French Chocolate Mousse – An Airy, Creamy Adaptation

I have always said that I only have one addiction in life – chocolate. So, needless to say, a rich, delectable chocolate mousse is right up my alley! This recipe has undergone many transformations over the years, starting with the traditional French Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au Chocolat) that consists of only eggs, sugar, and chocolate. Don’t get me wrong, that is REALLY incredible – super rich and “dense”. I made chocolate mousse in this classic French tradition for years. But, as time has gone on, I have tinkered with the recipe to create something a bit lighter that doesn’t feel so heavy after your meal, but is still rich and chocolaty.

Classic French Chocolate Mouse is not difficult to make, but is quite dependent on the temperature of the ingredients. Everything has to be just right or you end up with a bit of a mess. My Airy, Creamy Chocolate Mousse omits the egg yolks and adds a bit of whipped heavy cream. This has a two-fold effect – making the finished product lighter and airier, and taking the temperature sensitive problem out of the process. By doing these two things, you have a REALLY EASY mousse.

To serve, scooping the mousse into 6 individual ramekins, bowls, or glasses works well. Top with whipped cream. I end up making my whipping cream in a wonderful whipped cream maker by iSi. Another brand I have used is the Otis, which works just as well, but at a much more reasonable cost https://amzn.to/4stbv3m. I use a Microplane (https://amzn.to/4t4malT) to grate dark chocolate over the top, and then finish with a fresh mint leaf. Perfection.

French Chocolate Mousse – An Airy, Creamy Adaptation

Rich and decadent with a light and airy texture

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Chill Time:4 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: Airy Chocolate Mousse, Chcolcolate Mousse, Dark Chocolate Mousse, French Chocolate Mousse

Servings: 6

Ingredients

Mousse

• 1 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 4 Egg Whites
• 1/2 Cup Sugar, fine If you don't have fine sugar, you can whirl it in a NutriBullet to make a very fine sugar that works great.
• 6 Oz. Dark Chocolate, melted & cooled Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate works well

Whipped Cream Topping

• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• Chocolate shavings for garnish

Instructions

Mousse

• In a Double Boiler, melt the chocolate. Set aside to cool.
  
• In a stand mixer, beat the Heavy Cream, Vanilla, and Salt until thoroughly whipped and stiff.
  
• Separate eggs, keeping yolks for another use.
  
• Add egg whites to a separate, large bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Add sugar a bit at a time, beating well with each addition.
  
• Once all sugar is added, beat until well blended and the mixture holds stiff peaks.
  
• Add cooled, melted chocolate to egg white/sugar mixture. Gently fold until evenly mixed in.
  
• Now, add whipped heavy cream to the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in until evenly mixed in. Take care to fold gently, trying to keep the airy texture of the mousse.
  
• Spoon into 6 separate serving vessels – ramekins, bowls, glasses, etc.
  
• Cover and chill at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  

Whipped Cream Topping

• Add Heavy Cream, Powdered Sugar, and Vanilla to a bowl (or whipped cream maker). Beat until stiff peaks form. Top individual servings of mousse. Using a microplane, shave chocolate on top to garnish. Add a mint leaf….. Enjoy!