Dark Chocolate Mousse

Awhile ago I bought Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (after seeing the movie Julie & Julia... as any good food blogger would). A dessert craving struck over the weekend, and I found myself paging through Chapter Ten: Desserts and Cakes. To my delight, I found a recipe for Mousseline au Chocolat, or Chocolate Mousse (pg 604). French dessert terminology takes me right back to: Dabbling in Paris: Bread, Butter and Pastries. I adapted my recipe for Dark Chocolate Mousse from Julia Child's recipe...if you are craving chocolate, this is the dessert for you.

Dark Chocolate Mousse


Ingredients:
-4 eggs, separated
-3/4 c + 1 tbsp sugar
-6 ounces dark baking chocolate
-4 tbsp espresso (made with one rounded tsp of instant espresso coffee and 1 c boiling water)
-1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 pinch of finely ground sea salt

Instructions:
1. Bring water to a simmer in a medium-sized saucepan. Prepare a cold water bath. Separate eggs.
2. Beat egg yolks and 3/4 c sugar together until the mixture reaches a light yellow color.
3. Place bowl with yolk mixture over simmering water and continue to beat it until mixture is frothy (approximately 4 minutes).
4. Remove the bowl from heat, and place it into the cold water bath. Continue beating yolk mixture for an additional 4 minutes.
5. Prepare instant espresso. Combine one rounded tsp of instant espresso with 1 c of boiling water.
6. In a separate bowl, add the espresso to the dark chocolate and melt the chocolate mixture over simmering water.
7. Remove from heat and add in butter, 2 tbsp at a time.
8. Beat the yolk mixture into the chocolate until well incorporated.
9. Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.
10. Add 1 tbsp of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
11. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites in small additions.
12. Place mousse into desired serving dishes and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the mousse to set.
13. Serve and enjoy!

Pictures and Tips:

Step 1. This step is your prep step...you will use the double boiler cooking method throughout this recipe...so get your water simmering in a medium-sized pot, so it is ready when you are. Prepare the cold water bath and separate the 4 eggs...place the egg yolks into a medium-sized bowl and the egg whites into a small one.

Step 2. This recipe requires a large amount of beating, so prepare for buff kitchen arms...you could also use an electric hand mixer. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until  the mixture reaches a light yellow color. When you lift your whisk out of the bowl, the mixture should slowly ribbon back down into the bowl.

Step 3. Create a double boiler by placing your mixing bowl (*make sure it is heat safe) over a pot of simmering water. This technique allows for gentle cooking. Continue to beat the yolk mixture until it is frothy, about 4 minutes.

Step 4. Remove the yolk mixture from the heat and place into the cold water bath. Continue to beat for an additional 4 minutes.

Step 5. Prepare espresso by combining one rounded tsp of instant espresso coffee with one cup of boiling water. Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, so it is a great addition to this recipe. Even if you are not a coffee person, I recommend adding it in. If you are a coffee person and have some left over from making your morning coffee, feel free to substitute in 4 tbsp of strong coffee.

Step 6. Break the dark chocolate baking bar into small pieces and place in a bowl with the espresso. Place the bowl over the same pot of simmering water to again create a double boiler.

Melt the chocolate while stirring slowly with a spatula.

Step 7. Remove the chocolate from heat and add in the butter, 2 tbsp at a time. The heat from the chocolate will melt the butter and the mixture will become smooth and creamy.

Step 8. Add the yolk mixture into the chocolate.

Beat the yolk mixture into the chocolate until smooth.

Step 9 & 10. Using the whisk attachment of an electric stand mixer, beat the egg whites and sea salt until soft peaks form. After you have reached soft peaks, sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar over the egg whites and continue to beat them until stiff peaks form.

Step 11. Stir 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the chocolate using your spatula. Then, fold the remaining egg whites in small additions. Folding allows you to gently incorporate the egg whites into the chocolate, without deflating them. This will give your mousse the light and airy texture it is known for.

Step 12. Place your mousse into your desired serving dishes. I opted for martini glasses for a cute, individually-portioned dessert. You could also use a large decorative bowl, shot glasses, ice cream bowls, etc...anything that you look like the look of and would fit your occasion. After you have plated the mousse, allow it to set up in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Step 13. Serve and enjoy! Have fun garnishing the mousse...I used mint leaves for these two little lovelies. Other ideas: toasted sliced almonds, sliced strawberries on the rim of the glass, fresh raspberries, fresh whipped cream, etc.


All of the beating in this recipe made it slightly labor intensive, but it was well worth the effort. The mousse is rich and creamy, and just what every choc-o-holic needs. If there was any question, yes I am one. Happy dabbling!

-The Delicious Dabbler