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
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Resting Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
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: 4Serving Size: 4 Servings
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 252
