The first time I made this chocolate mousse, it was for a last-minute dinner party. My kitchen was a whirlwind, but the moment I tasted a spoonful of the rich, silky mixture, everything else faded away. The air smelled deeply of dark chocolate and sweet cream, and I remember thinking, “This is it. This is the one.” That feeling of creating something so elegantly simple yet utterly decadent, right on my countertop, is why this recipe never leaves my rotation. It’s more than a dessert; it’s a little jar of edible magic that never, ever fails to impress.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (about 225g) high-quality dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- A pinch of fine sea salt
Let’s talk about these ingredients, because choices here make all the difference. For the chocolate, this is the star, so don’t skimp. I’ve tried this with various brands, and a good 70% dark chocolate bar (not chocolate chips—they have stabilizers) gives the perfect balance of deep flavor and sweetness. The room-temperature egg whites whip up to a much greater volume than cold ones—it’s a science thing I learned the hard way. And that pinch of salt? Don’t skip it; it amplifies the chocolate flavor in a way that’s absolutely huge.(See the next page below to continue…)