French Chocolate Mousse

The French first created chocolate mousse — still one of the most delicious of chocolate desserts. Here is a recipe from French chocolatier zChocolat.

By zChocolat

We were inspired to add a chocolate mousse recipe after visiting the Chocolate Mousse Bar at Patrice Chapon in Paris.

Presentation, whether for a crowd or small dinner party, is important.

Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients

11 oz. (311g) of dark chocolate (use the best quality you can find)
6 large eggs
Just over 2 oz. (36g) butter (half salted, half unsalted)
1.7 oz. (48g) of sugar
A pinch of salt

Recipe Instructions

Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bain-marie (double boiler) until smooth and fully melted. Remove from heat to cool slightly.

Carefully separate the egg yolks and whites. Place the whites in a large, clean mixing bowl with no trace of oil or fat, as these will cause the whites to fail. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

Add the sugar and the egg yolks, one at a time, to the melted chocolate, whisking gently until fully incorporated.

Gently fold about one-third of the egg white mixture into the chocolate, then add the rest, being careful not to over-blend as this will reduce the light, airy texture of the mousse.

Spoon into bowls, ramekins or other containers and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours to firm up.

Presentation

While this step in the process is equally as important as any of the others, this is where you can get a little more inventive and show your personal style. How you serve the weightless specialty is up to you. Serve it in champagne glasses for a more elegant sit down dinner. If you are having a cocktail party serve it in espresso mugs for people to enjoy small samplings while they mingle. You can even put it in delicate pastry shells to make a chocolate mousse tart or in a hollowed out fruit bowl for a really different presentation.

EC Note: Caution is suggested whenever consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. It is recommended you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

Recipe and photo by zChocolat. All rights reserved.

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Want to become expert in working with chocolate in order to create beautiful chocolate bonbons, confections and bars, check out our Professional Chocolatier Program.

Photography by Jessica Washburn, Bliss Chocolatier and Ecole Chocolat