Semisweet Chocolate Mousse

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. + chilling

Makes

2 servings

Updated: Jan. 09, 2024
A friend shared this rich velvety chocolate mousse recipe with me. I love to cook and have tons of recipes, but this one is a favorite. Best of all, it's easy to make. —Judy Spencer, San Diego, California

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Optional: Whipped cream and raspberries

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips with water; stir until smooth. Stir a small amount of hot chocolate mixture into egg yolk; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Quickly transfer to a small bowl. Stir occasionally until completely cooled.
  2. In a small bowl, beat whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Fold into cooled chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If desired, garnish with whipped cream and raspberries.
Chocolate Mousse Tips

Are there raw eggs in this chocolate mousse recipe?

This chocolate mousse recipe cooks the egg yolk in the first step, so you don't have to worry about raw eggs in your dessert. When the mixture thickens, it means the egg is fully cooked.

Can you use other kinds of chocolate to make this chocolate mousse recipe?

This chocolate mousse is sweet and delightfully chocolaty, but if you really want an intense chocolate flavor, go ahead and use a darker chocolate. The higher the cocoa percentage, the more intense the flavor. You’ll probably want to stick with a chocolate between 60% and 80%; anything more than that and the mousse will start to get bitter.

Why is my chocolate mousse not fluffy?

If your mousse is not fluffy, it may be because your cream was not adequately whipped when you folded it into the chocolate mixture. Or if the mixture is too warm, it will deflate your whipped cream. To revive your chocolate mousse, try whisking it in a bowl with a large whip. Make big, exaggerated circles with the whip to work some air into the chocolate mousse. If that isn't enough to make your chocolate mousse fluffy, you can fold more whipped cream or whipped topping into it. For more tips, check out how to make mousse.

What kind of dish can you use to serve chocolate mousse?

I like to serve my chocolate mousse in clear glass dishes—bowls, sundae dishes, parfait cups or even wine glasses. Serving your mousse recipe in glass lets everyone admire the mousse’s rich color and attractive texture. These indulgent mousse dessert recipes will also look appealing in a glass dish.

What else can you use to garnish chocolate mousse?

One of the easiest things to do—which is frankly pretty impressive—is to shave big curls of chocolate directly onto the mousse. Take a large chocolate bar that is at room temperature. Rub the palm of your hand over the long side of the bar a few times. With a vegetable peeler, shave large curls down the length of the bar. You can also grate the bar over the mousse with a microplane.

—Christine Rukavena, Taste of Home Book Editor and James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Culinary Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 366 calories, 30g fat (18g saturated fat), 160mg cholesterol, 23mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (20g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.