This chocolate mousse is romantic, luxurious, and incredibly easy to make. This is an impressive treat that you will fall in love with after one bite!
When Show Me St. Louis asked me to come on the show and make a Valentine’s Day recipe, I was ecstatic! This dark chocolate mousse and I will be appearing on the show on February 5, 2019! So if you are local make sure and tune in at 10 am! If you aren’t local, make sure to check out the recap!
*Edited after the show to include this photo and video! I had the time of my life on the show! Anthony Slaughter and Dana Dean, along with the producers and crew of Show Me St. Louis are the most genuinely kind and welcoming people around. They represent St. Louis so well, and I couldn’t be more thankful to have been a part of the group.
Check out my appearance here!
St. Louis
Born and raised in St. Louis, I love my city and being part of the local scene! St. Louis is a community that cares about their people, Cardinals baseball, and local businesses. It is an incredible town to grow up in and then raise a family in.
St. Louis has so many fun and free attractions, so you must visit! We are a budding foodie town of award winning chefs and restaurants. And the food bloggers our here aren’t so bad either!
I watch KSDK news every morning and evening. I even had the incredible opportunity to be on KSDK anchor, Kelly Jackson’s, radio show a few months after I started Ritzy Mom. The group at KDSK is such a fun and talented bunch that mean so much to the city. ‘Show Me St. Louis’ got me through my mornings as a new and exhausted Mom when I first had Bea. I needed the energy and interesting stories of that show to keep me awake and feeling human! They showcase St. Louis in a warm, welcoming, and wonderful way. So getting to be part of this local program that I love is truly the proudest moment of my blogging days. I can’t wait for you guys to see the show!
Now let’s get to the best chocolate mousse recipe ever!
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Chocolate On Valentine’s Day
Have you ever wondered why people give and eat chocolate on Valentine’s Day? Valentine’s Day is said to have originated in Geoffrey Chaucer’s 1382 poem, Parlement of Foules. It was much later that chocolate and the holiday about love matched together. Chocolate has been gifted for centuries, however, it only became the food symbol of Valentine’s day around the mid 1800’s.
A brilliant chocolatier named Richard Cadbury was looking for a way to make his chocolate even more popular. He created edible chocolate that he then packaged in decorative boxes. These boxes could then be used to store romantic keepsakes, such as love letters, long after the chocolate was finished. So chocolate for Valentine’s Day is now a given, and whether single or coupled, people usually consume chocolate in some form on the holiday. Find out more here, How Chocolate and Valentine’s Day Mated for Life.
Chocolate Mousse
The first time I ever ate chocolate mousse was in a restaurant in St. Louis when I was 18. I had an aha moment, where I understood how a cooking technique completely transformed simple ingredients into food art.
Chocolate mousse is decadent yet airy due to its whipped texture. A chocolate lovers dream, this whipped mousse is creamy, dreamy, and oh so velvety. It only takes four ingredients and about five minutes to whip up a rich and luxurious dessert that you can enjoy for Valentine’s Day or anytime a chocolate craving hits.
French chefs have been whipping up chocolate mousse (which means foam) since the 18th century. The first recipe printed in the United States for chocolate mousse was found in The Boston Daily Globe. However, these chocolate mousse recipes were more of pudding. Chocolate Mousse evolved from chocolate pudding with the addition of separately whipped egg whites, which gives it that fluffy texture.
To learn more about the history of chocolate mousse, check out this article, The Nibble.
The Key Ingredients
Chocolate mousse is surprisingly simple to make and only takes a few ingredients.
First, make sure to get a quality Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar. Go for a range of 60-70% cocoa when choosing the chocolate. Any higher and you will end up with very bitter chocolate mousse, which leaves a bad aftertaste.
Next, you will need egg whites at room temperature. Save those yolks for the custard in A Banana Split Trifle!
Heavy whipping cream should be cold. You can whip this first and leave it to chill in the fridge while you work on the rest of the chocolate mousse. Make extra to use for garnish!
How to Make Chocolate Mousse
First, whip up your heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Then set it aside in the fridge for later.
Break up your chocolate bar into pieces. In a double boiler, with barely simmering water, begin melting your chocolate. Stir it with a silicon spatula until it is almost melted through. Then remove it from the heat and stir it by hand until it finishes melting. This will stop the chocolate from overcooking and seizing. Then set it aside.
Note that if you do not have a double boiler, just microwave the chocolate carefully at 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval. You shouldn’t need more than a minute of heating time. Alternatively, you can set a saucepan over a second saucepan that has barely simmering water. Make sure the saucepan is not emerged in the water.
Next, use a hand mixer to whip up your egg whites. Once they get foamy, add in your granulated sugar. Continue to whip on high speed until stiff peaks form and the egg whites have turned glossy.
Then, with your mixture running on medium speed, pour in a fourth of your melted chocolate. This will incorporate the chocolate into the egg whites to bring their temperature up and introduce the ingredients to one another. This will prevent the chocolate from seizing up, or forming lumps and a gritty texture.
Switch to a spatula and fold in the remaining chocolate.
Then fold in your heavy cream, saving a few tablespoons for topping the chocolate mousse.
Just like when making Earl Grey Macarons, remember not to over mix. The chocolate mousse should be airy, light, and foamy.
Once it is ready, spoon or pipe into martini glasses. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and chocolate shavings or fruit. Allow chocolate mousse to chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge before serving.
Along with Choux pastry, this dark chocolate mousse recipe is an annual treat in our household. When I tell you I won over Grant through his appetite, I truly mean it! This chocolate mousse is a stay in date night indulgence that is impressive while being such a simple classic.
For a twist on this dessert, and to serve smaller portions for a party, try making mini chocolate mousse parfaits by layering it with crumbled Chocolate Chip Cookies.
When you make this chocolate mousse, make sure to tag me on Instagram @ritzymomblog for a chance to be featured in my stories and feed!
And remember to tune in to Show Me St. Louis 2/05/19 at 10 am CST!
Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse is decadent yet light and airy. Smooth and filled with chocolate, this is a romantic, luxurious, and showstopping dessert! And it only takes 5 minutes and 4 ingredients to prepare!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate 60-70%
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream divided (1 Cup plus 1/4 cup for garnishing at the end)
- 3 large egg whites room temperature
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
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Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Reserve 1/4 cup for topping the chocolate mousse at the end. Chill until ready to use.
Then over a double boiler, melt chocolate until almost completely melted. Remove from heat and stir until it is all melted.
Then whip egg whites with a hand mixer. Once foamy, gradually add in sugar. Whip on high until stiff peaks form. Turn mixer to medium speed and add a couple tablespoons of the melted chocolate. This will ensure that your chocolate doesn’t seize and that your mousse will be smooth.
After it is incorporated, switch to a spatula. Fold in the rest of melted chocolate. Then fold in whipped cream.
Spoon or pipe into martini or dessert glasses. Garnish with extra whipped cream and and chocolate shavings or fruit. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Recipe Notes
Optional add ins: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons of liquor of choice like Bailey’s, for example.
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