How to Make Homemade Chocolate Mousse

Whip up a chocolatey treat for your next dinner party.

Chocolate mousse is a French dessert similar to pudding, that can be topped with sweet sauce, berries or cream. The word comes from the French word for "foam"; a reference to the dessert's whipped, airy texture. Don't be fooled by the fancy term though; this dessert can be prepared simply with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. End a dinner party by serving mousse in long-stemmed glasses for a chilled and classy dessert.

Things You'll Need

• 4 oz. of chocolate, bittersweet or semi-sweet
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/8 of a tsp. cream of tartar
• 3 tbsp. of sugar (divided)
• ½ tsp. of vanilla extract
• ½ cup of heavy whipping cream
• 3 bowls
• Whisk
• Electric or hand mixer
• Spoon

Instructions

1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and cut up the butter. Melt these two ingredients together in a microwavable bowl in the microwave. Microwave the chips at 30 second intervals at 50 percent power until there are no lumps. Some chefs prefer to melt the chocolate and butter over the stove. Allow the mixture to cool for 3 minutes.

2. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites by cracking one over a container and holding the yolk inside half of the shell while the white drips into the bowl. Combine the chocolate mixture with the egg yolks using a whisk and place this bowl in the refrigerator.

3. Whip the egg whites and the cream of tartar using the mixer until you have a thick foam. Add 2 tbsp. of the sugar and continue to combine until the mixture is stiff and stands up. Do not over mix it or the egg whites will start to dry.

4. Whip the heavy cream, 1 tbsp. of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl using the mixer. Stop whipping when you get peaks in the mixture.

5. Add the egg whites to the chilled chocolate mixture a few spoonfuls at a time until thoroughly combined. Gently add the whipped cream to this until the color is uniform. Spoon the mousse into 6 glasses and chill for at least 2 hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Serves 6.

References

• Joy of Baking: Chocolate Mousse
• Food Network: Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Resources

• Cooks.com: Easy Chocolate Mousse