Oh la la! Chocolate Mousse
Sometimes I do not understand myself. The more I am gasping to deliver the book on time, the more I want to carve out at least ten minutes to write here on my blog. It seems to be back to the earliest days of the blog, when I would write a post in one go, sometimes in an hour or so, including the time to decide what to cook, cook it, take a decent photo of the dish hanging in the balance on a living room chair, eat it, digest it and eventually write the post.
Everything was born just for passion, and for passion it goes on, even when you would just close your eyes and sleep at the end of the day or keep them closed for another minute, just one, in the early morning, when you still can hear the few cars racing on the road at the bottom of the valley.
I write my blog for passion, and for passion I cook, even when my mum – saint woman – let me off any domestic task as to let me get through the book without many sleepless nights. Take yesterday: a summer dinner in the garden with a big fish from Castiglioncello fished from a family friend, ten people at home, all at work.
There were those who sliced the vegetables, others were grilling the bread for bruschetta, my dad was taking care of the fire in the barbecue. I could stay in the living room, turned temporarily in an office, hidden behind my Mac screen among my papers highlighted in pink. Though, I made an innocent question in a low voice: What about the dessert? Silence.
Chocolate mousse
I warn you: don’t start me off. I cannot figure out a summer dinner in the garden with grilled fish and vegetables without a dessert. So now I step above deadlines, sleep and tiredness. And I step above diet. Yes, I made a chocolate mousse with Elizabeth David‘s foolproof recipe. I have made this mousse countless times, even for the fist issue of Dolci Tentazioni, when I mixed in also a tablespoon of rose syrup to give a floral hint to the already perfect chocolatey pleasure. This time I kept it basic. Then I sprinkled on top a few lightly toasted coconut flakes. I took also a few shots, just to use the new blue background I painted a few days ago. At the end, I had all I needed to write a short post, I missed writing just for the heck of it.
The truth is, I wanted to feel again like Vianne in Chocolat, cooking for a dinner in the garden. Thank goodness they took care of everything else, otherwise I would have lost control of the situation. I still had time to fill ten glasses, decorate them with some coconut and hide them in the fridge. Then at the right time I pulled them out and went to the garden, and there I felt a shiver. With some imagination I was Vianne, bringing to the table the chocolate, the sweetness and a smile for everyone.
This is the most simple French recipe for a chocolate mousse, naturally gluten and lactose free.
You whip it up in five minutes, then after you tasted it countless times just to fix your chocolate need, you forget it in the fridge, where it will get even more tempting, with a light and bubbly texture.
Since it has just two ingredients, make sure to use fresh free range eggs and a very good dark chocolate… but I know I’m talking with chocolate geeks, so I have no doubt you will make the best choice.
Chocolate Mousse
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share by EmailIngredients
- 3 eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 90 g dark chocolate
- 3 tablespoons water
- Unsweetened cocoa powder or coconut flakes to serve
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie with three tablespoons of water.
- Beat lightly the egg yolks, then pour in the melted chocolate: whisk quickly until smooth.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff: stir in a tablespoon of whipped egg whites into the chocolate to soften it, then fold the rest of the egg whites until perfectly blended.
- Spoon the mousse into 4 coffee cups and stack them away in the fridge for a few hours.
- Just before serving sprinkle the mousse with the cocoa powder or some coconut flakes.
Wolf
And then there’s the new one, Wolf. Wolf as Nero Wolf, a literary detective, where Nero means black. But wolf would perfectly describe also his eating behaviours, since he basically wolfs down anything even vaguely resembling food.
He was abandoned by someone – don’t let me use any other epithet because there are children who could read this blog – around mid-August. Claudia and her friends found him, and his yellow-greenish eyes first won mum, then the rest of the family.
Now we are trying to win him with cuddle and food, he is still a bit suspicious but he has already found his favorite corner to sleep, between the backgrounds I use for my photos. He loves fish, cuddle on the belly and on the snout and the pot of basil, behind which he usually sleeps in the afternoon. He is a gourmet cat, the new member of our family.
Link Love – More about chocolate mousse
- Julia Child’s mousse au chocolat, adapted by David Lebovitz. Guess what? there’s butter! and coffee, and rum… Bon Appétit!
- the mousse au chocolat blanc by Elle a table, once in a while even the white chocolate has a raison d’être.
- Another recipe from Elle a table, French to the core, with salted caramel, the mousse au chocolat et caramel au beurre salé… très gourmande!
- Dark or white? Why choose! It’s all about chocolate in Béa’s dark and white chocolate mousse flavoured with tonka bean. Bookmarked for next time, irrésistible!
This Post Has 42 Comments
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
A sinful looking mousse! So luscious and tempting. This is one of my favorite desserts.
Cute kitty. He is really beautiful!
Cheers,
Rosa
Mine as well, I remember the delicious mousse you made for G2Kitchen!
Yum! I could have one right now! Oh My, I’m craving after dark chocolate (your photos are mouthwatering!) 🙂
Thank you Zizi! I bet you can experiment a luscious vegan version! 😉
This is my all-time favourite chocolate mousse recipe, such a classic and like all good things, so simple! Thanks for reminding me of it, it’s been a little while since I’ve made it and now I will probably have to wait until the baby’s born to eat it again! But I think this will go down perfectly for christmas, wouldn’t you say? 😉 P.S. Wolf is absolutely gorgeous!
I think it will be perfect to celebrate Christmas and the new baby, easy to make, quick (and you know how important this aspect is!) and festive… let’s go for it! Wolf would love some cuddle! x
This recipe looks easy and delicious. I’ve never made mousse but I will be soon. Thanks for the post.
Annamaria, you should give it a try, it’s absolutely easy to make and so so so delicious! Thank you for your comment and let me know if you’ll make it!
I can picture you sitting behind you screen and asking that question! 🙂
How beautiful is your new friend!? Cats are so so great!!!
He is so beautiful, and now that I know that he is so similar to Leon, I love him more than ever, it’s like having a fairy friend sharing our houses and connecting us! x
Hmmm, looks so good! (Food en photographic-wise)
PS: So that’s where our cat (Leon) spends his time off! (he looks so like ours)
so can you explain why he is always so hungry?!
I make a very similar version but with slightly more chocolate and no water. I love the look of yours though with its slightly lighter, bubblier texture. Also love that you’ve included links to other mousses – they all sound divine!
yum!! I would be interested in trying it ! do you have it on your blog? If there’s more chocolate it is undoubtedly gorgeous!
Being in your own version of “Chocolat”, love that!
I also love the look and sound of this chocolate mousse. Bookmarked it and definitely gonna make this soon!
Thank you Denise, so I promise you’ll feel into Chocolat as well! 😉
Oh my god, this would induce me into gluttony!
sinful, I know… but so good!
what a brilliant simple recipe! and love your passion for what you do.
Thank you Leela! 🙂 we have been blessed, we do what we love, can you imagine a better life? Have a wonderful new week my friend!
how much ingredients would you need to make one cup? I’m planning to make them but I wanted to try with one first 🙂 also, can you use regular chocolate instead of dark? 🙂
Hi Janie, you can start with one egg and 30 g of chocolate, it should be a heaping cup!
And yes, you can use regular chocolate as well!
if i make this can i take out the liquor and it still have the same consistency?
sorry, wrong recipe.
This looks delicious! I’ll have to try it!
I might make it but I will it in a chocolate lace bowl!!!
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!
I tried out the lace bowl and it is scrumptious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uuuhhh!!!! mamma che goduria!
la condivido subito! yummy! ^_^
Perfect. After Christmas we tried and it was a WOW! First, I was affraid to give raw egg to the kids, but figured out, that egg yolk had actually a heat treat with melted choco, so we gave a try. Second time, I made it for my colleagues at workplace. They were amazed too 🙂 Grazie mille!
But that’s a great feedback, thank you Beastie! If raw eggs come from a healthy and safe place, I am confident they are ok. We even make tiramisu with raw eggs, and it’s a winner! thank you for trying out the recipe! I bet you are now a star among your colleagues at workplace! Food works always!
You’d be amazed how hard it is to track down this classic recipe in printed cookbooks! I first found it in the old NY Times Cookbook but not in newer editions, and I have a French cookbook, Les classiques de Camille, but I’m lazy about metric conversions, so I’m so happy to find it here, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Your cat is a beauty – mine could be its twin, white tufts and all!
So happy you managed to find the recipe in time for Valentine’s day!
I secretly think all these black cats belong to some specific breed, they are all so similar and beautiful!
Hi! I’m on the hunt for the best classic chocolate mousse. The recipes with just whipped cream and chocolate, tho yummy just don’t do it for me. Glad I found this! Is this the type of mousse firm enough for a mousse cake? Or does it have a runny consistency?
Hello Danielle! once it is cold, it’s quite firm, enough for a mousse cake! I just love it, so simple!
That mousse looks so light and ethereal! I’ve tried the recipe but my mousse set heavier and denser. One of my friends suggested because my chocolate was too dark (I chose 80%) and the eggs I used were too small (North American “Large”=European “Medium”). So I’m curious, what type of chocolate did you use for yours? 66%~70% cocoa solids? And were your eggs European “Large” (i.e.64~70g each)? Thank you so much!
Ciao Rowena, I think I used a 70% dark chocolate and I’m pretty sure our eggs are about 65 g each, you are right, so probably this is the reason why your chocolate mousse was heavier and denser. Let me know if you’ll try it again!
Thank you so much! I will do so.
Hi there!
I noticed that your recipe calls for 90 g of dark chocolate but you don’t mention whether you’re using a bar of baking chocolate or a dark chocolate candy bar and I wanted to clarify so that the recipe is made properly.
Thanks for your help!
Hello Kiara, I use high quality dark chocolate, like the one you would savour after dinner!
Thank you so much, can’t wait to try it!
I am slightly confused about the water in the recipe. Does it go in the chocolate? Or is it just to simmer underneath to melt the chocolat?
Hi Beka, the three tablespoons should be added to the chocolate bowl when melting the chocolate.