Classic French Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au Chocolat)

Name: Classic French Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au Chocolat)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT-481145H51M14S
Total time: PT-481145H51M14S
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 120g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped; 4 medium eggs; 4 tsp caster sugar

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I have tried so many Chocolate Mousse recipes over the years but nothing beats this one. Reader, I give you Elizabeth David’s French Chocolate Mousse also known as Mousse Au Chocolat. If you haven’t tried it before, you are in for a treat. It has the smoothest, light and airy texture with a rich and intense chocolate taste. Bliss in a bowl. This truly is the ultimate 3 ingredient recipe and one of the quickest and simplest desserts you will ever make. It is hard to believe something so simple could be so good…

I am loving chocolate mousse at the moment, I have a few different recipes that incorporate some sort of mousse. This one is of course the classic, it's so simple even if you may not think so. My Moelleux au Chocolat is a cake with a chocolate mousse-style layer on top. It's so decadent. Or this classic Chocolate Mousse Cake is one to try too. You should try this one first, it's always good to master a classic and this recipe is so good!

Why I love this French Chocolate Mousse (Mousse Au Chocolat):

It is such an easy dessert recipe and takes less than 15 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 allowing you to enjoy time with your guests.
You can easily make it look even prettier with a dusting of icing sugar, quenelle of whipped cream or sprinkling of seasonal berries.
It is budget-friendly and uses 3 ingredients most people already have at home.

You will need the following 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.

Substitutions & Variations

Caster sugar: In a pinch, you could use golden caster sugar or granulated sugar. 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.

Here's how to make this famous Mousse Au Chocolat

This step-by-step guide will help make this recipe a little simpler. The full recipe and quantities are below.

ONE: 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.

TWO: To the melted chocolate, add the egg yolks, mixing well after each. If the chocolate seizes, do not panic (it can happen and it is perfectly normal and fixable - so don’t stress), simply add a little boiling water, a tablespoon at a time, and keep whisking until it comes back to being glossy.

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: Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours - or overnight.

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.

Adding the egg yolks to chocolate: Make sure to add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each. If the chocolate seizes, do not panic (it can happen and it is perfectly normal and fixable - so don’t stress), simply add a little water, a tablespoon at a time, and keep whisking until it comes back to being glossy. This has saved me before!

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

Can I make this Mousse Au Chocolat in advance?

Yes! This Chocolate 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. It is best to consume it within 3 days though (not that it ever lasts that long in my fridge!).

What can I serve with this Chocolate Mousse?

This Mousse Au Chocolat is simply perfect as it is. If you 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). You could also top with some dark chocolate curls or drizzle with olive oil and add a sprinkle of sea salt.

Does this Chocolate Mousse contain raw eggs?

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).

Other recipes you may enjoy:

I absolutely love chocolate, any variation of it and I will eat it for pudding, lunch, dinner - whenever! My Brownie Bites are a little bite-sized chocolate treat that I love to serve with fresh berries and cream. I also have a perfect Moist Chocolate Cake with Rich Chocolate Frosting, it's so moist and simple but always turns out perfectly. These Nigella-inspired Brownies are a go-to recipe in my house, they are so fudgy and rich with big chunks of white chocolate in them. 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! 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?

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