being refrigerated, simply re-whip the mousse. 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 give it that rich taste that only dark chocolate can give. 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 have ingredients added 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 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.
Geraldine
Just wanna let you know that I made it for my son’s birthday cake last weekend. I fit really alit if compliment. 🙂 I made a large portion as I don’t know exactly how much needed for a cake so there are alot of left over. I put them in dessert glass and bring them to work to treat my colleagues…. And they all wanted the recipe right away. Truly is the best chocolate they ever ate as I hear this from everyone who ate them.
Chef D
thanks so much for letting me know, I’m very happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the mousse!
Patricia Hinkel
Chef Dennis,
Your chocolate mousse sounds amazing and i plan to make it soon.
Thank you!
Patricia
Chef D
thanks Patricia, let me know how it turns out!
Justin
Made this for a dinner party tonight (my first home made dessert, just graduated college and began actually cooking) and they were a big hit! I used Ron Abuelo Anejo 7 Anos rum instead of kahlua and just used more espresso and less rum to balance the flavor. It turned out really well and I will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Chef D
thanks so much for letting me know Justin! Happy to hear it turned out well. I just posted a step by step Tiramisu which is amazing, same basic principle with a sabayon, just a different approach.
Cheers
Dennnis
Geraldine
Hi,
I am looking for a recipe of no gelatine chocolate mousse and found yours here. Seems a really delicious recipe.
My son wanted a layered chocolate mousse cake for his birthday. What do you think if I use this mousse as filling for layered cake? Will it works and set good enough to cut properly?
Thanks for answering in advance!
Geraldine
Chef D
hi Geraldine
I use it for cake fillings all the time and for frosting. You should have no problems, One thing though don’t make it too far in advance because as it sets up, it will continue to stiffen and if you’re planning on using it on the outside of the cake it may not look as nice. But if its just for the inside then letting stiffen in the fridge for a little big isn’t a bad idea. It will be no problem cutting, just use a knife rinsed in hot water, and also since it is a mousse filling I would keep it refrigerated until about a half hour before serving.
please let me know how it comes out
Dennis
kim
my husband loves chocolate mousse and i will be making this for his birthday. one question…when making the strong coffee, how much instant coffee would you recommend to put in the 1/4 c water. i have a keurig…so i can’t brew extra strong coffee with actual grounds. thanks
Chef D
hi Kim, it doesn’t have to bee too strong. I think you can brew a small cup (5 oz ) with a keurig, that strength will be fine. It just adds another dimension to the chocolate, you won’t even notice it.
please let me know how it comes out when you make it, and if you have any other questions don’t hesitate to ask.
Dennis
Rebecca
Hi,
Have read in the above comments that you could eliminate both kahlua and the expresso for the sabayon. Could i replace the liquid with normal water? And if so, how much?
Thanks
Chef D
Rebecca I would just leave it out, it’s not going to make that much difference in the texture, and water would only dilute the flavors not add to them.
Rebecca
Thanks just made this was great. But is it possible to reduce the sweetness a little prefer a more bitter chocolaty taste.
Chef D
you can definitely cut back the sugar, what kind of chocolate did you use? Bittersweet will have the least sugar and more chocolate, semisweet a little sweeter.
but I’m happy to hear you still enjoyed it !
Maureen
I was looking for dessert ideas and came upon this post. After reading it I’m filled with emotion and dying to taste this. There might not be any left for my party. 🙂
Chef D
hi Maureen!
I can promise you that this mousse will satisfy and chocolate craving you ever had, it is amazing! I’m glad you enjoyed my story of Mama Jeanette, she taught me so much.
Heather Hines
Chef Dennis!
This is Heather Hines again!:-) I have made this recipe at least 5 times and I am going to be making it again for thanksgiving… I wanted to do something with raspberries or possibly a more seasonal fruit. What would you suggest and how would I incorporate it?
Thank you so much!
Chef D
hi Heather,
since you know how to make a sabayon, you could very easily forego the espresso and kahlua and add a raspberry liquor and puree some of the berries, blending them into the mixture. With this type of mousse I would advise adding some gelatin to the cream before whipping allowing it to dissolve briefly, this will help stabalize the mousse and keep it thick.(the chocolate does it naturally)
your other choice is to make a tiramisu type sabayon (just a little different process) and make a raspberry tiramisu https://www.askchefdennis.com/2012/09/peach-tiramisu-with-raspberries/
hope this helped, let me know if you have any questions
Dennis
Heather Hines
Thanks! If I didn’t want to use alcohol what would you suggest to replace the raspberry liquor? And how much would you use? Also, how much gelatin would you suggest using? And how much purée?
I know that is a lot of questions about amount, but I’m still learning how to improvise:-)
Chef D
hi Heather
just leave out the liquor an add that to the amount of liquid you’ll be replacing in the sabayon with the raspberry puree. Just swap out the same amount of liquid with the raspberry puree. as for gelatin one envelope should be enough
Mollination
Literally the perfect Chocolate Mousee. Beautiful. Restaurant quality. At home. And it’s fairly easy. You should definitely go with this if you’ve been seeking the right mousse.
Chef D
Thank you! I’m happy to hear that you liked the mousse!
sanam
I have fallen in love with your website! Everything here looks so delicious I don’t know which one I should try making first. Just a question though, I live in Iran and don’t have easy access to kahlua. Can I substitute it with say coffee essence and vanilla? Could you give me some tips as to what I can use instead that wouldn’t affect the taste a lot (preferably non-alcoholic?) ?
Thanks a million
Chef D
Thank you so much for stopping by and I’m very happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my blog! as for the Kahlua, that can be left out without any problems, even the coffee isn’t necessary and can be enhanced with any other flavors that you might enjoy, orange, raspberry, mint. So many things go so well with chocolate, so if you’d like to have a secondary flavor in the background, pick your favorite, and they certainly don’t need to be alcoholic, any essence or flavoring will nicely.
I look forward to hearing how your mousse turns out!
Cheers
Dennis
sanam
Thank you so much for replying. I think I’ll just use some coffee instead of the kahlua this time.I’m going to make it on Saturday. I’ll let you know how it turns out. This is going to be my first time making a mousse, hope it turns out ok.
Chef D
The only tricky part is cooking the egg yolks in the double boiler, I suggest using a stainless steel bowl on a pot of simmering water, whipping the eggs over the heat and picking up the bowl if it gets too hot. That’s really the only hard part, you just want to be sure you don’t make scrambled eggs!
sanam
Thanks for the tip! I actually just finished making it and it looks amazing! The only problem was that my pot was too tall and I’m quite short and don’t exactly have strong arms so I had some problems lifting the bowl and the mixer. I felt like a liliputian haha better use a stool or a smaller pot next time.
I can’t wait to see what my family will say once they’ve tried it.
sanam
Thank you so much for the recipe, everyone really enjoyed it and I’m really proud of my first mousse. The texture turned out a bit floury though. Is that normal or did I do something wrong? Perhaps I should have used higher quality chocolate?
Chef D
I’ve never had anyone say it was floury, since there is no flour involved I’m at a loss. Of course the better the chocolate you use, the better the flavor will be. If your chocolate had additives to keep the cost down, that would be the only explanation. But on a good note, congratulation on the success of your first classical mousse!
sanam
It must have been the chocolate then. Thank you so much for the great recipe and your help. Can hardly choose what to try next!
Irina
What a beautiful story, and an even more beautiful recipe! I made this tonight as a special treat for my boyfriend and it was absolutely divine! The recipe is so simple and the result is so worth the extra effort. Incredible!
Kate
*our company’s annual DESSERT contest. Just wanted to clarify. 🙂
Kate
Stumbled upon this recipe while looking for a good dessert to compete at our company’s annual Halloween contest (I’ve won the last two years and want to keep my title! 🙂 )
I plan to practice this recipe on my family first, and was wondering if you had any suggestions for substituting the coffee and liquor? (I am a fan but not everyone in my family likes those flavors.)
I still plan to make the full recipe for my office…wish me luck! And thank you so much for sharing such a personal story and recipe!
Chef D
hi Kate
the coffee and kahula can just be eliminated without any problems, I would just keep it straight chocolate. You could of course add any flavoring you like that goes with chocolate, such as raspberry, or hazelnut, but I think I would prefer it pure. I only use coffee because it enhances the chocolate flavor, you can’t taste it at all.
good luck with your contest, if you’re looking for a great recipe for next year try my Tiramisu, but that does need the coffee flavor to make the dessert.
Cheers
Dennis
Kate
Thank you so much for your reply, Dennis! The variations sound easy, I am excited to try it (and eat it!) both ways.
The Tiramisu is next on my list…although I don’t think I’ll be able to wait until next year to make it. 🙂
Thanks again!
Chef D
your welcome Kate! Once you master the sabayon the tiramisu will be very easy to make, there are just a few variations in the way the sabayon comes together. just let me know if you have any other questions. With the mousse try and find the best chocolate you can, semis sweet is usually my choice.
Heather
This is the best chocolate mousse recipe. I have made it for friends and family 3-4 times in the past 2 months since I found it, and it is always a huge hit. I cannot say enough how good this mousse is!!! I usually pair it with a homemade pie crust to make a chocolate mousse pie and it adds a little something extra!
Thank you so much for posting!
Chef D
hi Heather
thanks so much for letting me know you’ve been enjoying the chocolate mousse recipe! I love adding more whipped cream to it and using it in between cake layers, it really is decadent! Now that you know how to make a sabyon you need to try my tiramisu recipe. It is the best tiramisu you’ll ever have!
If I can ever be of any help don’t hesitate to contact me!
Dennis
Lucan
Fantastic story!
I feel drawn to making this mousse. We are hosting for 12 friends this weekend, and have chosen this for the dessert.
From the sounds of it, they will not be disappointed!
Hopefully someone can answer this question for me though.
Can I prepare this mouse on the Friday, ready for Saturday evening?
Many many thanks Dennis
Chef D
thanks so much for picking my chocolate mousse for your dessert! Yes you can prepare this ahead of time, it will hold up for 4 or 5 days easily, I would just put it into the glasses or what ever you’re going to serve it in when you finish making it. Once it sets up if you dish it up it wont be quite as pretty but it will still taste great. But if you put it right into the serving glasses or dishes it will set up perfectly and look great when you serve it
Beth Bilous
Hello, found this while googleing chocolate mouse recipes. I have used Craig Claiborne’s in the past just once. I think I will try yours this time. Do you think it would be okay to use Grand Manier in place of the kaluah? Also he whips his whites and his cream apart, then combines. Any tips for me on this one? This is my hubs absolute fav.
Chef D
hi Beth
using Gran Manier would be fine, any flavoring you like would work. There are no egg whites in my recipe, using just the yolks to make a sabayon. You can save the whites for a meringue!
thanks so much for stopping by, let me know how it turns out!
Dennis
Napalil
I will make this for Christmas Eve but would also like to make a strawberry version using frozen strawberries. How much of the frozen strawberries, put into a food processor would you suggest?
Happy Holidays!
Chef D
I would say about two cups, you would mix in about 1/2 cup of the strawberry liquid into the sabayon (replacing the coffee and kahlua), and thicken the sabayon as per directions. My only change would be to add a packet and a half of gelatin to the remainder of the strawberries and allow it to dissolve and begin to thicken before adding it into the sabayon. Chocolate acts as a natural binder and thickener, the strawberries will need the help of gelatin. Then blend the strawberries and sabayon together and fold in your whipped cream.
Lil
Thank you Chef D. One more question..I do have Arrowroot. Can I use that as a thickener to the remainder of the strawberries?
Chef D
I have never used arrowroot for mousse before not sure how it would work have you used it for desserts if youve used it for desserts before without any problems it should work
everything
chocolate mousse, I hope can try it.. looks delicious 🙂
Jenny @ Savour the Senses
Ah I loveee mousse! This would be so delicious for the holidays!
Jill @ A Cook's Nook
God I love chocolate mousse, but only the real thing and this is it! Great post, thanks for sharing 🙂
Kita
This post read like a movie. I loved it and your memories of reciting every recipe. I have never (to my knowledge) had a real chocolate mousse. I can’t wait to try one now though!
Chef D
Thanks Kita! If I ever get around to finishing my book, who knows maybe it could be a movie!