When I was younger, my uncle and aunt owned a French restaurant, Le Bon, in Hawaii. During the day, my grandfather would help clean the restaurant and I would often tag along. I have fond memories of hanging out in the restaurant office with my two cousins, banging on the restaurant piano, and serving ourselves soda from behind the bar. But that wasn’t the best part of hanging out at the restaurant. The best part was being able to eat some of the great food. If we were lucky, my uncle would let us eat some of the desserts, like chocolate mousse!
For years, I thought making chocolate mousse was difficult. I mean, it was served in my uncle and aunt’s fancy French restaurant, so there had to be some special equipment involved or some long process…right? So all these years, I’ve been depriving myself of one of my favorite desserts because I thought it was too much fuss to make – I like things simple :-). Boy, was I so very wrong! In fact, making chocolate mousse is so easy that my 10 year old daughter can make it all on her own. So are you ready to learn how to make this light and creamy chocolate dessert?
Chocolate Mousse Recipe
First, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand for 2 minutes. Then, add boiling water and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Set this aside.
Before mixing the mousse mixture, get a large bowl and fill it part way with ice cubes. This will help keep the mousse mix bowl cold and the mousse will thicken quicker.
Now, in a slightly smaller bowl than the ice cube bowl, add sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla.
Tip:
- Sugar can be cut in half if you prefer a less sweet dessert or are serving in large bowls/cups. Yes, half! This is a sweet and decadent dessert.
- If using full amount of sugar, keep serving portions small. A 4-6 oz. serving size is very rich and sweet. It can also be layered with tart fruit like strawberries to cut some of the sweetness.
Place the mousse mix bowl into the ice bowl. Start mixing on high-speed until stiff peaks form in the mix. This will take several minutes, so don’t rush this part. Once the mousse has stiff peaks, spoon or pipe into small 5 oz. dessert cups – this dessert is very sweet and a small amount is enough.
Tip:
- Piping the mousse into your dessert cups makes a cleaner presentation. If you don’t have a piping bag/tip, just fill a Ziplock bag with the mousse and cut off a corner to pipe the mousse into the dessert cups.
- The mousse and whipped cream can be layered in the dessert cups for a striped effect.
Whipped Topping
Use the same ice bowl technique when preparing the whipped cream topping. Pipe onto the top of the mousse and top with mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Tip:
- If you’re having a party, this can be prepared the day before. Add the whipped cream, chocolate chips, and fresh fruit toppings right before serving.
Chocolate Mousse Recipe
A classic dessert, chocolate mousse is the perfect way to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Mousse
- 1 Envelope unflavored Gelatin
- 2 T. cold water
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 T. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- optional - mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Mousse
- In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water andlet stand 2 minutes to soften. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add sugar, cocoa, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat on high speed until the mixture begins to become thick. Pour in gelatin mixture and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon into dessert cups or place mousse in piping bag and pipe into dessert cups. Place into the refrigerator while the topping is prepared
Topping
- In a large bowl, add heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whip on high until stiff peaks form.
- Place whipped cream into a piping bag and pipe onto the top of the mousse.
- Optional - Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- This is a very rich and sweet dessert, so keep serving sizes small.
- Sugar can be cut down to 3/4 cup or even 1/2 cup for those that prefer a less sweet dessert.
Recommended Products
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I’m trying to figure out about the gelatin? It never says to add it. I’m assuming I add it with the rest of the ingredients then whip altogether.
You add it to the water. It’s in the very beginning in the instructions.
hi! your recipe looks really promising and enticing all the more 😀 i just can;t follow what you say about the ice cubes bowl. do you add the cocoa powder-whipping cream mixture to the bowl with ice cubes? sorry if my question sounds funny.
thanks!
No, you place another bowl into the bowl with the ice cubes and place the whipping cream mixtures in that bowl.
do you have to use gelatin? I really want to try this recipe but I cant eat gelatin :/
You could try using agar or vegan gel to make this. I haven’t used those, but I think those would work.
I LOVE chooclate mousse Erlene and can’t wait to try this! Pinned and shared!
#ibabloggers
Thanks so very much for the Yummy Chocolate Mousse Recipe! I didn’t realize it was that easy! I love Chocolate Mousse! I’ll have to add a couple things to my grocery list in order to make it! I can’t wait! Thanks so very much for sharing this with all of us! I truly do appreciate it! Thanks again, Michele 🙂
G’day one word? YUM! Great photos!
Cheers! Joanne #ibabloggers
Congrats!!! Your lovely Chocolate Mousse is being featured this week at MUNCHING MONDAYS!!!!! It looks decadent and delicious! Thanks so much for stopping by and hope to see you this week. Feel free to spread the great news! Warmest, Nic
Thanks for linking up to Munching Mondays! Want to let you know that you are one of this week’s features. Hope to see you again! 🙂
Thanks for letting me know! I’ll be sure to stop by again. Thanks a bunch!
I’m drooling right now because it looks so good! Pinned. Lou Lou Girls
Is 7:30am to early to have chocolate mousse?! Because now I want some! Thanks so much for stopping by Creative Spark Link Party! We hope you stop by again today to link up!
I should probably answer yes, but who can resist chocolate mousse 🙂 Thanks for coming over and I’ll be over to link up.
I never knew about the gelatin in it. My daughter and I are huge chocolate mousse fanatics. Can’t wait to make this! Thank you for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest board.
I hope you get to try this recipe out. It’s really close to how I remember it tasting from my uncle’s restaurant. Very yummy.
I guess I never realized it would be this simple to make chocolate mousse! I think I’ll need to try it now 😉
It’s super easy and one of my favorite desserts to eat. I try to limit myself though because it’s very rich and sweet.
Oh my! Love this. Who wouldn’t love chocolate goodness in a sweet cup? Pinning! Thanks, Erlene.
Elizabeth I put them in small cups to limit how much everyone ate…lol. It’s very addictive. Thanks for pinning.
Thanks again for sharing 🙂 pinned and featured this week at the hop…
Thank you for the party and feature. I added your button to my feature page.
I love chocolate mousse too, but I have never tried making it! In my opinion, there’s nothing more delicious than homemade whipped cream either : ) Thanks for sharing on Hump Day Happenings!
Totally agree Megan. Homemade whipped cream is a must for us.
I’ve never made chocolate mousse either, thinking it was hard. Now I know it’s not, and I think it would make the perfect dessert to serve at a dinner party. Thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded-pinned to the party links board!
Alison
Nancherrow
I hope you try it. It’s not hard at all and makes a very rich and creamy dessert 🙂
YUM!! This looks wonderful and easy! My teens would love it. Stopping by from the Home matters Linky Party! Have pinned this! .. Heather
It’s super easy and a great occasional treat. Thanks so much for stopping by.
OMG. This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing! I know what we are having for dessert tonight! So glad I connected to the Hump Day Happenings Link Party. Pinned!
As I browsed through google to find some stuff – I saw that you are a host over at Merry Mondays linky (did not know about it until now). Hope to link up some NEW posts there!
Yummy! I know my family would enjoy this as we are lovers of chocolate!
Hi Zan. Thank for the wonderful link party. I think if your family loves chocolate they’ll like this recipe. It’s very rich and creamy 🙂
Yummy, these look amazing 🙂
Thanks for sharing #CreativeMondays
Thanks for stopping by and inviting me to your link party.
That looks so delicious and easy to make too. Yum!
Best wishes,
Natasha in Oz
Yummm! I have never made mousse from scratch before. Sounds just like me though. The whip cream and chocolate chips make it so elegant.
Mmmm! I have never made chocolate mousse before – this recipe looks so good I am going to have to try it soon!
Raquel it’s so good 🙂 I hope you try it…I really love chocolate mousse.
Rich, chocolate desserts are my favorite! Thanks for linking up with Hump Day Happenings.
Wow, I didn’t realize mousse was actually that easy! I love that, it looks delicious! Thanks for sharing! I’m visiting from Hump Day Happenings. 🙂
Stopping by from the Wake Up Wednesday link party – Thanks for linking up!
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Have a great week!
Shelly @ The Domestic Heart
Looks delicious! I think I will serve this at my next family party !
Great recipe.
Debi
Yum! That looks so delicious. I’m a big fan of chocolate mousse, but I’ve yet to try making it myself. I think I might need to put this recipe to work. 🙂