Chocolate Mousse
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Need a dessert that’s both impressive and easy? This chocolate mousse recipe delivers rich, silky chocolate goodness in just 20 minutes (plus a bit of chilling time)—the perfect treat for chocolate lovers!
Chocolate mousse, or mousse au chocolat, is one of the easiest French desserts to make. Seriously, if you have a microwave, a hand mixer, and a spatula, you can whip up a batch that rivals any French restaurant’s version—in just 20 minutes! This recipe from Tyler Florence is practically foolproof. I’ve tried adding coffee or a splash of booze, but my family agrees—plain chocolate is best. Sometimes, simple is just better, and this one delivers deep chocolate flavor.
For serving, anything goes—juice glasses, martini glasses, small bowls, or even espresso cups. Hosting a party? Try serving it in porcelain soup spoons for a fun, elegant touch. Just make sure to let the mousse chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set properly.
“I made this classic chocolate mousse for Valentine’s day and it was delicious! The instructions were easy to follow and the results were amazing.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Mousse
- Butter: Adds richness to the chocolate mixture.
- Semisweet chocolate: Use good-quality chocolate since it’s the key ingredient. For a darker, less sweet mousse, go with bittersweet chocolate. You can also add shavings for serving. (Use a vegetable peeler on a chocolate bar for easy shavings.)
- Large eggs: Essential for structure and richness; yolks create a creamy base while whipped whites add lightness. Chocolate mousse is made with raw eggs, so if that’s a concern, look for pasteurized eggs. They’re gently heated to kill any potential bacteria without cooking the egg.
- Cream of tartar: Helps stabilize the egg whites for a better texture.
- Sugar: Sweetens the mousse; a bit is added to the egg whites and some to the whipped cream for balanced sweetness.
- Heavy cream: Contributes to the mousse’s rich, creamy texture, with additional heavy cream whipped for a light topping.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warm flavor that enhances the chocolate.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Melt the chocolate. Place the butter in a medium heatproof bowl and break the chocolate into pieces right over it—no need to chop. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring in between, until about 75% melted, then stir until smooth. The residual heat will finish the job without risking scorched or seized chocolate. Alternatively, melt the butter and chocolate together over a bowl of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth.
Step 2: Whisk in the egg yolks. Let the mixture cool slightly, then whisk in the yolks one at a time, working quickly so the yolks don’t cook. Adding the egg yolks one at a time ensures they blend in smoothly and evenly thicken the mixture. Set the chocolate mixture aside.
Step 3: Beat the egg whites. In another medium bowl, use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment to beat the egg whites until foamy. (Be sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry—any fat or moisture can keep the whites from whipping properly.)
Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form—they should just hold their shape before folding back into themselves. Slowly add the ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, meaning the peaks stand straight up without drooping when you lift the beaters.
Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. This technique helps keep all that air you just whipped in, which gives the mousse its light, airy texture. Scoop from the bottom and lift up and over until the mixture is just combined—don’t overmix. Set aside.
Step 4: Whip the cream. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Add the remaining sugar and vanilla. Beat until medium peaks form—they’ll look thick and creamy but still soft. Avoid overwhipping; medium peaks are ideal because they fold smoothly into the mousse without turning grainy or stiff. If in doubt, stop early and finish whisking by hand. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until uniform.
Pro Tip: If you have a few extra minutes, chill the bowl and beaters in the fridge for a few minutes before whipping the cream; this makes for faster whipping and more stable peaks.
Step 5: Assemble and chill. Spoon the chocolate mousse into six individual glasses, cover, and chill until set, about 2 hours.
A few hours before serving, make sweetened whipped cream and dollop on top. Finish with chocolate shavings and serve. The mousse (without the whipped cream topping) can be made up to 1 day ahead.
Video Tutorial
More Chocolate Desserts You May Like
Chocolate Mousse
Whip up a batch of this decadent chocolate mousse—it’s light, airy, and irresistibly creamy. The perfect make-ahead dessert for any occasion!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, best quality
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature, yolks and whites separated
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream, cold
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
- ½ cup heavy cream, cold
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Break the chocolate into small pieces directly into the bowl. Microwave it in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until the chocolate is about 75% melted. Stir, allowing the residual heat in the bowl to melt the chocolate completely. (Alternatively, place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing about 1 inch of barely simmering water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.) Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form (the peaks should be just starting to hold, and will melt back into themselves after a second). Gradually beat in ¼ cup of the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the peaks will stand straight up when the beaters are lifted from the mixture). Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture until uniform. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds medium peaks (when you lift the beaters or whisk out of the bowl, the peaks will slightly droop down, but they won't lose their shape entirely). Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Be sure it is fully incorporated but don't mix any more than necessary. Divide the mousse between 6 individual glasses, cover, and chill until set, at least 2 hours.
- Up to a few hours before serving, whip the cream until it begins to thicken up. Add the sugar and whip to medium peaks. Dollop the whipped cream over the mousse and top with chocolate shavings.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Mousse can be made up to 1 day ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled in the refrigerator. Add whipped cream topping and chocolate shavings up to a few hours before serving.
- Note: Chocolate mousse is made with raw eggs. If that is a concern, try to find pasteurized eggs. Pasteurized eggs have been briefly exposed to heat to destroy any potential bacteria. Whole Foods usually carries them but call your local store to be sure before making a special trip. (Note: eating raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women, babies, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system.)
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 415
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated fat: 19 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Sugar: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Cholesterol: 163 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Haven’t made this yet, so I am not leaving a rating. But, can this recipe be used as a layer cake filling? I want to make a Rigo Jancsi and want a filling that will be perfect. (If that is ever possible?)
Hi Mary Ann, I think it should work. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it!
This mousse was delicious! I used Lindt 70% dark chocolate, and will use slightly less sugar next time, we felt it was a touch too sweet. But the texture and flavor were excellent.
Made this for our Valentine’s Day dessert and it was perfect. I appreciate your clear and complete instructions – always great. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
My mousse came out kind of gritty, and I couldn’t understand why. I’ve been making chocolate mousse for years, with no problem.
Then, in another cookbook, I found the following sentence for an almost identical recipe: “Make the beaten egg whites first, before melting the chocolate; you need to fold the egg whites into the chocolate while it’s still rather warm, otherwise the chocolate will seize.”
Aha! I did it, and it came out as it should. So may I suggest that you add this warning?
Thank you!! I just tried to make this and this happened to me. Will try again
First time for me making a mousse! It was wonderful, a very smooth rich chocolate. A special dessert on Super Bowl night. I’ll make it always.
This was my first time making mousse and it was delicious! The instructions were easy to follow and the results were amazing. So fluffy and rich!
I tried the recipe today and turned out so perfectly. The sugar was just the right size and the steps were easy to follow. Mommy of the year award comes to me after this 🤭🤭
The mousse is delicious. I’ve made it several times. However, the last time, I made a quad batch for a large dinner party. There were pieces of seized chocolate in the mix and I had great difficulty piping it into the individual serving dishes. The chocolate/egg mixture in the mixing bowl turned out more like a dough ball. Did I let the chocolate cool too long? Didn’t want to cook the eggs so I made sure the chocolate wasn’t hot. Any idea where I went wrong? Thanks Jenn
Hi Wanda, sorry to hear you had a problem with the mousse this time around! Yes, it sounds like the chocolate cooled too long. It’s fine to incorporate the eggs when the chocolate still has a bit of warmth to it. Hope that helps!
Yes and no. What many people don’t realize is that just because chocolate is mixable and emulsified doesn’t mean it’s fully melted. If you’re planning on making this again, I suggest leaving the chocolate on the stove/microwave for a few more seconds so that it becomes more of a liquid than a paste
Love it. And so easy to make. I didn’t change a thing.
Hi Jenn,
My partner can’t have regular sugar so I would have to use sugar free dark chocolate. Do you think that would work or should I add some stevia? Thanks! Can’t wait to try this one out. Made your enchiladas and Mexican rice today (AGAIN) for dinner and as always it was a big hit! Everyone had seconds!
I’d add some Stevia to compensate for the sugar free chocolate. Hope you enjoy (and glad to hear the enchiladas and rice were a hit)!
Great recipe! I didn’t add any sugar, but turned out perfect. I’ve made this mousse before but was too impatient to let my eggs come to room temperature so combining the yolks and chocolate was a bit challenging. However, my second attempt was really good. I don’t understand people complaining. Just move on if you don’t want to use raw eggs or think it’s too complicated.
Would this double ok? Need more than 6 servings
Sure, Kristine, it should be fine. Enjoy!