Here's a Chocolate Mousse that starts as a luscious ganache and is lightened with whipped cream to make a simple, no fuss, elegant dessert.
This simplified method of making chocolate mousse has no eggs, less clean-up, and can be made a day ahead for parties and casual get-togethers. Rich tasting, but light and airy, this chocolate mousse is better than any chocolate pudding from a box and takes only a few extra minutes to make. If you've made my Creamy Hot Chocolate, you'll immediately recognize the same ganache-making technique as the basis for rich chocolate desserts and creamy chocolate beverages of all kinds.
🔍 Quick Look: Chocolate Mousse Recipe
- Ready in: 25 Minutes Prep & Cook plus 4 Hours Chilling
- Servings: 8
- Calories: ~468 kcal per serving
- Main Ingredients: Semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream, instant espresso, dark rum, and vanilla extract.
- Elements of Taste: Sweet & Creamy
- Cook Method: Heat & Simmer
- Difficulty: Easy, making it great for cooks of all levels.
- Why You'll Love It: You'll love this no-egg chocolate mousse for its rich, velvety texture and quick prep - the perfect make-ahead dessert for any occasion.
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Why You'll Love This Chocolate Mousse
- A Luscious, Not Too Sweet Dessert.
- Only 5 Ingredients.
- Quick and Easy to Make.
- Contains No Eggs.
- Instructions and Equipment Are Simplified.
- It is Vegetarian.
About This Recipe for a Rich Chocolate Mousse
Back in the 1960s, chocolate mousse was on nearly every nice dining restaurant's menu. It was simple and elegant, typically piped in a footed dessert dish, and you only needed a small portion to feel like you had the most amazing, delicious dessert ever.
It was one of my grandmother's (and mine!) favorite desserts, and we often enjoyed it after eating a nice meal out. The tricky thing was she was allergic to eggs and always asked if their mousse contained any. So, I learned early that making a mouse with only heavy cream and chocolate was possible.
A classic French chocolate mousse contains eggs, but you can make it without them... and by doing so, cut back on the extra bowls and pans, plus the effort of tempering the yolks and beating the egg whites.
So, this recipe eliminates all the extra fuss of using eggs and is super simple. It contains basically 3 components:
- Make a Chocolate Ganache.
- Make Whipped Cream.
- Combine the Whipped Cream and the Chocolate Ganache.
I've taken a flavor note from Julia Child's famous version and added dark rum, plus my tweak of adding instant espresso powder to amp up the flavor of the chocolate.
As always, use the best ingredients you can, and Bon Appétit!
So, let's cook!
Ingredient Notes
Here's what you need to make this Chocolate Mouse:
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate - You can use chips, chunks, or bars that have been chopped. Use your favorite chocolate. You can also use half bittersweet chocolate and half semi-sweet chocolate. Good budget-friendly choices are Lindt, Ghirardelli, and Nestle's. I have also used the Aldi brand of Belgian semi-sweet chocolate, which is delicious.
- Heavy Cream - You need heavy cream twice. Once to make the ganache and a second time where you whip it, so you can lighten the ganache into a velvety mousse.
- Dark Rum - Dark Rum adds an extra flavor element to chocolate desserts and is delicious. This is Julia Child's special twist to make chocolate mousse. If you don't have dark rum on hand, you can omit it without affecting the texture of the mousse. You can also substitute ½ teaspoon of rum extract for a subtle rum flavor.
- Vanilla Extract - Vanilla makes everything sweet taste even better! It's the perfect backdrop for chocolate and many other flavors.
- Instant Espresso Powder - Coffee amps up the flavor of chocolate. It is why many good cooks add it to chocolate desserts. Ina Garten uses it in her Outrageous Brownies and I use it in my Salted Toffee Blondies.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make a Ganache. Add the chocolate to a Pyrex bowl and set aside.
- Heat Cream and Flavorings. To a small saucepan add the dark rum and vanilla extract and heat over medium heat until small bubbles form. This helps evaporate some of the water in the rum and vanilla extract and will prevent the chocolate from seizing later.
Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and the instant espresso, and continue to heat over medium high heat to a bare simmer. Small bubbles will appear across the surface of the mixture.
- Pour Hot Flavored Cream Over Chocolate. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate so it completely covers the chocolate. Cover with a plate or lid and let the chocolate mixture sit for 3 minutes for the chocolate to melt.
- Whisk to Combine. Whisk the melted chocolate and cream mixture until the mixture is smooth and well combined, forming a ganache.
- Make Whipped Cream. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of very cold heavy cream to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream until it forms ribbons that flow into soft peaks that hold their shape. Do not overbeat to stiff peaks, which makes it more difficult to combine the whipped cream with the chocolate ganache.
- Lighten the Ganache. Very gently whisk ⅓ of the whipped cream into the ganache to lighten its texture.
- Fold Lightened Ganache. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold the lightened ganache into the large bowl of the remaining whipped cream until no streaks of white or dark remain in the mousse.
- Chill and Serve. Spoon into dessert dishes and chill for 3 to 4 hours or until firm and set. If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and cocktail cherries.
My Top Tip
♡ Cold...Cold....Cold! Cold is your friend when making whipped cream! Chill the large bowl and the beaters before beating the cold, heavy cream for the best results.
My Mom used to always put the container of cream plus the beaters into the bowl, and then put the bowl in the fridge for at least an hour before making whipped cream.
Make-Ahead, Storage, & Reheating Instructions
- Make Ahead: This chocolate mouse must be made several hours before serving to allow time for it to set. You can make it the day before or early in the day for same day serving.
- Refrigeration: You can store this chocolate mousse in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- Freezing: Do not freeze this mousse.
More Chocolate Treats You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Mousse - Simple, No Eggs Recipe
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Equipment
- Medium Pyrex Bowl
- 1-Quart Saucepan
- Whisk
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Silicone Spatula
Ingredients
- 10 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Chips, Chunks, or Chopped
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Instant Espresso
- 2 Tablespoons Dark Rum
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ Cups Heavy Cream, Very Cold
Instructions
- Make a Ganache. Add the chocolate to a medium heat proof bowl like pyrex, and set aside.10 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate
- Heat Cream and Flavorings. To a small saucepan add the dark rum and vanilla extract and heat over medium heat until small bubbles form. This evaporates some of the water in the rum and vanilla extract and will prevent the chocolate from seizing later.Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and the instant espresso, and continue to heat over medium high heat to a bare simmer. Small bubbles will appear across the surface of the mixture.1 Cup Heavy Cream, 1 Teaspoon Instant Espresso, 2 Tablespoons Dark Rum, ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Pour Hot Flavored Cream Over Chocolate. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate so it completely covers the chocolate. Cover with a plate or lid and let the chocolate mixture sit for 3 minutes for the chocolate to melt.
- Whisk to Combine. Whisk the melted chocolate and cream mixture until the mixture is smooth and well combined, forming a ganache.
- Make Whipped Cream. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups of very cold heavy cream to a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream until it forms ribbons that flow into soft peaks that hold their shape. Do not overbeat to stiff peaks, which makes it more difficult to combine the whipped cream with the chocolate ganache.1 ½ Cups Heavy Cream
- Lighten the Ganache. Very gently whisk ⅓ of the whipped cream into the ganache to lighten its texture.
- Fold Lightened Ganache. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold the lightened ganache into the large bowl of the remaining whipped cream until no streaks of white or dark remain in the mousse.
- Chill and Serve. Spoon into dessert dishes and chill for 3 to 4 hours or until firm and set. If desired, serve with additional whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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Jan Nunes says
We can't wait to try this chocolate mousse recipe at Christmas with some of the flavored chocolates that are available like Terry's Chocolate Orange!