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
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Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, best quality
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature, yolks and whites separated
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup + 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 in (2.5-cm) 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 (50 g) 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 (25 g) 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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Mine came out with weird lumps! Neither the cream nor the eggs were overwhipped; what did I do wrong? The lumps were like soft chocolate chunks. I’m so embarrassed to be serving this for New Years Eve but there’s no time to make something else. 🙁
Hi Mary, Sorry you had a problem with this! Two things come to mind — perhaps you didn’t allow the chocolate to fully melt or that you added the eggs to the chocolate too soon causing them to cook a bit and create small chunks of cooked egg.
Hi, Jenn! I’m very excited to try! I will be using the double boiler method to melt the chocolate and butter. I’m always second guessing myself about how much to let things cool before the next step. Would you have a recommendation for about how long to let it cool? Many thanks! I swear by your wonderful recipes and advice!
Hi Aly, I’d let it cool for about 5 minutes. Hope that helps, and so glad you like the recipes!
It started to go solid/gritty when I first added some egg whites, but luckily smoothed out as I continued slowly adding the rest. I thought a reason may be that the chocolate cooled too much or I had the egg white strength wrong (beat more)? My mousse was a little runny (4 hrs in the fridge) – tasted great served in cups with creme fraise, cherries, and soft fruit.
Good recipe, very rich, but a little too sweet in my opinion. Something this sweet would be best in small doses. If I make this again I would use about half the sugar, darker chocolate, or a combination of the two. Thanks!
The recipe was simple easy to follow and it worked! My first attempt was a bit fluid-mousse because I had added the egg white and sugar at once instead of in quarters, but my second attempt was perfect! Thank you Tyler Florence and Jenn Segal!
An instant hit! A fun change to our usual Christmas dessert. Thanks!
This looks wonderful! Can it simply be doubled to serve extra guests?
Yep 🙂
Great! Thanks for your speedy reply. I am sure my family will be happy to hear the good news! Happy Holidays to you and your family!
This looks delicious! I would like to make this for Christmas dinner – how far ahead can I make it? Would it be ok to make it the night before?
Sure – see the bottom of the recipe for make-ahead instructions. Enjoy!
Hi there Jenn, May I pick your brain? I would like to utilise this recipe as a filling for a chocolate roulade (to make a Yule log); should I add a little gelatine powder (dissolved of course) Into the recipe, to help stabilise the mousse in the roll? Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help! ❤️
Hi Caroline, Without trying it myself, it’s hard to say, so I’d be hesitant to suggest it — sorry!
I always add gelatin to stabilize my whipped cream. I have made this recipe several times with gelatin. What I do, is I use 1/2 packet unflavoured gelatin with about 2-3 tbsp water and melt it in a small saucepan. I usually add a bit of flavouring oil (that goes well with chocolate such as coffee or orange or vanilla) in with the gelatin, but you don’t have to. I then let it sit off the heat while I’m whipping the cream. Once the cream is almost where I want to get it, I start pouring the gelatin mix into it. It comes out beautifully. I do this and the mousse is stable for days (in the fridge of course). For the whipped cream topping, I just use the other 1/2 of the gelatin packet. Same instructions. I always do this for whipped cream and my whipped cream will last for days without losing shape.
I used 85% dark chocolate and decorated the mousses with whipped cream and pitted cherries – delicious! My guests raved about them and not a drop left over – many thanks for the detailed recipe😋
Absolutely delicious! This website never fails to impress me 🙂
Any baking recipe that starts with creaming butter using a microwave… I just can’t trust it. Convince me I’m wrong
This recipe doesn’t call for creaming butter at all. Not sure what you are talking about.