Classic Chocolate Mousse (VIDEO)
Learn how to make Classic Chocolate Mousse that is decadent, airy and intensely chocolatey. A generous dollop of whipped cream, shaved chocolate and fresh raspberries make this a romantic, special occasion dessert.
Add this dark chocolate mousse to your Valentines Day menu along with Filet Mignon or Lobster Tails for a truly memorable dinner!
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Chocolate Mousse!
Many of the “easy” chocolate mousse recipes take shortcuts which result in something that looks like mousse but tastes like chocolate pudding. This ‘Mousse de chocolate’ is something you might try in a fancy restaurant, but it’s simple to achieve these same results at home.
My husband and I took a “date night” cooking class together at Sur La Table and the chef taught this recipe for classic French mousse. We both were smitten with how intensely flavorful it was without being overly sweet.
How to Make Chocolate Mousse:
This recipe comes together in 3 bowls and you will need a medium saucepan with 2″ of boiling water to serve as a hot water bath or “bain marie” to melt the chocolate and heat/thicken the egg yolks mixture. (I added Amazon affiliate links for tools we used)
- Melt chocolate with butter and coffee over simmering water
- Heat yolks with sugar and vanilla over simmering water
- Fold yolk mixture into chocolate mixture
- Beat egg whites and sugar and fold into mousse in thirds
- Divide between ramekins and refrigerate
Tips for Raw Egg Safety:
Since even pasteurized eggs can become contaminated, raw egg consumption is not recommended for the elderly, pregnant women, very young children and immune-compromised individuals. Follow these tips for egg safety:
- Never use cracked, chipped or dirty eggs
- Only buy eggs from the refrigerated section of grocery stores
- Keeps eggs refrigerated and handle with clean hands
- Do not use expired eggs
- Use eggs from trusted sources
Cooks tip: The coffee amplifies the flavor of the chocolate so do not skip it. Espresso or dark brewed coffee work well.
If you love chocolate desserts, try these next:
- Classic Eclairs filled with cream and covered in chocolate
- Almond Nutella Cake – almond cake layers with Nutella and cream
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread – so moist with gooey chocolate
- Chocolate Lava Cakes – with a molten surprise inside
- Ultimate Chocolate Cake – perfect for birthdays
Watch Natasha Make Chocolate Mousse:
I hope you are inspired to recreate this homemade chocolate mousse!
Classic Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Mousse:
- 4 large eggs
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped or broken up
- 6 oz unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee or espresso
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Toppings:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp chocolate shavings
- 16 raspberries
Instructions
How to Make Chocolate Mousse:
- In a medium heat-proof mixing bowl, combine 6 oz chopped chocolate, 6 oz butter, 1/4 cup coffee. Heat a medium saucepan with 2-inches of water to a boil. Place your bowl with chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water so the bowl over the steam and not touching the water. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Separate eggs and put 4 yolks in a large heat-proof mixing bowl with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Place bowl over the saucepan of boiling water, and whisk until thickened, hot to the touch and lightened in color (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat. Use a spatula to stir chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, mixing until blended.
- Place 4 whites in a third medium bowl. Beat until foamy. Gradually add 1 Tbsp sugar and continue beating until medium peaks form. Fold egg whites into the batter one third at a time, fully incorporating between each addition. Once all egg whites are in, stop folding when mousse is smooth and even in color.
- Divide mousse between 8 (4oz) ramekins, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
How to Make Whipped Cream and Assembly:
- In a medium bowl, beat together heavy cream with 1 Tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract on medium/high speed until soft peaks form.
- Spoon generous dollops of whipped cream over chilled chocolate mousse cups and top with shaved chocolate and raspberries.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Your blog is my go to for every Friday since we have our family special meals on that day.
Thank you so much.Keep posting 🙂
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
Is it possible to skip the coffee? Will it affect the recipe?
My husband loves mousse but hates coffee, and the first time I made it he could taste the coffee in the mousse.
Thank you
Hello Veronica, we have only tried this with coffee – from my research, coffee really enhances the flavor of chocolate, but you could substitute it with water instead, and the recipe would still work.
Hi Natasha!
Your mousse is delicious, but can it be in the fridge over night?
Thanks!
Hi Anastasia! Yes, but I probably would not make it more than a day or two ahead (refrigerated) and add the toppings and cream before serving.
Sorry i already found out i just didn’t look at the last step.
I have made 4 of your recipes..cinnamon rolls, broccoli grape salad, salsbury steak, and enchilada. All of them delicious. I’m 80 and was tired of cooking the same boring stuff. Thank you for making me enjoy cooking again.
Aww, thank you June. I am so happy that I could be an inspiration for you. Thank you for sharing this with me.
If I’m using unsweetened chocolate how much extra sugar should I add?
Hello Zahraa, I haven’t tried that yet to advise.
I’ve tried quite a few mousse recipes but this one is definitely the best! A real mousse-like texture full of airy lightness! Absolutely love it!
One question though.. can it be frozen? Or how long can it stay in the refrigerator?
Thanks!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Deen! I havne’t tried freezing this to advise on the outcome or how it will look/ taste once defrotsted. If you happen to experiment, I’d love to know how you like this recipe!
Love your recipes. Have tried many. Chocolate.mouse tasted good but the chocolate had settled.to.the bottom of the bowl and was not firm. Watched the.video.many times too. Cannot figure.out what went wrong.
Hi, I haven’t had that happen before. Did you substitute any of the ingredients or did you possibly overheat the chocolate while it was over the steam? You want to heat just until it’s melted then remove it from the heat.
Instead can we use semi sweet chocolate chips?
Hi Viviana, I always use bittersweet, but semisweet chocolate should work fine. It will be slightly sweeter though.
First time I made this it was perfect! But the second time I used melting chocolate and not a bar. I experienced the same results as many of u have. This is what I found when I didn’t see a solution from Natashas responses to so many others with the same problem. Hope it helps someone.
There’s liquid egg white at the bottom of my mixing bowl.”
Make sure that you whisk your egg whites until they form soft peaks, when they should bend over slightly. If they are whisked to the firm peak stage, mixing them with the chocolate will deflate them, and deflated egg whites liquefy.
“My mousse is too firm or too liquid.”
Have you used chocolate that has the cocoa content given in the recipe? If necessary, change the weight of the chocolate you are using according to its cocoa content. The cocoa butter contained in chocolate is what is known as a hardener. Depending on how much cocoa butter you include in your recipe, you may have too much or too little of the hardener, and hence a texture that is either too firm or too liquid.
That is a great point and thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Natasha,
I have been following many of your receipes since the pandemic started and I love them all. I have specially loved the tiramisu recipe and have mastered it as well :-). The mousse taste amazing but one small question – I have made it twice now but somehow the mousse is not setting the way it should be….lots of chocolate is left liquidy at the bottom of the cup unfortunately. Can you let me know what I am probably doing wrong? Would highly appreciate your help !
Regards
Vasu
Hi Vasu, consider if maybe any of the ingredients or proportions were substituted. I suggest also watching the video tutorial and see where things started to look different to help with troubleshooting.
So easy to make! Tastes delicious and rich. Doesn’t even need too many ingredients.
Absolutely loved it!
That’s a great review, thank you so much for sharing!
I made this recipe and it turned out perfect.
I wasn’t sure if the chocolate mixture and the egg mixture should be cooled before adding the whipped eggs.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Julie!
Hi Natasha
Yesterday tried the Classic Chocolate Mousse.. but the Mousse didn’t set.. should I add gelatine and how much do I need to add to make for 12 servings.. the flavour was excellent .
Please let me know
HI Rashida, I haven’t tried to add gelatine to this to firm it up after the fact. Did you possibly change any of the ingredients or the process? Make sure to let it fully chill to set.
Hi Natasha, I was just about to make this recipe and I accidentally bought 3.5 ounces of chocolate instead of six can I somehow add cocoa powder?
Hi Julia, I haven’t tested that to give you exact instructions using cocoa.
Hi Natasha. Thanks for the recipe. I attempted to make the chocolate mousse following your recipe. However the consistency of my chocolate mousse after sitting overnight in the refrigerator was runny. Should I have whipped some heavy cream to make the mousse less runny?
Hi Azam, consider if there were any changes or modifications in the process or ingredients. I would recommend watching the video tutorial to see where things started to look different.
Hi Natasha. Thanks for the recipe. I attempted to make the chocolate mousse following your recipe. However the consistency of my chocolate mousse after sitting overnight in the refrigerator was runny. Should I have whipped some heavy cream to make the mousse less runny?
Hi Az did you have a chance to watch the video to see if the texture looked different at any point? That might help to see where something went wrong. Also, make sure to keep it chilled in the refrigerator and let it chill to fully set before serving.
Could you tell me how long this mousse can be kept in the fridge once it is prepared?
Hi Julia, I probably would not make it more than a day or two ahead (refrigerated) and add the toppings and cream before serving.
I am allergic to coffee. What can I use instead
Hi Pati, we have only tried this with coffee – from my research, coffee really enhances the flavor of chocolate, but you could substitute it with water instead, and the recipe would still work.
Hi Natasha! I made your chocolate mousse and let it set overnight…the consistency ended up being more like a chocolate truffle…it was still pretty good, but wasn’t light and fluffy…where do you think I went wrong? I don’t know what I did before I found you on Facebook!! You make everything so easy…I look forward to cooking now!
Hi Jenny, I would suggest watching the video to see where things may have started looking different in the process. It could be overworking the whites in the mixture or not adding it in thirds – which is my best guess. I’m so glad you are excited about cooking. That is wonderful!
I love this mousse. Can I change the butter with coconut oil?
Hi Carol, I haven’t tested that substitution so I can’t say for sure how it would work out.
Do I use icing sugar or granulated sugar?
Thanks
Hi Priya, here’s a note from the ingredients list: “1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar divided” I hope this helps.
What can you use if you don’t like anything coffee?
Hello Darla, the coffee amplifies the flavor of the chocolate so we recommend not to skip it. Espresso or dark brewed coffee works and from my research coffee really enhances the flavor of chocolate but you could substitute with water instead and the recipe would still work well.
Made this last night and our family didn’t love the added coffee flavor. We brewed a strong quarter cup, as the directions said, but we felt that the coffee flavor took over the chocolate rather than enhanced it. Next time I would also add whipping cream to the chocolate and fold in along with the egg whites as most recipes call for, I think that would’ve yielded a lighter less gummy texture than what I got. But for those who enjoy coffee flavored desserts and a thicker mousse, this recipe would be great!
Hey Natasha, have a small question. What percentage of cocoa was your Ghirardelli chocolate bar? Thanks 🙂
HI Amy, I believe it was 60% bittersweet chocolate.
Hi Miss Natasha, can i use a small tin can instead of ramekins?Thanks in advance.
Hi Nikki, I haven’t tested this in a tin. I imagine it may work but bake time adjustments may need to be made.
Hello
Natasha your answer states that bake time will have to be adjusted. You didn’t bake this desert. I’m confused. Please clarify. Thank you
My apologies Mia, that was a typo. Please ignore that. I think the tin cans will work for this recipe.
Can you use semi-sweet chocolate?
Hi Traci, I always use bittersweet, but semisweet chocolate should work fine. It will be slightly sweeter though.
Hi Natasha
can I use instant coffe instead of expresso coffe?
Hi Ava, I haven’t tested this with instant coffee but our readers have. I recommend following packaging instructions and reading through our recipe comments from our readers.
Hello,
I want to try using this mousse in between chocolate cake layers. Do you think it will firm up in the fridge over night?
Hi Amy, to be honest, I haven’t tested that to advise. It may work but I worry it won’t be as stable to hold up layers.
Thank for another awesome chocolate recipe. It is so yummy every time we have it. Can’t live without it now 😂😂
You’re most welcome. Thank you too for trying out this recipe!
Hi Natasha
Can this recipe be used to add in a trifle dessert , should it be set and cooled in the fridge first then added ? Thanks so much for your great recipes and energy
Hi Chasity, I have not tested this in a trifle to advise but that sounds delicious! Cooling it may be best to allow it to thicken. If you experiment I would love to know how you like this in a trifle.
I’ve made several different recipes for mousse but this was definitely the best! Light and airy but very rich in flavor. The espresso flavor was subtle but it definitely came through. Will be making it again and again.
Super! I love your great feedback, Beckie thank you for sharing that with us.
Hi I’m Amara and I’m 8 yrs old
We made the mousse and it has split,What changes should we make next time?
Hi Amara, I’m so glad you’re trying our recipes. I haven’t had that happen before, with it splitting. Was anything altered in the recipe or any steps skipped? Its hard to say without being there.
Hi Natasha
I was wondering is there any way to substitute the heavy whipping cream for something else.
Thank you so much!!
Hello Lucy, I haven’t tried using anything else other than heavy whipping cream to advise.
Hi Natasha
Some things are hard to find….I have dark chocolate is that close enough to the bittersweet chocolate? I’m trying to make something as close as possible to the Mocha Mousse cake that’s always on the dessert bar at Chinese restaurants. This with your chocolate cake may come real close. (fingers crossed)
Hi Shirley, I think that should work fine with dark chocolate – dark chocolate can vary quite a bit – some are darker while some are sweeter than others.
Hello
I want to make a mousse cake with this recipe
But I have just one question.
Will the mousse hold if I make it in a spring pan and then take it out? Or will it fall apart then
Thank you for yor answer
And thank you for the best baking tip and recipies
Hi Mirna, I haven’t tested it that way but I think it would be difficult to try to cut into it since it is a mousse texture and not really a cake texture.
im 12 and i love this my family is absesed with it and i make it at least once a week
Wow that is awesome!
Hello: I made this recipe of choc. mousse several times, then made it for Mother’s Day and it got all runny. Used the freshest ingredients. Why’d it get runny? please help. Thank you!!!
Hi, did you have a chance to watch the video to see if the texture looked different at any point? That might help to see where something went wrong. Also, make sure to keep it chilled in the refrigerator and let it chill to fully set before serving.
Do I have to add coffee I don’t want to?
Hi Laura, We have only tried this with coffee – from my research coffee really enhances the flavor of chocolate but you could substitute with water instead and the recipe would still work.
I am 9 years old and I made this today for my family. Everyone said it was the best thing they have ever tasted!! I love all your recipes,
thank you, Natasha!!!
That’s so awesome, Sabrina! Thank you for that great review.
I only want to make 4 of these.. so, no problem halving the recipe ?
That should be alright Jack. Let us know how it goes!
Hi Natasha,
How can I make this without raw eggs in it? Will this recipe work just the same if I use the whole egg instead of just cooking the yolks on the double boiler?
Hi Ranjina, you might try pasteurized eggs if you are concerned. Also, I haven’t tried that modification so I can’t say for sure what other modifications would have to be made or how it would affect the outcome.
Your chocolate mousse was a hit in my household! It’s my daughter’s favorite dessert and she said your recipe is the best she’s tasted! Love all your recipes! Keep up the great work!
That’s so awesome! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Jane!
Hey so for the butter do you just use 6 tablespoons from the butter stick or weigh it out for 6 oz?
Hi Elena, we use 6 tbsp based on packaging measurement.
This chocolate mousse was absolutely delicious! I made it for Valentine’s Day dinner tonight for my husband. Thank you for the perfect recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you both enjoyed that! I hope you had a lovely Valentine’s day!
Hello Natasha..I could not get bittersweet chocolate I did however get Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate can I use one of these instead of the bittersweet chocolate?
Hi Cindy! That should work. I have tried the combination of both, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
The recipe says it makes 8 servings but in the video you made 6. Were you using bigger ramekins?
Hi Cindy, the video does show 6 but the voiceover says it will fit 8 4oz ramekins, this recipe makes 8- 4oz ramekins. I hope that helps.
Thank you so much, Natasha! I love your recipes and have made so many of them.
I’m so glad to hear that, Cindy!
Hi Natasha,
I am yet to try your recipe. Could you please tell me how much coffee powder I need to add for 1/4 cup? How long do I need to brew it?
Thank you
Hi Pearl, we used Espresso. Are you referring to Instant Coffee when you say powder?
Hi Natasha, yes I’m referring to instant coffee
I have not tested this with instant coffee but here is what one of our readers wrote “I used 2 tbsp of black instant coffee mixed in 2 cups of water” I hope that helps.
Can I use semisweet chocolate!!
Hi Samantha, I always use bittersweet, but semisweet chocolate should work fine. It will be slightly sweeter though.
Hi Natasha
This looks yummy and i want to make this recipe.
We don’t eat eggs. Is there a substitute for eggs in this recipe.
Thanks for Sharing
Hi Jashan, that is a tough one since the mousse is egg-based. There are eggless mousse recipes that I’ve seen online but it would be difficult to modify this one.
Hi Natasha! I’m going to make this recipe using chocolate chips, since I don’t have chocolate bars. Do you think it’ll work? Also how long do you usually whisk the egg yolks and sugar together over the heat? That step confuses me. It would really help!
Hi Elena, I think that should work with chocolate chips. With the egg step, that takes about 4 minutes.
Just made this last night since I was having a major chocolate craving. It definitely satisfied it! So decadent and rich. Definitely a repeater!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
This mouse was delicious! My dad asked if I would make him mousse for his birthday. He loved it. We don’t have bittersweet chocolate here, so used 70% dark which turned out lovely. It was SO fluffy and easy to make! Thank you Natasha, everyone loved it.
That’s so awesome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that Bianca!
Can I make this a day ahead? Along with the topping?
Thank you!
Hi Atiqa! That should work!
Natasha is there a way to substitute something else for coffee in the chocolate mousse since I don’t drink coffee
Hi Yuliya, we have only tried this with coffee – from my research coffee really enhances the flavor of chocolate but you could substitute with water instead and the recipe would still work.
This recipe is amazing! I used dark chocolate instead because that’s what I had on hand and it still came out really good. My husbands favorite is dark chocolate and it was his first time trying mousse. He really enjoyed it as well. Thank you so much for sharing!❤️
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Ariane!
I was asking if I can replace the chocolate with cocoa powder?
Hi Angela, I haven’t tested that so it’s hard to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I have tried the cocoa powder and I used 1/4 cups of cocoa powder and it worked really good.
Thankyou
Thank you for sharing that with us, Angela!
Hey, these chocolate mousse cups were sooooo good! The only problem was that it didn’t make a lot. We didn’t have ramekins so I used small cups that were definitely less than 4 ounces. I barely divided them into 6 of the small cups. Next time I’ll probably make a double recipe, since our family is big. Any tips for double recipes?
Hi Helena! That’s so great! I’m so happy to hear that! I haven’t tried doubling it but it should work!
Hi Natasha,
Thanks for all recipes. I enjoy trying them. I did make the chocolate mousse but they came out thicker and dense. ( But still tasty ) Not soft and light like yours. Was it the bakers chocolate of 70% or did I over mix the ingredients. Would love to try again. Patricia
Hi Patricia, If everything else was the same per the recipe, it could also be over beating or under beating the egg whites – they should come to soft peaks before folding them in – if it get’s too stiff, it doesn’t incorporate well into the mousse. Also, I find these are the most airy right out of the fridge after letting them set completely. I found the best results when refrigerating them overnight. Hope that helps!
Natasha, can I use dark chocolate? Or what are your recommendations? I only have dark chocolate and semi sweet chocolate chips on hand.
Hi Tonya! I imagine that should work! If you experiment please let me know how you like that!
I made it with 2 dark chocolate bars and it came out great!!! I’ll try it with bittersweet chocolate next time, I’m thinking it’ll be less seeet and more chocolatey…
Can you substitute something else in for the coffee?
Hi Allyson, We have only tried this with coffee – from my research coffee really enhances the flavor of chocolate but you could substitute with water instead and the recipe would still work.
Did I miss a step and see you used raw eggs and didn’t bake it, Can’t you get sick from raw eggs. Please let know if I missed something Wold love to make this for the chocolate moose
Hi Ellen, we did leave a note in the recipe regarding the raw egg whites. “The yolks in this recipe reach the heat temperature where they are considered pasteurized but the whites do go into the chocolate mousse raw. It is recommended that the elderly, pregnant women, very young children and immune-compromised individuals do not consume raw eggs.” There are more detailed to that in the post. I hope this helps!
This looks divine! So rich and creamy!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
My family loved this for our Friday night dessert tonight!
I’m so happy to hear that you all loved the chocolate mousse recipe!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
This is the ultimate dessert!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
The recipe and instructions in the video state the recipe makes 8 4-ounce servings, however, in the video there are only 6 ramekins. Are the ramekins in the video larger than 4 – ounces?
Hi Christine, I did fill 8 4-ounce cups – but because I made a batch the day before, I didn’t think through that I needed another 8 ramekins so the other 2 were mismatched and different colors. lol. It’s not a very good excuse but it’s the truth 🙂
Mousse is my favorite dessert ever! Can’t wait to make this over the weekend!
Hi Steph, I look forward to your feedback! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Hi Natasha! Is it ok to double the recipe or it won’t come up the same and it’s better to make it twice? Thank you!
Hi Marina, that should work.
This mousse is so rich and decadent! Love it! I will have to make it again for Valentine’s Day!
Hi Anna, Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! This will be so perfect for Valentine’s day! 🙂