French Chocolate Mousse Recipe
This 2-ingredient French chocolate mousse recipe is an absolute dream, both in its simplicity and taste. This is a great make ahead dessert that your family and friends will love, but only you will know just how easy it is to make!
French Chocolate Mousse
When I set out to make this French chocolate mousse, I wanted to recreate a French version (mousse au chocolat recipe en francais) I had at the corner cafe, steps away from the Sacré Coeur Cathedral in Paris.
It was possibly the best chocolate mousse recipe I had in a long time.
The mousse was as rich and thick as it was light and fluffy; a contradiction that seems impossible, but was quite magically so.
French Chocolate Mousse History
While mousse au chocolat’s history isn’t exactly known, it’s believed that it entered the culinary scene as an airy dessert in the 1900’s.
The Spanish introduced chocolate to the French, but it was supposedly famous French artist Toulouse Lautrec that came up with the idea to create the airy and light mousse we enjoy today.
Now, you can find mousse au chocolat as a staple on many French bistro menus.
French Mousse
Unlike French chocolate pudding, chocolate mousse is has a firmness to its texture.
It’s not that I would call this a dense chocolate mousse, but it’s thick and has substance, which is what you want with French chocolate mousse.
Most chocolate mousse recipes render a mousse that is too runny, resembling pudding more than mousse itself.
French chocolate mousse is silky smooth and velvety in texture, and yet it’s firm enough to hold its shape without collapsing into a pool of chocolate. It’s a bit like frosting in that way.
When I was using the Le Cordon Bleu’s cookbook, which contains a professional chocolate mousse recipe, to make this divine French chocolate dessert, everything went accordingly throughout the process.
It wasn’t until the next morning, when I pulled my “mousse” out of the refrigerator that I realized I had a bowl full of firm ganache rather than a light and airy mousse.
I looked at the bowl miserably, all dreams of enjoying that spoonful of chocolate-y heaven tossed out the window.
How to Make French Chocolate Mousse
Having made so many French recipes, I’ve learned a thing or two. So I didn’t fret for too long.
I’ve learned that when you go back to the basics, you’re often rewarded with the best treats.
So I decided to make this French chocolate mousse in real French fashion by using only 2 ingredients.
I used my favorite chocolate, the best dark chocolate bar you can use in baking, as well as some eggs to make this deliciously perfect, 2-ingredient French chocolate mousse recipe.
Once the chocolate has been melted and cooled, it’s combined with the egg yolks to create a thick chocolate batter.
This batter is then combined with whipped egg whites to form the light, yet decadent French chocolate mousse we know and love.
Tips to Note Before Making
- If you use the microwave to melt your chocolate, be sure to follow the instructions about checking on the chocolate in increments. If you keep it too long in the microwave, you increase the chance of the chocolate seizing.
- Do not use cold eggs for this recipe – it’s imperative that the eggs be room temperature. Cold eggs can cause the chocolate to seize.
- Be gentle when folding in your egg whites. The first batch can be beaten in to help loosen up the chocolate batter, but the rest of the egg whites should be very gently and delicately mixed in.
French Chocolate Mousse
A delectable and authentic, 2-ingredient chocolate mousse that tastes just like the ones in Paris bistros.
Ingredients
- 4 oz dark chocolate (70%-72%), broken into squares (see note)
- 4 eggs, room temperature (see note)
- salt, (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. You're going to melt the chocolate, which you can do by either creating a bain-marie or in the microwave. If you're going to do a bain-marie, you'll want to set the bowl over a small pot that's been filled a quarter of the way with hot water over low heat. The water should be steaming, but not boiling. Allow most of the chocolate to melt before removing the bowl from the pot and stirring the chocolate to get all the chocolate melted and smooth. If you're using the microwave, simply microwave for 40 seconds. If half of the chocolate is melted, take the bowl out and stir the rest of the chocolate to melt completely. Otherwise, microwave for 10 second increments until half of the chocolate has melted.
- Allow the chocolate to cool just a bit until it's warm and no longer hot. In the meantime, whisk the egg whites on high speed until it begins losing its yellowish tint and becomes frothy. Add in a tiny pinch of salt (optional). Continue whisking on high speed until you get softly whipped egg whites. The egg whites should look like shaving cream, stiff enough to hang onto your whisk but still fluffy and light. Temporarily set aside.
- Add the egg yolks into the chocolate, one yolk at a time, and stir until incorporated. The chocolate will be noticeably thicker.
- Now fold in one-third of the egg whites. For the first batch, you can simply beat the whites into the chocolate using your spatula. For the second and third batches, gently fold the whites in trying to maintain the airy consistency of the whipped whites.
- Pour your batter into your desired serving glasses, then cover each glass with a sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate the chocolate mousse for at least 3 to 4 hours, until firm.
Notes
If you're not a dark chocolate fan or you want your mousse sweeter, you can either use milk chocolate or do half and half (milk and dark).
It's very important that your eggs be room temperature. Adding cold egg yolks to the chocolate can cause the chocolate to "seize" and solidify.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 4 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 252
I do like a light and fluffy chocolate mousse. I have to admit I am not very keen on the more solid ganache versions, I find them so rich. Sometimes perseverance does pay off, this looks delightful Beeta! xx
Thank you so much, Louise! The cream saved the day! 😉
Hi! I am just reading this recipe and comments and see you mention the cream a few times. I don’t see cream anywhere in the instructions or ingredients. Wondering if I’ve missed an update? I do use cream in the mousse I’ve made in the past. But we just spent Christmas in Paris so I am researching French recipes.
Thank you!
Stacey
Hi Stacey! I don’t use cream in this particular 2-ingredient recipe. There is one part where I mention the egg whites looking like shaving cream, so that may be why you saw that there. I also mentioned it in some older comments because when I originally created this post, I had a different recipe that was a bit more complicated and became very stiff, which needed whipped cream stirred into it to loosen it up! That’s always a nice tip to have in your pocket anyways when you’re making chocolate desserts like this because chocolate can seize if you don’t melt it correctly! 🙂
Well, I may have to make this for my love. What a timely and delicious looking chocolate mousse!
I am drooling! <3
Thank you so much, Aysegul! Your hubby will love ya for this!
Chocolate mousse is one dessert I haven’t attempted at all, always ending up with a chocolate pudding or brownie instead. I think eating it in France would convert me in an instant though! This does look amazing, I may have to give it a try. And aren’t those moments when you resurrect something that you thought might be a fail the best?? x
You will love this recipe as it yields the perfect French mousse, Claudia! I, too, have only been able to find recipes that yield puddings in the past, but this one was great! Thanks so much, deary <3
Ta mousse au chocolat est si gourmande et généreuse ….elle est idéal pour le jour de la St Valentin, tu as bien raison !
Aww, merci beaucoup, Eva! <3 J’ai fait cette mousse avec l’amour, et pour cette raison, j’ai pensé elle est idéal pour le jour de la St. Valentin! <3 😉 XOXO
Wow! This chocolate mousse looks beautiful! Seriously, so pretty and delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Also, that little cafe where you had the mousse sounds delightful! I really want to go to Paris! 🙂
Thank you so much, Cailee! Paris is such a wonderful city. I really hope you get a chance to visit! <3
At first I was like, what’s so wrong with a big bowl full of firm ganache?? Then I realized that you are trying to make mousse. heehee. Great save but the bowl of ganache and a big spoon would have worked for me (remember that for when I come visit!) 🙂 BTW, is that a bottle of Godiva Caramel Liqueur? I am a little obsessed with all those liqueurs and own every flavor. They are the best to drink and to cook with…but especially to drink 🙂
Hahaha, I don’t usually discriminate with how I eat my chocolate, whether it’s ganache or a solid bar, but I was craving that decadent French mousse so I’m glad the cream saved the day! <3 And that is totally a Godiva chocolate liqueur – great eye, Karrie!! <3 Thanks so much, love! XO
I have always been a bit intimidated by making mousse the traditional French way with egg yolks! I’d be bound to stuff it up a number of times before getting it right haha. Wish I could eat one of these little pots right now and so glad you were able to save them with the whipped cream! x
Thanks so much, Hannah! I was worried there at first when I pulled out a ganache, but all was well once the cream was added! 🙂 XO
I love chocolate mousse Beeta. This looks so delicious .
Thanks so much, Angela! 🙂