Chocolate mousse can range from light and airy to thick and decadent. This recipe is somewhere in the middle – a rich chocolate flavour, still light but with a smooth and creamy texture.
Servings
4 Servings
PREP TIME
45 mins
COOK TIME
N/A
TOTAL TIME
45 mins + chill time
Difficulty
Easy
Wine pairing
Dessert wine
1. In a large bowl (large enough to eventually hold all the ingredients), melt the chocolate and the butter in the microwave until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Note: Microwave the chocolate on medium power in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until just melted, to ensure the chocolate doesn’t burn. You can also use the double boiler method on the stovetop if you prefer.
1. In a completely clean and dry bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed. Once foamy, sprinkle the sugar in gradually, and continue beating until soft peaks form. It should look like the consistency of shaving foam or styling mousse.
Tip: You don’t want to overbeat the egg whites or the mousse will be firm instead of light, so make sure you beat them on medium speed, not high. Soft peaks mean when you pull the beaters out, the peaks of the egg whites will fall over slightly (but there’ll still be a distinct peak – see the image below).
2. In a separate bowl, beat the cold cream on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Tip: Again, you don’t want to overbeat the cream or the mousse will lose that light and creamy consistency. The cream will also have soft peaks and should almost double in volume.
1. Stir the chocolate to make sure it’s still melted; if needed, give it another 15-20 seconds in the microwave to loosen it. Then stir the egg yolks and vanilla essence in.
Tip: You want the chocolate to be slightly warm but not hot when you mix the egg yolks in, otherwise the eggs will start to cook and the chocolate will be lumpy and gritty.
2. Use a rubber spatula to fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Once combined, continue folding in the rest of the egg whites 1/3 at a time.
Tip: This step requires patience; folding takes longer than stirring, but if you’re too rough when combining the ingredients then you’ll knock the air out of the whipped egg whites and the mousse won’t be light and airy. The method to fold is:
3. Fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, then continue folding the rest of the cream in 1/3 at a time.
4. Spoon the mousse into serving glasses and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Serve topped with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and/or strawberries.
Chocolate mousse won’t generally last long enough to pair with wine! The flavour of the mousse is so good on its own, so it’s tricky to pair with wine; but there are a few options if you want to try:
