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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Hi – I made this tonight for Valentines and my mouse turned out really dense and almost like fudge – I did use the bakers unsweetened 100% squares but followed the directions the rest of the way – thought it would be much lighter and fluffier and easy to eat – recommendations?
Hi Bob, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! I’m trying to figure out why you would’ve gotten that texture. Did your results look like my step by step pictures as you were making it? Did the chocolate melt easily? And did you incorporate some of the whipped cream into the mousse?
The taste is pretty good, but after two attempts and closely watching the chocolate both times I could not get a smooth cohesive mixture. I had to add extra butter to the chocolate mix to get it soft enough to mix in
This recipe sounds wonderful, but why is it okay to eat raw eggs here? There are cautions everywhere about raw cookie dough,etc. I have not seen this issue addressed anywhere.
Thank you.
Hi Deb, There’s a note right above the recipe: If you’re concerned about raw eggs, 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.) Hope that helps and that you enjoy the mousse if you make it!
You’re actually more likely to get food poisoning from the raw flour in cookie dough than the raw eggs. Many recipes use raw eggs. What’s important about using raw eggs is proper storage of the food. Mayo is raw eggs, that’s why it is dangerous if it gets left out of the fridge for long. Another thing is that salmonella is usually only on the shell of the egg, so wash the egg first and dont crack it on the bowl that you are using. Hope this makes you more comfortable using raw eggs!
Nothing beats this dish if you are looking to satisfy your chocolate craving. Turns out smooth every time I make it and it’s the perfect ending to complement a meal like Jenn’s Coq au Vin. 5 stars all the way!
Whenever I have to make a dessert – I go right back to this recipe. You can make it ahead of time, no fussy baking and it is DELICIOUS. I dare you to find someone who won’t like it. As with all of Jenn’s recipes I found it easy to follow and unfussy. If you want to eat good food – consult any of her recipes and your wish will be granted. I recently doubled this recipe to take for an outdoor birthday dinner adding sprinkles of course!
Highly recommend serving in fun martini glasses or something of the sort if you have them. I’m also thinking about using this mousse with a chocolate cheesecake…YUM!
Hi Jenn,
I made this recipe recently and it turned out grainy. What do you think I did wrong? I followed all of the steps, but I am not sure what I missed.
Hi Leah, Sorry you had a problem with the texture. What type of chocolate did you use? Did you beat the egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks formed?
This was my problem too, just too grainy so I cannot consider it a mousse. I am positive I followed directions exactly, beating egg whites until stiff peaks formed, melting the chocolate correctly, etc. Should I have used powdered sugar instead? Or a chocolate with a higher butter fat? I used Baker’s Premium Baker Bar, 56% cacao semi-sweet chocolate.
I don’t think the brand of chocolate you used would’ve been an issue. While I haven’t experienced it, I did a little research and learned that if the chocolate mixture cools too much before you fold in the egg white mixture, the chocolate can harden and form grains. If the chocolate has been sitting for a while, reheat it slightly before incorporating the egg whites. Hope that helps!
Recipe was good. Grainy- I’d use powdered sugar instead. Also a bit too sweet. I’d cut back on the sugar. Easy to make!
Well… made this. PERFECT, just perfect. I don’t know what else to say. Wonderful texture, fabulous taste, perfect sweetness. I went with Ghiradelli Dark bittersweet chocolate. I added my own little flare to it by making black cherry jam and putting a layer of that on the bottom — a wonderful accent to the rich chocolate taste. I stabilized the whipped cream on top with some cornstarch which worked perfectly. The directions and pictures and narrative are excellent for this recipe. I highly recommend you try this. I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much for this great recipe.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. My wife and I made this and it’s chilling in the fridge. We didn’t have Cream of Tartar and skipped this item.
hello! can i add peppermint extract to make wintery, peppermint-chocolate mousse? if so, how much?
thanks!
Sure – I’d just replace the vanilla extract with peppermint extract. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi Jenn
Could I use this mousse as a filling for a chocolate mousse cake? Also, I was wondering if I could heat the egg whites up over a Bain Marie first?
Thanks so much for your time
Jennifer
Yes and yes. 🙂
Please LMK how it turns out!