Chocolate and orange go together so well, don’t they? There’s a reason it’s a classic flavour combination. Something about the bright tangy citrus that pairs so perfectly with the rich, smooth chocolate. I mean, just think about how good a Terry's Chocolate Orange is! It's just a combination that works. This is my recipe for Chocolate Orange Mousse. It’s light and rich with all the classic chocolate mousse technique and flavour but cut with bright orange flavour from fresh oranges, not extract.
It’s actually a simple dessert, it can be off-putting as a lot of people seem to have a fear of egg whites and whipping them to stiff peaks but it’s not tricky at all. I have made this recipe a real show stopper by serving the mousse in scooped out oranges with piped delicious brown sugar meringue on top BUT this is entirely optional and the mousse is just as delicious without the extras and served in a large bowl to scoop out of.
Why you will love this Chocolate Orange Mousse:
- It is such an easy dessert recipe and takes less than 30 minutes to make - then you can relax whilst it chills in the fridge.
- It is ideal for stress-free entertaining as you can prep ahead and then just add the optional meringue when ready to serve.
- It looks really impressive when torching the meringue, it’s quite a fun one to do with your guests at the table.
- It is budget-friendly and uses only a handful of ingredients.
Ingredients:
Dark chocolate - opt for a good-quality dark chocolate with 70% cocoa. This helps give a rich, chocolatey flavour to the mousse.
Eggs - use free-range eggs if you can. It is really important to use ones stamped with the British Lion as they are uncooked in this recipe.
Caster sugar - this adds a delicate sweetness. You could also use golden caster sugar or granulated sugar. If you want a more caramel flavour, you could use soft light brown sugar.
Fresh oranges - I like to scoop out the centre of the the orange so the mousse can sit in them like little cups but it is optional. Just make sure you reserve the juice and zest before all of that if you are scooping them out.
Brown sugar - this is for the meringue topping. As I say, it’s optional but I love it. Using brown sugar here gives the meringue a caramel-y chew and taste, which complements the chocolate well.
Double cream - my classic French Chocolate Mousse recipe does not include cream. I like it here for a bit more richness with the orange flavour.
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Substitutions and Variations:
Caster sugar: In a pinch, you could use golden caster sugar or granulated sugar in the mousse. If you want a more caramel flavour, you could use soft light brown sugar but the classic caster sugar works best.
Chocolate: Instead of 70%, you could opt for slightly less cocoa and try with a 54% dark chocolate. This will make it slightly less intense in chocolate flavour but still delicious. I wouldn’t use milk chocolate or white chocolate here.
Directions:
Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.
ONE: Use a knife to cut around the edges of each orange (if you plan on serving this way) and then scoop out the centre. Set aside.
TWO: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. I like to use clean fingers, it's the simplest way to do it. I crack the eggs into a bowl whole then remove the egg yolk by gently scooping with a clean hand, transferring the yolk to a separate bowl. To the melted chocolate, pour in the heated cream. Then add the egg yolks, orange juice and zest, mixing well after each.
THREE: Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk using an electric whisk until you have soft peaks. Add the sugar and whisk for another minute until glossy.
FOUR: Mix ⅓ of the whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture and beat to combine. This lightens the chocolate and means it's easier to fold in the remaining egg whites without losing too much air.
FIVE: Transfer the loosened chocolate mixture to the egg whites and fold to combine.
SIX: Pour into the orange halves. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours - or overnight. Then once set, this would be the time to add the brown sugar meringue and torch it just before serving.
Cooking Tips:
Separating the eggs: I like to use clean fingers, it's the simplest way to do it. I crack the eggs into a bowl whole then remove the egg yolk by gently scooping with a clean hand, transferring the yolk to a separate bowl. If you don't feel too confident, use one bowl to crack the whole egg, then transfer the yolk to a bowl and transfer the egg white to another bowl. This means that if your third egg accidentally breaks the yolk, you don't ruin all the egg whites. You can just save the cracked egg (yolk) for scrambled eggs. The white needs to have not a trace of yolk or it won't whip up.
Whipping the egg whites: Make sure your bowl and whisk are spotlessly clean and have no other residue on them, as this can impede the egg whites from forming stiff peaks - which is what you want.
Folding the egg whites: You have just spent all that time getting air into the egg whites, don’t bash it all out when you come to folding in the chocolate. Use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold it in. This means don’t stir, but essentially use the large spoon to bring the bottom of the mixture up and over the top. Turning the bowl a quarter-turn as you go makes this easier. Be patient and it’ll end up coming together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This Chocolate Orange Mousse is the perfect make-ahead dessert. If I am making it for a dinner party, I whip it up in the morning, then chill it until the evening (then top with meringue if choosing to do so). It is best to consume it within 3 days though (not that it ever lasts that long in my fridge!).
Yes, this Chocolate Mousse recipe does contain raw eggs but, provided you use eggs stamped with the British Lion mark, they should be safe to eat. You only need to take extra caution if you are making for someone with a compromised immune system (see recipe note).
This Chocolate Orange Mousse is simply perfect as it is. If you aren't doing the brown sugar meringue topping but want to make it a little more special, dust with a little icing sugar before serving or top with a quenelle (a pretty spoonful) of whipped cream or a sprinkling of seasonal berries (raspberries, cherries and/or strawberries are particularly delicious).
No you don't! See the image below, I served it in a large bowl and set in the fridge overnight. Then decorated with little blobs of whipped cream, fruit, mint and orange zest and it's delicious. No need to make the meringue even if I do think it looks stunning.
An alternative way of serving your Chocolate Orange Mousse:
If you like the idea of the chocolate orange mousse but don't want to bother with scooping out the oranges or making the meringue...I get it! This is another really lovely way of serving it. Just pour into bowls and let it set. Top with fresh fruit, some whipped double cream and a scattering of edible flowers if you have them. So pretty and so delicious!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
I couldn't write about chocolate orange recipes without mentioning my recipe for Jaffa Cake Cake. It’s a delicious orange-flavoured sponge with chocolate icing and marmalade. Essentially everything we love about a jaffa cake into proper cake form and not a bite-sized biscuit. If you are after a classic Chocolate Mousse recipe, my one is so simple and only has 3 ingredients. If you love chocolate mousse but it's not something you know you can eat every single day, try my Protein Chocolate Mousse. It's made with tofu (bear with me) and chocolate and it's really delicious. It's also a vegan mousse which is great!
My Brownie Bites are a little bite-sized chocolate treat that I love to serve with fresh berries and cream. Finally, this recipe for an oozing Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding is one of my absolute faves. It's so melty and delicious. I serve it warm with vanilla ice cream on top. YUM!
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintChocolate Orange Mousse
Deliciously rich chocolate mousse with a touch of orange and an (optional) brown sugar meringue topping piled high.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Setting Time: 6 hours to overnight
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes + chill time
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Pudding
- Method: Fridge set
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Orange Mousse:
- 250g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped or broken into pieces
- 140ml double cream
- 2 large yolks
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 6 large egg whites
- 40g caster sugar
- Salt
For the brown sugar meringue:
- 4 egg whites
- 220g soft light brown sugar
Instructions
For the mousse:
- Carefully cut the top off 6 oranges and scoop out them out, scraping the sides. Save the juice.
- Place the chocolate in a large bowl and heat over a pan of simmering water (taking care that the bowl doesn’t touch the water beneath) until nearly melted or pop in the microwave for 30 second bursts until nearly melted. Stir well each time you remove from the microwave after a 30 second burst.
- Add the cream to a saucepan and place over gentle medium heat. Heat the cream to just a gentle simmer with small bubbles foaming at the edge but not boiling.
- Add the warm cream to the semi-melted chocolate and stir until it’s smooth and glossy.
- Allow to cool a little, then stir in the egg yolk, orange zest and orange juice.
- Beat the whites with an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks. Add the sugar and beat again until glossy.
- Using a metal spoon, carefully fold a large spoon of egg whites in to the chocolate mix, and beat together. This will loosen it. Then pour this chocolate mixture into the rest of the egg whites and fold together gently, avoiding knocking any air out of the whites.
- Nestle the oranges into a baking dish so that they stay upright. Pour the mousse into the oranges. Or pour mousse into a large bowl and leave to set in the fridge. The oranges will need less time to set, around 4 hours to overnight whereas the large bowl will need at least 8 hours to overnight.
For the meringue:
- This is totally optional but I thought it looked gorgeous and added an extra element to the mousse and made it a little more original.
- Add the egg whites to a large, clean bowl and whisk until foamy and bubbly. Then add the soft light brown sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking well in between. Keep going until all the sugar is added and the meringue is smooth and glossy. If you pinch a little meringue mixture between your fingers, you shouldn’t feel any grains of sugar. You want it totally dissolved.
- Pipe on top of the chocolate mousse or spoon and smooth. Then use a blowtorch to brown the top and set it slightly. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
The mousse will sit happily in the fridge for a few days, but I would top them with meringue when you want to eat them. This type of meringue has a habit of weeping when it's in the fridge so you won't be as good if left in the fridge
The orange chocolate mousse is excellent on it's own even without the meringue topping
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