Baking · serves 2

Chocolate Mousse

Two ingredients if you want. Twenty minutes plus chilling, no oven.

25 min Some work Vegetarian No oven needed

Ingredients

  • 200g dark chocolate
  • 1.5 cups cream, cold
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs, separated (optional, for a lighter set)

Method

  1. Melt the chocolate gently and let it cool until just warm to the touch. Hot chocolate seizes the cream into grainy lumps.
  2. Whip the cold cream with sugar to SOFT peaks. Stiff peaks make the mousse heavy and grainy.
  3. Fold a third of the cream into the chocolate first to loosen it, then fold in the rest gently.
  4. If using egg whites, whip them separately to soft peaks and fold in last for a lighter, airier set.
  5. Into glasses, chill 4 hours.
  6. Salt flakes and cream on top.

Questions people ask about Chocolate Mousse

How long does Chocolate Mousse take?

About 25 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a bit of work. Most of that is active, so read the method through before you start rather than chopping as you go.

What can I use instead of chocolate in Chocolate Mousse?

Use cocoa powder plus butter, roughly 3 tbsp cocoa and 1 tbsp butter per 30g chocolate.

Can I make Chocolate Mousse ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Is Chocolate Mousse vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Can I make Chocolate Mousse without an oven?

That is exactly what this recipe is for. It uses a pressure cooker, a pan or the fridge instead of an oven, and the method here is written for that, not adapted from a baked version.

What do you serve with Chocolate Mousse?

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

Don't know what to cook? Let it decide →

If you liked this