This classic chocolate mousse recipe creates the perfect balance of rich chocolate flavor and airy texture that melts in your mouth. After years of testing different methods in my kitchen, I’ve discovered that authentic French chocolate mousse requires just five simple ingredients and proper technique.
The result is a restaurant-quality dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. This traditional approach uses raw eggs to achieve that signature light and fluffy consistency that makes chocolate mousse so irresistible.
What Makes This Chocolate Mousse Special
This French-style mousse delivers authentic restaurant-quality results that surpass typical homemade versions:
- Uses properly whipped egg whites to create air pockets throughout the chocolate base
- Produces true mousse texture instead of heavy, pudding-like consistency
- Features intense chocolate flavor because it uses less cream and more quality chocolate
- Creates the light, fluffy texture found in fine dining establishments
- Avoids the dense results common in cream-heavy recipes
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Chocolate Mousse
Here are the five ingredients you need to create this decadent chocolate dessert:
- 3 large eggs (about 2 oz each)
- 125g dark cooking chocolate (70% cocoa, bittersweet)
- 10g unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (full-fat, 35% fat content)
- 3 tablespoons caster sugar (superfine white sugar)
Optional garnishes: whipped cream, chocolate shavings, fresh berries
Choosing the Right Chocolate
The chocolate you select determines your mousse’s final quality and taste:
- Always use cooking chocolate from the baking aisle, not eating chocolate from candy sections
- Choose 70% cocoa dark chocolate for optimal balance of intense flavor without excessive sweetness
- Look for bittersweet chocolate that melts smoothly and blends properly with other ingredients
- Quality brands like Lindt, Cadbury, or Nestle work perfectly for home cooks
- Higher cocoa percentages create more intense, less sweet results
- Milk chocolate works for milder flavor preferences but lacks the rich depth of dark chocolate
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these organized steps for perfect chocolate mousse every time:
Preparation steps:
- Separate eggs while cold – whites in large bowl, yolks in small bowl
- Let egg whites reach room temperature while preparing other ingredients
- Break chocolate into pieces and place with butter in microwave-safe bowl
Creating the chocolate base:
- Whisk egg yolks until smooth and uniform
- Melt chocolate and butter in 30-second microwave bursts, stirring between intervals
- Let melted chocolate cool slightly while keeping it warm and runny
Building the mousse texture:
- Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks without over-whipping
- Beat egg whites with sugar until firm peaks form with slight hooks at tips
- Fold egg yolks into whipped cream using maximum 8 gentle folds
Final assembly:
- Pour warm chocolate into cream mixture and fold through (8 folds maximum)
- Add one-quarter of beaten egg whites to chocolate mixture and fold until incorporated
- Pour chocolate mixture into remaining egg whites and fold until no white streaks remain
- Divide between 4 serving glasses or small bowls
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight until completely set
- Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving
Important Tips for Success
These key techniques ensure your chocolate mousse turns out perfectly every time:
- Keep melted chocolate warm but not hot (around 104°F is ideal temperature)
- Use gentle folding motions with rubber spatula to preserve whipped air bubbles
- Aim for firm peaks in egg whites with slight hooks at tips, not soft or stiff peaks
- Work at steady pace to prevent whipped components from deflating
- Some streaks during folding process are normal and will blend as you continue
- Microwave chocolate briefly in 5-second intervals if it cools too much during assembly
Understanding Raw Eggs in Desserts
This traditional chocolate mousse recipe uses raw eggs, which are essential for achieving the proper texture. Raw eggs appear in many classic desserts like tiramisu and homemade mayonnaise. The risk of salmonella is minimal with fresh, quality eggs.
If you’re concerned about raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs or pasteurize them yourself at home. However, pregnant women and babies should avoid raw egg desserts. The authentic texture simply cannot be replicated without eggs – alternatives create dense, pudding-like results rather than true mousse.
Storage and Serving
Follow these guidelines for the best chocolate mousse experience:
- Serve within two days for optimal taste and texture
- Store covered in refrigerator for up to one week with minimal texture loss
- Use small portions since the dessert is quite rich and satisfying
- Present in wine glasses or small ramekins for elegant individual servings
- Garnish with dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings for restaurant presentation
- Let mousse sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving for best texture
This classic French dessert proves that simple ingredients and proper technique create the most satisfying results. Once you master this chocolate mousse recipe, you’ll have an impressive dessert that rivals any restaurant version.
French Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare the eggs: Separate eggs while cold, placing whites in a large bowl and yolks in a small bowl. Let egg whites come to room temperature while preparing other ingredients.
- Prepare chocolate: Whisk egg yolks until smooth and uniform. Break chocolate into pieces and place with butter in microwave-safe bowl.
- Melt chocolate: Melt chocolate and butter in 30-second microwave bursts, stirring between each interval until smooth. Let cool slightly while keeping warm and runny.
- Whip cream: Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-whip.
- Beat egg whites: Add sugar to egg whites and beat until firm peaks form with slight hooks at the tips.
- Combine cream and yolks: Fold egg yolks into whipped cream using a rubber spatula, maximum 8 gentle folds. Some streaks are fine.
- Add chocolate: Check that chocolate is warm but not hot (around 104°F). Pour chocolate into cream mixture and fold through with maximum 8 folds.
- Incorporate egg whites: Add one-quarter of beaten egg whites to chocolate mixture and fold until incorporated. Then pour chocolate mixture into remaining egg whites and fold until no white streaks remain.
- Chill and serve: Divide between 4 serving glasses or small bowls. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight until set. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.