Last Updated on December 31, 2025
Basic Chocolate Mousse – Ultimate Decadence and Unbelievable Simplicity:
Easy recipes – those with one or two ingredients – are ultra hip at the moment. I’ve already written posts about one-ingredient banana ice cream, three-ingredient pancakes, and a whole range of simple soup recipes. And, while I haven’t yet posted them, I’ve been trying a few simple microwave mug cakes too. It’s worth remembering the classic simple recipes too, though, especially this luxurious chocolate mousse, which I’ve seen attributed to Elizabeth David, but which I think I first came across in my mother’s collection of Cordon Bleu cookery books.
This basic chocolate mousse recipe has a thousand and one variations, depending on how sweet-toothed you are and what kind of flavours you like to pair with chocolate. The main rule is that you need one medium to large egg and an ounce of chocolate (or 30g) per person. The only other thing to remember is that chocolate mousse made this way needs at least 30 minutes to set in the fridge. I personally like to add a little unsalted butter, some alcohol, or strong coffee, but no sugar. I think the butter just makes a slightly richer mousse. I’ve also made this without the egg yolk – the result is lighter and fluffier that way. If you don’t want to add alcohol, try a little mint, very strong coffee or the zest of an orange.
Now that you can melt the chocolate in a microwave, it’s even easier than it was when I first made this in my teens!
Basic Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 2 Large Eggs
- 60 g Dark Chocolate
- 15 g Unsalted Butter
- 15 ml Whisky I used Balblair
- 10 g Caster Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Mascarpone or thick cream
Instructions
- Separate the eggs
- Whisk the egg whites to soft peak. Don’t overwhisk or you will get runny watery eggwhites!
- Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie or in 10-second bursts in the microwave. If you are using butter and/or sugar, add these before you start the melting process. Once the chocolate is completely liquid, stir in the alcohol or any other flavouring you choose (coffee or orange zest for example). Then, quickly stir in the egg yolks and beat well till smooth.
- Take one tablespoon of the whipped egg white and mix well into the chocolate to loosen it a bit.
- Carefully fold the chocolate mixture into the rest of the egg whites using a metal spoon or round-ended knife. Don't worry too much if the mixture becomes considerably denser, the volume will probably reduce to around two-thirds or half of the original whisked egg whites.
- Pour the mixture into ramekins or dessert bowls for serving and put in the fridge to set for 30 minutes. The chocolate mousse will be fine for up to 24 hours, though you may want to cover the dishes with cling film
- Serve with a dollop of cream, creme fraiche or mascarpone to taste and with a sprig of mint or two on top if you like.
Nutrition
Delicious.
Do remember this recipe is effectively using raw eggs, and so you should be working with the freshest possible eggs you can get hold of. And, since there’s nothing more than egg and chocolate in the dish, the quality of the chocolate will make a real difference. You can keep this dairy-free by skipping the butter and using a dairy-free ice cream or cream at the end, so it’s a good dessert if you are catering for those who need that option.
And, if you want to make your own, why not pin this post:)
Looking for something different? Do try this decadent but simple Lemon Posset recipe
Leave a Reply