I began experimenting with chocolate mousse recipes in college. It was an odd obsession for a broke 18-year-old biochemistry student living in Los Angeles. But it came with a definite upside: it led to a lot of drop-in visitors to my campus apartment, who became new friends. One thing it never produced was a great recipe for chocolate mousse.
The recipes I experimented with were fine, but none were spectacular. Some were intricate, while others were simple. Some had a light texture, while others were denser. Most teetered on the edge of overly sweet, causing my taste buds to recoil and tongue to curl. As a lifelong chocoholic, none of these recipes gave me the luscious chocolate satisfaction I craved. None showcased the chocolate in a way that gratified me.
Then, over five years later, I tried chocolate mousse at my future mother-in-law’s house, near Nancy, France. It was then that I grasped the enduring appeal of a well-made chocolate mousse. I also understood where the other recipes I tried had fallen short.
My mother-in-law, Michelle, served it family style, scooping servings from a large bowl with freshly washed berries on the side. The rich, velvety chocolate of the mousse matched with the tart, natural sweetness of the berries to create a decadent yet refreshing dessert, perfect for a balmy summer night on an outdoor patio. It was the epitome of no-fuss deliciousness.
Recipe history
Culinary history is rife with crazy stories and fervent, almost superstitious beliefs. Yet, the stories about chocolate mousse, which involve mayonnaise and impressionist painters, take cooking mythology to another, ridiculous level. I won’t relay them here since the more concrete evidence points to their absurdity, but will say it makes for some amusing reading.
My search into the recipe’s actual history led me to Sarah Wassberg, a food historian and blogger. Sarah provides a detailed, thoroughly researched history of chocolate mousse on her blog (see the link below the recipe). Sarah found a cookbook written in 1768 which includes a recipe for chocolate mousse which is remarkably similar to current recipes. This cookbook predates the fantastical stories by over a century.
The recipe outlined below has been passed down through generations of my family. I learned it from my mother-in-law, Michelle, and both her mother and grandmother before her have prepared it. As far as we know, this cherished recipe dates back to at least the early part of the 20th century. It’s been a staple at family celebrations for as long as we can recall. The family always makes it in the same manner and serves it family style from a single large bowl that they pass along the table.
Recipe, tips & tricks
Like many simple recipes produced with few ingredients, the quality of the ingredients used in this recipe is fundamental to its success. The flavor of the chocolate is the most important factor in producing an indulgent mousse. Investing in good quality, fresh chocolate, is important. My preference is to use a 60-66% cacao couverture chocolate from Valrhona, although I have also been happy with the results when using a similar bar from Lindt. Either type is well worth the extra expense.
The recipe contains little added sugar because it relies on both the chocolate and the cream to add sweetness. If your tastebuds lean sweeter, I suggest using a chocolate that is lower in cacao, which will increase the overall sweetness of the finished dish. I’ve used chocolates as low as 45% cacao to make this mousse.
Use the freshest possible eggs because they are used raw in this recipe. Because of this, you should keep the chocolate mousse refrigerated once you make it and should consume it within four days. For those who are afraid to use of raw eggs, all I can say is that neither I, nor Frenchy, nor any of Frenchy’s hundreds of extended family members have ever fallen ill after eating this recipe.
You may notice that the mixture of boiled cream, melted chocolate, and sugar is grainy. That’s ok, it happens with this recipe, and doesn’t negatively affect the outcome. It won’t even be noticeable once the mousse is chilled.
It is important to fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture, rather than stir them together. This preserves the amount of air in the final dish, which gives the mousse its characteristic lightness. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture until no streaks of white remain and the mixture looks uniform.
I’ve always found this mousse chills quickly in the back of the refrigerator. A single serving (1/2 cup) portion can be fully chilled and firm in two hours, while a larger bowl may take up to four hours.
If you’re in a rush–and who wouldn’t be, with all that chocolaty goodness calling “eat me” from the back of the refrigerator–I suggest refrigerating the mousse in single serve portions.
If you have more time and want to minimize work, serve it family style – one large bowl with berries on the side, just like my mother-in-law does.
Recipe
12 oz (350g) 60-66% cacao chocolate, couverture, melts, or chopped if in bar form
1 cup (250g) heavy cream
¼ cup (60g) sugar
6 eggs, separated
Time: 15 minutes (active); 2-4 hours to chill.
Makes 6-8 servings
- Add the cream to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, remove it from the heat and stir in the sugar and chocolate until fully melted. Stir in the egg yolks one by one. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.
- Whip the egg whites until stiff, but not dry peaks form.
- Stir ¼ of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then carefully fold in the rest. The mixture should be uniform with no visible streaks of egg white or chocolate.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the mousse until it is chilled and set, approximately four hours for the entire bowl in the back of the refrigerator.
- Alternatively, spoon the mousse into individual glasses, bowls, or ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2-3 hours.
The chocolate addict in me can’t get enough of the rich elegance of this simple recipe. I would love to hear what you thought below—too chocolaty, not chocolaty enough? Please leave comments below.
References and related links
- Additional details on the history of chocolate mousse https://www.thefoodhistorian.com/blog/category/chocolate
- Valrhona chocolate https://www.amazon.com/Valrhona-Chocolate-Premium-Tempering-Frostings/dp/B00BEVX038/ or via https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/valrhona-dark-chocolate
- Lindt (can be hard to find in the USA) https://www.chocolate.lindt.com/lindt-excellence-milk-65-bar-80g
