3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse [Recipe]
When trying to live self-sufficiently it is important to make good use of ingredients and not let anything go to waste. I make a jar of mayonnaise about once a fortnight. It takes 5 egg yolks to make the full jar, which leaves me with 5 egg whites. During the summer I use these egg whites to make my no-churn chocolate chip ice cream, but in the winter (when I also have no milk for cream), I make this easy chocolate mousse.
We rarely eat dessert after our meals but we do enjoy a sweet treat with our afternoon coffee. This chocolate mousse is perfect as it is rich in flavour but very light in texture. The mousse has very little sugar so it’s not cloyingly sweet. The bitter dark chocolate makes the perfect accompaniment to a strong coffee, whether as an afternoon treat or the ending to a sumptuous meal.
I find that 3-4 teaspoons of this mousse is enough to satisfy my chocolate craving. Arūnas, however, could eat the whole bowl in two sittings. As such, I transfer ours to a plastic container once it has been mixed so we can each just take as much as we need. If serving for guests I suggest pouring the unset mixture into small ramekins or martini glasses. (A little really does go a long way!) For a fancy finish, shave some chocolate on top of the mousse. Chill and serve directly from fridge to table when required.
Note that this recipe uses raw egg whites. I keep my own hens and so am happy that my eggs are safe to eat raw. However, if you are concerned you can use pasteurised egg whites.
3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse
INGREDIENTS:
-
100 g | 3.5 oz dark chocolate (70-80%)
5 egg whites (or 200 g | 7 oz pasteurised egg whites)
30 g | 1 oz sugar
METHOD:
- Break the chocolate into squares and place in a glass or metal bowl. Carefully sit the bowl on top of a saucepan of boiling water.
(I bring the water to the boil in the saucepan and then turn out the heat just before placing the bowl on top. The steam from the water is enough to melt the chocolate.) - While the chocolate is melting, prepare the meringue mixture. Place the egg whites in a spotlessly clean bowl.
(Even a small amount of grease on the bowl can impact the results. I find that glass or metal bowls work better than plastic.) - Whisk the egg whites until they start to form soft peaks. If using a hand-held electric mixer this takes about 1 minute. If using a manual balloon whisk this may take longer.
- Add the sugar to the egg whites and whisk well to incorporate. The egg whites should hold their shape when the whisk is removed. Using a hand-held electric mixer this takes about 30 seconds. Don’t over-whip the eggs as they can toughen and split.
- Stir the chocolate to ensure it has melted fully and that no lumps remain, then transfer to a fresh (cold) bowl. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Add three tablespoons of the egg white mixture to the chocolate and fold gently with a cold metal spoon until the mix has a consistent colour with no white streaks.
- Repeat this procedure until all the egg white has been mixed into the chocolate. Adding the egg white in batches ensures that you retain as much air in your egg whites as possible, resulting in the fluffiest mousse.
- Cover the bowl with cling film (seran wrap) or a lid and place in the fridge to set.
(I transfer the mousse to a smaller plastic container at this stage so it takes up less space in the fridge. If serving for guests you can pour the unset mousse into ramekins or other small bowls, ready for serving straight from the fridge. Cover each glass or ramekin with cling film to prevent the mousse from drying out, removing the film just before serving.) - The mousse will keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days. After this it may start to split slightly, but the mousse itself should be fine to eat for another 2 days – just pour off any surplus liquid.
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So I just made this today and it is fantastic! Lovely treat. My husband will be in heaven — steaks on the grill and chocolate mousse for dinner!
And I’ve made mayo/aoli before, but I’m always worried about it going bad before we finish it. The recipes I see always say 2-3 days in the fridge… We can’t finish a batch that fast. So I’m off to link to your mayo recipe… Any thoughts on how long it keeps?
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Delighted you liked the mousse, Carol. It’s such a nice end to a meal – light but luxurious. With mayo, the length of time it will keep depends on the freshness of the eggs. The shelf-life of eggs is about 6 weeks. Because of the emulsification with oil and the addition of salt and vinegar (all of which are natural preservatives), mayo will keep in the fridge for up to 6 weeks if you make it the day the eggs were laid. If you buy them from a farmer you’ll probably get about a month. I’ve been making a batch about once a month for the past two years and have never run into a problem. Trust your own senses – smell, taste and sight. If you don’t like the smell, taste or colour or if it starts to look a bit jelly-like at the edges, it’s time to throw it out. I get just under a pint of mayo from 5 egg yolks. If you don’t think you’ll use that much just use 3 eggs. Do try it, though – I bet you’ll never buy shop mayo again!
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Great Easter treat! Lovely!
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Great recipe and your photos are just stunning!
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Thank you!
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Apart from being incredibly organised (yolks for Mayo and whites for chocolate mousse) this looks delicious. 10 out of 10 🙂
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It looks so easy to make, I’ll have to give it a try!
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I’m with Arunas- whole bowl needs to be demolished in one sitting!
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It’s dangerously scoffable, Karen!
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This looks fantastic! I absolutely LOVE chocolate mousse and can’t wait to try this one!
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Mousse au chocolat! My husband’s absolute passion …. when he is here next I will make him yours since I think he believes it his purpose in life to find the perfect bowlful 🙂
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Ooh, that’s a lot of pressure on me and my mousse – hope it measures up!
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I’m sure it will!
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Ah ha! tried making mousse on a few occasions with various ingredients with varying results…usually end up with a soft chocolate cream!! Clearly the answer is in the utensils, cold steel, squeaky clean glass etc. Ok…so Ill give it another try! (btw – the mayonnaise sounds promising and could save me a fortune in this household!).
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Suds, rinse and super dry your bowl and whisk beaters before you start, Gary, and you can’t fail. Same goes for mayo. My mayo is seriously tasty – I’ll definitely get the recipe up soon.
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mmmm….looks delicious. I can’t wait to stop packing and start cooking again. Have you ever posted how to make the mayo? I’ve always wanted to do this but never knew how.
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Yeh, the mayo is definitely on the list, Susan. I wanted to do it as a video to show people how easy it is put keep putting it off as videos take a while. Might just do a regular post – I can always add a video later.
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*drool* and of course, you take the best food photos!
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Thank you!
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Oh my gosh, this looks and sounds delicious. Beautiful inviting photos.
J
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