Mousse Cups Recipe

Melt chocolate

Place chopped dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler). Stir frequently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (2–3 minutes).

Whisk yolks and sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes). Stir in vanilla extract. Temper the yolk mixture by whisking in about 1 tablespoon of the warm melted chocolate, then gradually whisk the tempered yolks into the remaining chocolate until fully incorporated and smooth. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Beat egg whites

In a clean bowl, add the egg whites with a pinch of fine salt. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and continue beating to stiff, glossy peaks. Do not overbeat.

Whip cream

In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Be careful not to overwhip; the cream should be light and billowy.

Fold components together

Stir one large spoonful of whipped cream into the cooled chocolate to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain. Next, fold one quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites in two additions until the mousse is uniform and airy. Do not deflate the mixture.

Portion

Spoon or pipe the mousse into 6 small serving cups or glasses (about 1/3 cup mousse per cup). Tap the cups gently on the counter to level the surface and remove large air pockets.

If using the crunchy base, combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Press about 1 teaspoon of the mixture into the bottom of each serving cup before filling with mousse. Chill cups briefly (5 minutes) to set the base before adding mousse.

Chill & finish: Cover the filled mousse cups and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 3–4 hours, to set fully. Just before serving, add a small dollop (about 1 tablespoon total across cups) of whipped cream to each cup, dust with cocoa powder or grate chocolate over the top, and garnish each cup with a berry or chocolate shaving.