Chocolate Mousse
If you've got bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream, you're most of the way to this vegetarian: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for pan and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Chop the bittersweet chocolate and melt it gently with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, then stir in the hot water and vanilla and let it cool until just warm to the touch.
- Beat the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of the sugar until pale, then whisk them into the warm chocolate one at a time so the mixture stays glossy and does not seize.
- In a clean, grease-free bowl whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks, gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, and continue beating to firm, shiny peaks.
- Whip the cold heavy cream separately to soft peaks, taking care not to overbeat it.
- Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate base with a spatula, then fold in the egg whites in two or three additions using gentle figure-of-eight strokes to keep the mixture light and airy.
- Divide the mousse among four serving glasses, smooth the tops, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or until set, before serving.
- Note that this mousse contains raw egg, so use the freshest pasteurized eggs available and keep it refrigerated until serving, especially for vulnerable diners.
You'll use: Pan · Saucepan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Heavy Cream
- evaporated milk · ½ cup milk + ¼ cup melted butter · full-fat coconut milk
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
Tips & common questions
How long does Chocolate Mousse take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Chocolate Mousse vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Chocolate Mousse is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Chocolate coffee mousse.jpg by Lu from Seattle, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.