Mousse au Chocolat: Easy French Chocolate Mousse

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Atsuko
Simple mousse au chocolat - Mousse au chocolat
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Atsuko

Founder of @Umami Sans Frontières

Mousse au Chocolat is a classic French chocolate dessert that’s rich, airy, and surprisingly easy to make at home. 🇫🇷 With just a few simple ingredients—mainly chocolate and eggs—you can create an elegant yet effortless treat. This easy recipe brings out the natural sweetness and depth of bitter chocolate, and you can customize it with your favorite additions. 🍫 Perfect for dinner parties or a cozy night in, it’s a timeless dessert you’ll want to make again and again.😊
Expense
💵
Preparation
20 mins
Baking time
Rest Time

Ingredients

Cooking time: Approximately 20 minutes *excluding cooling time in the refrigerator
Ingredients:

For 4-8 people: 

  • 200g of Bitter Chocolate
  • 6 Eggs
  • A Pinch of Salt
  • 100g of Crème Fraîche (if available) or 50ml of Fresh Cream
  • 8g of Vanilla Sugar (if available) or a Little Vanilla Extract
How to make it:

1/ Melt the Chocolate: Crush the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Melt it gently using a double boiler (bain-marie), stirring occasionally until smooth.

2/ Separate the Eggs: Separate the egg yolks and egg whites into two separate bowls.
3/ Beat the Egg Whites: Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites. Whisk until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

4/ Mix Egg Yolks and Chocolate: Add vanilla sugar (optional) to the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened. Then, gradually add the melted chocolate and mix well.

5/ Add Crème Fraîche or Cream: Add the crème fraîche (or fresh cream) to the chocolate–egg yolk mixture and whisk or stir gently until fully combined and smooth.

6/Fold in the Egg Whites: Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture in several batches. Mix carefully to maintain the airy texture.

7/ Chill and Serve: Pour the mousse into a large serving bowl or divide it into small individual cups. Refrigerate for about 3 hours, or until set. Enjoy chilled.

🌟Mousse au Chocolat – A Beloved French Classic🌟

⭐ Temperature Matters: If the cream is too cold, the chocolate can seize; if the chocolate is too hot, the mixture may separate.
Let the chocolate cool to a warm—not hot—temperature, then add the cream gradually for a smooth, stable base.

⭐️ Make It Creamier with a French Touch: Mousse au Chocolat is already delicious with just chocolate and eggs—but if you want to elevate it to the next level, try adding crème fraîche. It gives the mousse a creamier, smoother texture with a subtle tang that adds depth. Fresh cream works too and is easier to find, but it yields a much lighter taste. In that case, we recommend using less than the crème fraîche amount to avoid overpowering the chocolate. Just note: it will take longer to set in the fridge!

⭐️Adjust the Quantity to Fit the Occasion: If you’re only making mousse for about four people, feel free to halve the recipe—it still turns out beautifully.❤️ But be warned: chocolate mousse disappears fast! Many French people adore it, and when it’s on the table, it’s usually gone in minutes.😅

In fact, in my younger daughter’s class, students brought homemade treats to share on the last day of term. One of her classmates—a girl in the class—even made a huge batch of mousse au chocolat and brought it in a bucket-like container. And of course, it disappeared almost instantly! That’s how much this dessert is loved in France.😄

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Written byAtsuko

Founder of @Umami Sans Frontières

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