Rich chocolate mousse with a light and creamy texture. An easy dessert that is bound to impress.

Jump to:

What is chocolate mousse?
What are the components of mousse?
Tips for the perfect chocolate mousse
Ingredients
Serving suggestions
Frequently Asked Questions
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Chocolate mousse is one of the easiest desserts to make, but also one of the most well-loved! There is something so satisfying about a creamy dessert with a light texture.

The airiness of the mousse makes the dessert perfectly balanced and not too decadent. And on top of that, it is sooo easy to make. No oven required!

Easy no-bake chocolate mousse with whipped cream and shaved chocolate

What is chocolate mousse?

A mousse is a soft, creamy dessert or savory item that incorporates air bubbles to give it a light texture. Sweet mousses usually use either whipped cream, whipped egg whites, or both to lighten a mixture.

The most common mousse is chocolate mousse, but they can be flavored with anything you like. Flavors range from caramel and coffee to fruits like strawberry and mango!

Typically they are served in a small cup or ramekin, but they are also set in silicone molds, or as part of a cake. Best served when chilled they are deliciously creamy, while also being light and airy!

What are the components of mousse?

This chocolate mousse is made up of three components:

The chocolate mixture
Whipped cream
Whipped egg whites

The combination of all three components gives these a super light and delicious texture. Some recipes will leave out the egg whites. The resulting mousse is denser and creamier, but equally as delicious.

Tips for the perfect chocolate mousse

Chocolate mousse is relatively simple to make, but there are a couple of tips that will make these perfect.

Don't overheat the chocolate

Overheating the chocolate can cause it to clump up and burn. This will give your chocolate mousse a clumpy, gritty consistency. If you are heating the chocolate over a saucepan of boiling water, aka adouble boiler, make sure you heat it on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that the chocolate melts evenly.

Whip until stiff peaks

When beating your egg whites and cream make sure you whip them both until stiff peaks form. The whipping of these ingredients is what gives the mousse its airiness, so it's crucial that they're both at the right consistency otherwise the mousse will be thick and dense.

Don't overbeat

While you want to whip your egg whites and cream to stiff peaks you don't want to overbeat them. Overbeaten egg whites will clump up and separate, becoming watery and grainy. Overbeaten cream will curdle and become greasy.

Make sure you stop whisking as soon as either of them reaches stiff peaks.

Fold gently

When folding the egg whites and cream into your cooled chocolate mixture, use a rubber spatula to fold gently. This keeps all the air bubbles intact for a lighter texture.

Ingredients

Chocolate

I like to use dark or semi-sweet chocolate when making chocolate mousse. The darker the chocolate the richer your mousse will be, but keep in mind that it will also be less sweet.

This recipe uses semi-sweet chocolate, so there is still a rich chocolate flavor while having a subtle amount of sweetness.

If you prefer to have a sweeter chocolate mousse you can add a tablespoon or two of granulated sugar to the chocolate mixture. Or you can use milk chocolate!

Heavy whipping cream or thickened cream

You can use any kind of whipping cream, but I find heavy or thickened cream gives the mousse the best creamy texture.

Large eggs

This recipe does incorporate raw eggs into the mousse. This gives the mousse a lighter texture without adding too much richness or creaminess.

Fresh eggs are completely safe to eat raw, so make sure you use your freshest eggs!

Vanilla extract

This is optional, but I like adding some vanilla to my mousse as it adds another level of flavor.

Serving suggestions

There are so many different ways to enjoy chocolate mousse!

Personally, I love it served simply with a dollop of whipped cream and a shaving of chocolate over the top.

Here are a couple of other ways to serve it:

With fresh fruits or berries
With a drizzle of melted chocolate
Dusted in dutch cocoa powder
With a cookie crumble, to add some texture and crunch!
With a scattering of chocolate chips

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this last?

These will last up to 3 days in the fridge. Make sure you keep it covered in cling wrap or stored in an airtight container. This prevents it from drying out and keeps it fresh.

How long does chocolate mousse need to set?

The mousse will be set in about 3-4 hours, but I recommend letting it chill overnight as this results in the best texture.

Can I make chocolate mousse ahead of time?

Yes, you can! Chocolate mousse is one of the best kinds of desserts to make ahead of time as it needs time to set in the fridge after it is made anyway! You can make them the day before and they'll be perfect the next day.

Why is raw egg used in chocolate mousse?

Raw egg is used as it adds lightness to the mousse without adding any extra creaminess or richness.

The cream is also added to the mousse to give it lightness. However, if only cream was used the mouse will be a lot creamier, and it may become too heavy for some.

Can I make this without raw egg?

Yes, you can! If you feel uncomfortable with the raw egg you can leave the egg out, and double the amount of whipped cream instead.

Let's Get Cooking

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.

Follow me on facebook, pinterest, youtube and tiktok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!

📖 Recipe