Chocolate Mousse — Three Ingredients, Airy, Made in 20 Minutes
Yvonne Ammann VegetarianMelt 200 g dark chocolate over a bain-marie, cool slightly, stir in 4 egg yolks. Beat 4 egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, whip 2 dl cream, fold both in gently one after another. Into glasses, chill 4 hours. The chocolate must not be hot when the yolks go in, or it curdles.
Chocolate mousse is the dessert every restaurant in Switzerland has and that works at home with three ingredients: chocolate, eggs, cream. No gelatine, no sugar — the chocolate brings everything. Two moments count: letting the chocolate cool before the yolks go in, and folding the whites rather than stirring. Then it is as airy as the restaurant's.
Ingredients
- 200 g Dark chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa)
- 4 pieces Eggs (very fresh)
- 2 dl Double cream
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 tbsp Sugar (optional)
Method
- 1
Melt the chocolate
Roughly chop the chocolate and melt in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water — the bowl must not touch the water. Stir until smooth. Take off the heat and let cool 5 minutes until lukewarm.
- 2
Yolks
Separate the eggs. Stir the yolks one at a time into the lukewarm chocolate. It turns thick and glossy — that is right. If it is too hot, the egg curdles.
- 3
Whites and cream
Beat the whites with the salt until stiff, with the sugar if using. In a second bowl whip the cream until stiff.
- 4
Fold
Stir a third of the whites vigorously into the chocolate to loosen it. Then fold in the remaining whites and the cream one after another gently with a spatula — from the bottom up, until no white streaks remain. Do not stir.
- 5
Chill
Into six glasses or a bowl, cover, chill at least 4 hours. Serve with chocolate shavings, berries or a spoonful of cream.
Tips
- The chocolate decides everything. A good bar with 60 to 70 percent — Cailler, Frey, Lindt from the shelf are perfectly fine. Milk chocolate turns too sweet and does not set.
- Keeps two days in the fridge. Make it the day before for guests — it even improves overnight. Freezing works too: serve half-frozen as a parfait.
- Variations: zest of an orange in the chocolate, 1 tbsp espresso, 2 tbsp rum, or a pinch of chilli. All stirred in with the yolks.
What can I substitute?
Without raw egg: melt the chocolate, stir in 1 dl hot cream, cool, fold in 3 dl whipped cream. Denser, but safe for pregnant women and children.
The French original has only chocolate and eggs — more intense and darker. Then 5 eggs instead of 4.
For children. Leave out the sugar and reduce the cream to 1.5 dl — milk chocolate is softer and sweeter.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from the ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my chocolate seize when melting?
Water got in — a drop of steam from the bain-marie is enough — or it was too hot. Bowl over, not in, the water, and the water should only barely simmer. Seized chocolate is rescued by a spoonful of hot cream, stirred in vigorously.
Why is my mousse dense instead of airy?
The whites were stirred instead of folded, or the chocolate was too cold and set while folding. Chocolate lukewarm, whites in two batches folded from the bottom up with a spatula, and stop as soon as no streaks remain.
How long does chocolate mousse need to chill?
At least 4 hours to set. Overnight is better. After 2 hours it is still too soft to spoon.
How much does chocolate mousse cost per person?
About 1 CHF per person for six glasses — two bars of good chocolate, four eggs, a pot of cream. In a restaurant, 10 CHF.
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