Six small glasses of dark chocolate mousse topped with chocolate shavings on a walnut table, with a bowl of dark chocolate pieces and a whisk.

Intermediate · 25 min + 4 h chill · 6 servings

Dark Chocolate Mousse Recipe (Light, Airy and Deeply Chocolate)

Name: Dark Chocolate Mousse Recipe (Light, Airy and Deeply Chocolate)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 7 oz (200 g) Dark Chocolate 70% (or Dark Chocolate 60%); 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature; 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar; 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold heavy cream; 1/8 tsp fine salt; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional); Chocolate shavings or cocoa nibs, to serve (optional)

A classic dark chocolate mousse is built from dark chocolate, eggs, sugar and cold heavy cream. Melt 7 oz (200 g) of 70% dark chocolate, whisk in the yolks, then fold in whipped egg whites and whipped cream while the chocolate is still warm. Chill it for at least 4 hours before serving.

Ingredients

7 oz (200 g) Dark Chocolate 70% (or Dark Chocolate 60%)
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (180 ml) cold heavy cream
1/8 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Chocolate shavings or cocoa nibs, to serve (optional)

Method

Set aside 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the cream. Whip the rest to soft peaks, cover and refrigerate while you prepare the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Do not let it go above 122 °F (50 °C).
Let the chocolate cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the vanilla. The base will thicken and turn glossy. It should still feel warm, about 104 to 113 °F (40 to 45 °C).
In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until foamy. Add the sugar gradually and keep beating to soft, glossy peaks that curl over at the tip. Stop before they turn stiff and dry.
Stir about a quarter of the whites into the chocolate base briskly to loosen it.
Fold in the remaining whites in two additions with a wide spatula, cutting down through the center and turning the bowl as you go. Fold in the whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
Divide the mousse among 6 glasses or ramekins, cover each one and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Serve chilled, topped with chocolate shavings, cocoa nibs or a spoonful of lightly whipped cream.

Tips

If the chocolate base tightens when you add the yolks, warm the 2 tbsp of reserved cream and whisk it in until the base is smooth and glossy again.
Grainy specks mean the base was too cool when the cold foams went in. Next time, start folding a little sooner.
Any trace of yolk or fat in the bowl keeps egg whites from whipping fully, so separate the eggs carefully.
For a 3-ingredient mousse, leave out the cream and use 6 eggs with the same 7 oz (200 g) of chocolate and 2 to 3 tbsp of sugar.

The secret to a light mousse that still tastes deeply of chocolate is temperature. Melted chocolate that is still warm, about 104 to 113 °F (40 to 45 °C), folds smoothly into whipped egg whites and cream. Too cool, and it sets into hard flecks. Too hot, and it collapses the foam you just whipped.

Chocolate mousse ingredients and what each one does

This is a French-style mousse au chocolat, so every ingredient has a job:

Dark chocolate gives flavor and structure. As its cocoa butter firms in the refrigerator, it holds the air in place.
Egg yolks add richness and act as emulsifiers, keeping the chocolate smooth as it meets the foams.
Egg whites, whipped with sugar into a soft meringue, carry most of the lift. As Iowa State University's food science guide to egg white foams notes, fat keeps whites from foaming, so even a trace of yolk costs you volume.
Heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks, adds a rounder, creamier texture than whites alone.

We make it with Dark Chocolate 70%, made from Carenero cacao harvested in the Barlovento region of Miranda State, Venezuela. With 41% fat and the highest fluidity in our range, it melts into a glossy base that is easy to fold, and its toasted nut, nutmeg and dried fruit notes stay clear even after all that air goes in. It comes in 4 g pieces, so there is nothing to chop.

Why the chocolate's temperature matters when you fold

Whipped cream goes in straight from the refrigerator, at around 40 °F (4 °C). When it meets chocolate that has cooled too far, the cocoa butter crystallizes on contact and leaves grainy specks. When the chocolate is too hot, it melts the fat in the cream and deflates the whites, and the mousse turns dense and heavy.

Melt the chocolate gently, no higher than 113 to 122 °F (45 to 50 °C), and whisk in the room-temperature yolks. The base should still feel warm, around 104 to 113 °F (40 to 45 °C), when the first spoonful of whites goes in. Our guide to melting chocolate without scorching it covers both the microwave and the water bath.

Using 60%, 55% or dark milk chocolate instead

The recipe works across the range with small adjustments to sugar and weight:

Chocolate	Flavor in the mousse	Adjustment
Dark Chocolate 70%	Intense and bittersweet, toasted nuts, nutmeg	Recipe as written
Dark Chocolate 60%	Tropical fruit and spice, a little sweeter	Reduce the sugar to 2 tbsp (25 g)
Dark Chocolate 55%	Fruity and nutty, with a subtle citrus finish	Reduce the sugar to 1 tbsp (12 g)
Dark Milk Chocolate 49%	Caramel, hazelnut and coffee, very creamy	Use 8 oz (225 g) chocolate and skip the sugar

Milk fat softens cocoa butter, so a dark milk mousse sets noticeably softer. The extra chocolate keeps it spoonable rather than loose.

Make-ahead and storage

Mousse needs at least 4 hours in the refrigerator to set, and it is at its best after 12 to 24 hours. Cover each glass tightly, because mousse absorbs refrigerator odors easily. Keep it at 40 °F (4 °C) or below and serve it within 2 days. Take it out 10 minutes before serving so the chocolate flavor opens up.

A note on raw eggs

This mousse uses uncooked yolks and whites. If you are serving pregnant guests, young children, older adults or anyone with a weakened immune system, follow the FDA's egg safety advice for dishes with raw eggs and use pasteurized-in-shell eggs. Their whites whip more slowly, so give them an extra minute or two. For an egg-free version, fold whipped cream into a warm chocolate ganache base instead.

Curious how 55%, 60% and 70% compare before you commit to a 2 lb bag? The Discovery Kit brings four of our products, 4.23 oz (120 g) each, assorted from a range that includes all three dark chocolates. One sachet is enough for a half batch of this mousse.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make an easy chocolate mousse?

The easiest chocolate mousse skips the eggs entirely. Melt 7 oz (200 g) of dark chocolate with 1/3 cup (80 ml) of hot heavy cream, let it cool until just warm, then fold in 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of cream whipped to soft peaks. Chill for 2 to 3 hours. The result is denser and richer than the classic French version made with eggs.

What are the ingredients in chocolate mousse?

A classic French chocolate mousse uses dark chocolate, eggs separated into yolks and whites, sugar, a pinch of salt and often heavy cream. Some versions add butter for a denser texture, or coffee and liqueur for flavor. Egg-free versions rely on whipped cream alone, while the simplest style uses only chocolate, eggs and sugar.

Can you make chocolate mousse with 3 ingredients?

Yes. The simplest French mousse uses only dark chocolate, eggs and sugar. Melt 7 oz (200 g) of chocolate, whisk in 6 egg yolks, then fold in 6 egg whites beaten to soft peaks with 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar. Without cream, the texture is lighter and airier and the chocolate flavor comes through very clearly. Chill it for at least 4 hours.

How long does chocolate mousse last in the fridge?

Homemade chocolate mousse keeps for up to 2 days in the refrigerator when each serving is tightly covered. Because it contains raw eggs, do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. The texture is best on the first day; after that the foam slowly tightens and the surface can dry out slightly.

Why is my chocolate mousse grainy?

Grainy mousse usually means the chocolate base was too cool when the cold whipped cream or egg whites were added, so the cocoa butter set into tiny hard bits. It can also happen when the cream is whipped past soft peaks and starts turning buttery. Fold while the base is still warm, and stop whipping the cream as soon as it holds soft peaks.

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