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.
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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.
Napalil says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
chocolate mousse, I hope can try it.. looks delicious 🙂
Jenny @ Savour the Senses says
Ah I loveee mousse! This would be so delicious for the holidays!
Jill @ A Cook's Nook says
God I love chocolate mousse, but only the real thing and this is it! Great post, thanks for sharing 🙂
Kita says
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 says
Thanks Kita! If I ever get around to finishing my book, who knows maybe it could be a movie!
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen says
I guessed the game, I knew it was Chocolate Mousse! What a simple recipe, yet it looks delish. What’s my prize, Chef Dennis? Thanks for sharing!
Chef D says
Thanks Lisa!
Emily @ Life on Food says
You have some wonderful memories. I love it when you share them. Chocolate mousse is a thing of beauty.
Dave Yuhas says
Why ruin choc mousse with coffee, fergawdsake? Not everyone is a slave to Starbucks.
Chef D says
hi Dave
coffee goes so well with chocolate and also enhances the chocolate flavors, the kahlua actually added more coffee flavor than the straight coffee ever would, and I like how it tastes together.
As for a slave to starbucks, no one that actually enjoys coffee would ever stop there.
Dennis
Emily says
But if someone cannot have coffee…what do you suggest as a substitute in this recipe? It looks great & it is gluten free, so I hope you have a good idea for a sub.
Chef D says
hi Emily
you could use a raspberry liquor as a substitute or use decaf if caffeine is the issue. Coffee just enhances the chocolate flavor but is in no way a deal breaker if you just leave it out altogether. That may be the best choice if your worried about it, that way the chocolate will be the star of the show. Let me know how it turns out!
Heather says
Looks amazing! I have never tried making real mousse before, but this one goes on the list.
Alyssa says
Love chocolate mousse and this one does look like the best ever!
Pam says
Great story… it sounds like Mama Jeanette is quite a lady! The mousse looks so light, fluffy, and decadent. My husband loves mousse… I’ll be making this for him soon.
P.S. Thanks for your help today.
GrabandgoRecipes says
Fantastic recipe and beautiful picture!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe and your stories!
Liz says
Just stunning!!!! And I’m delighted to have another mousse recipe to try 🙂 This may be our Christmas dessert!
Amalia says
This looks insanely delicious! Rich, smooth, chocolate, who could resist? I definitely could eat a big bowl of this! Great recipe Chef 🙂