Velvet Chocolate Mousse
Velvety in texture with a deep, rich chocolate flavor, this mousse is easily prepared and ready to serve in just over an hour. A perfect Valentine treat that evokes love at every bite. And who doesn’t love a beautiful mousse!
Those of you who love chocolate, we’re taking you at your word with this recipe! Though you’ve probably, like myself, never met a chocolate mousse you didn’t like, this one is so silky smooth with the perfect balance between chocolate, cream and sweet, you’ll rarely meet a better one.
So versatile, this “Queen of Fillings” is used to create parfaits with cream, trifles, as filling or layers in cakes and pies or tarts. It loves to hang out with stone fruit, with caramel and of course with cream. Its uses are many with others just waiting to be created by inventive cooks who couldn’t imagine filling various cakes and pastries with anything better.
My favorite use is as the filling for a Chocolate Paris Brest - the delectable Parisian treat made of choux pastry, whose light airy texture is just waiting for a sweet, silky filling. More often filled with a hazelnut creme diplomat, this chocolate version of the Paris Brest is easier. And oh, did i mention the chocolate!
Velvet Chocolate Mousse
9 eggs separated
2/3 cup sugar
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bar or 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 ounces 60% or 72% dark chocolate bar, depending on taste
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
- In a medium mixing bowl cream yolks with sugar, with wire whip on high speed, until thick and yellow, about 5 minutes.
-Break up chocolate bars then melt either in microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after, repeating 1 or 2 more times until all chocolate is melted and smooth after stirring. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
-As egg yolk mixture is beating, slowly add chocolate along with 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Then scrape chocolate mixture into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
-Whip the cream to soft peaks, then add to the mousse mixture and fold in carefully until just a few streaks of white remain.
-In a separate clean and dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until very stiff. With a spatula, spoon egg whites on top of the chocolate mixture. Add the salt, then slowly and gently, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until mostly combined.
-Spoon the mousse into individual serving cups or ramekins, about 3/4 cups per serving or into one large glass dish. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with fresh berries and a bit of sweetened whipped cream, if desired. (The mousse will thicken as it chills.) Makes 6-8 servings.
Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and lemon colored then mix in the melted chocolate.
Gently mix in whipped cream and then beaten egg whites until just a few streaks of white remain.
Spoon mousse into individual bowls or ramekins or spoon it all into one large glass serving bowl.
Garnish with a bit of sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries.
Chill until ready to serve.
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**This mousse is thinner than some varieties, but beautifully deep and rich in flavor. It is a good choice for using in other dessert recipes. For example, to fill pate choux puffs, as a mousse layer in a cake, in a trifle, or a mousse cheesecake. However, because this recipe is l-Whip the cream to soft peaks, then add to the mousse mixture and once again fold in carefully until just a few streaks of white remain.ooser than some, I don’t recommend it as the mousse used in a mousse cake or in a dessert where it needs to be thicker. It is best to use in a recipe that is served in a container, rather than as a free standing mousse.
**Adjust the chocolate to your taste, using a darker or lighter chocolate according to your taste. The percentage number (for example 72%) indicates that percentage of the product is made from the cocoa bean, therefore it is a darker chocolate than say 60%.
