This Easy Chocolate Mousse is rich, smooth, creamy, and light and airy all at the same time. It’s made with just 4 simple ingredients (and none of them are eggs)!
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and you’ve gotta have some chocolate, right? Instead of a box of chocolates, get a little fancy and whip up some of this indulgent chocolate mousse for dessert!
It’s perfect for any special occasion, really, or even just any old day when you’re craving some chocolate!
It takes only about 15 minutes of total hands-on time to make (the rest of the time is hands-off cooling and chilling time), but the result is a super chocolaty, fluffy mousse that’s sure to impress!
Now, some might say that this recipe isn’t actually chocolate mousse…and technically, they would be correct.
Real-deal classic French chocolate mousse (mousse au chocolat) is made with eggs…raw eggs. The yolks get mixed in with the melted chocolate, and the whites get whipped up and folded into the chocolate to achieve that airy texture.
These days, who wants to take the chance? Not me, especially if I’m serving other people.
So, instead of raw eggs, this recipe uses whipped cream to get that light consistency. But don’t go thinking that it’s just chocolate whipped cream, because it’s so not.
Once the whipped cream is combined with the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk and then thoroughly chilled, it firms up just a bit and becomes so similar to the real thing!
Ingredients you need:
- Unsweetened baking chocolate
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy whipping cream
Here’s a look at how to make Easy Chocolate Mousse (No Eggs!):
Tips & Tidbits:
- Chocolate mousse is all about the chocolate, so be sure to use a good quality baking chocolate (the kind you find in the baking aisle at the grocery store…not a candy bar), which is made for proper melting.
- Melt the chocolate low and slow! It only takes a few minutes. Don’t try to speed up the process by increasing the heat, as the chocolate could seize up or become grainy or burn on the bottom of the pot.
- After you combine the melted chocolate, the sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract, you must allow it to cool completely before you add the whipped cream. If it’s warm, it will melt/deflate the whipped cream.
- Oh, and don’t cover it while it’s cooling. You definitely don’t want any condensation to build up and get in your chocolate.
- Tip for making whipped cream: make sure your cream and your bowl are very cold! Once I finish the chocolate mixture, I put a bowl in the fridge to chill while I’m waiting for it to cool.
- Be careful not to over-whip the cream, as it can become grainy (or turn into butter!).
- When folding the whipped cream into the chocolate, you must be very gentle because you don’t want to deflate all that air that has been whipped into the cream!
- To fold: take your spatula or spoon and gently go into the middle of the mixture (be sure to get all the way down to the bottom of the bowl), scooping up the mixture from the bottom and folding it over on itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and keep repeating until the mixture is well-combined.
- Want to make homemade sweetened whipped cream to top your mousse? Beat ½ cup of cold heavy whipping cream together with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract until you get stiff peaks. You should get about 1 cup of whipped cream.
- Because this is such a small amount, you can easily do it with a whisk rather than dragging out the mixer.
The only bad thing about this mousse? It doesn’t last very long! After 2 to 3 days (maybe 4) in the fridge, the cream will start to break down and the texture will begin to change. So you’ll just have to eat it up quickly!
You could also make half a batch if you don’t need quite so much.
I hope you try this recipe for Easy Chocolate Mousse (No Eggs!) and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
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Easy Chocolate Mousse (No Eggs!)
Ingredients
- 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped into pieces
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
Instructions
- Place the chocolate and the sweetened condensed milk in a medium heavy-bottomed sauce pot (I use a 3-quart pot). Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl (one that will be large enough to fold in the whipped cream later); allow to cool completely, uncovered, about 1½ hours. Note: Don't cover the bowl, as you don't want any condensation to build up and get in your chocolate.
- Put the bowl that you will whip the cream in in the refrigerator to chill while the chocolate cools (having the heavy cream and the bowl super cold is key to ensuring that your cream whips up easily).
- Once the chocolate mixture has cooled completely, beat it with a wooden spoon until smooth.
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with a hand-held or stand mixer (or by hand with a whisk) until stiff peaks form. Start on a low speed until the cream starts to thicken up (this will prevent the cream from splattering all over). Then increase the speed to medium until you get to stiff peaks (when you lift out the beaters, the peaks should stay firm and not fall over on themselves). Note: Be very careful not to whip the cream too much, or it can start to become grainy (and you will eventually end up with butter)!
- Take half of the whipped cream and gently fold it into the chocolate mixture until it is mostly combined (it is okay, at this point, if the whipped cream isn't totally incorporated; we're just trying to loosen up the chocolate). Be very gentle when folding…you don't want to deflate all that air that was whipped into the cream.To fold: take your spatula or spoon and gently go into the middle of the mixture (be sure to get all the way down to the bottom of the bowl), scooping up the mixture from the bottom and folding it over on itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and keep repeating until the mixture is well-combined.
- Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until it is completely incorporated and the mixture is one even color with no streaks of whipped cream or chocolate.
- Spoon the mousse into 8 dessert cups/dishes. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours.
- Top with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.
Notes
- To make homemade sweetened whipped cream to top your mousse: Beat ½ cup of cold heavy whipping cream together with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract until you get stiff peaks. You should get about 1 cup of whipped cream. Because this is such a small amount, you could easily do this by hand with a whisk.
- Keep any leftover mousse stored, covered, in the fridge…but eat it quickly! After 2 to 3 days (maybe 4), the cream will begin to break down and the texture of the mousse will change.
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