Mousse Au Chocolat Recipe

Chop and melt

Finely chop the chocolate so it melts evenly. Cut the butter into small pieces. Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over (not touching) simmering water (double boiler) or in short bursts in the microwave. Stir gently until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (about 5 minutes) so it is warm but not hot.

Separate eggs

Carefully separate the eggs while they are cold, putting yolks and whites into separate clean bowls. Allow the yolks to come closer to room temperature for easier incorporation.

Beat yolks with sugar

Whisk the 2 extra yolks together with the 40 g granulated sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes by hand or 1 minute with a hand mixer. This adds sweetness and stabilizes the mousse.

Temper yolks into chocolate

Whisk a couple of tablespoons of the warm melted chocolate into the yolk mixture to temper it, then pour the tempered yolks back into the bowl with the remaining chocolate, stirring until fully combined. Add a pinch of fine salt and set aside.

Beat egg whites

Using a clean, grease-free bowl and whisk or mixer, whip the 4 egg whites to soft peaks. Once soft peaks form, gradually add the remaining tablespoon of granulated sugar (reserve a tiny amount if desired) and continue whipping to glossy medium-stiff peaks. Take care not to dry them out.

Fold whites into chocolate

Fold about one-quarter of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture vigorously to lighten it. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two additions using a rubber spatula with slow, sweeping strokes to preserve as much air as possible. Stop when streaks disappear and the mousse is homogeneous.

Whip cream

Chill the bowl and whisk briefly if possible. Pour the 240 ml cold heavy cream into the bowl with 10 g confectioners' sugar and whip to soft peaks (not too stiff). The whipped cream should be smooth and billowy.

Fold cream into chocolate mixture

Gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate-egg-white mixture to loosen it. Then fold in the remaining cream in two additions until fully incorporated and uniform in color. Be gentle to keep the mousse light.

Spoon or pipe the mousse into individual serving glasses, ramekins, or a single serving dish. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Dust lightly with unsweetened cocoa powder and top with shaved chocolate or curls if using.

Refrigerate the assembled mousse for at least 2 hours, preferably 3–4 hours, or overnight to set and develop flavor. Serve chilled straight from the refrigerator.

Storage: cover and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. The texture is best within 48 hours.