Description
Julia Child’s legendary chocolate mousse whispers French culinary elegance with profound richness. Silky chocolate blends with whipped cream and eggs, creating a luxurious dessert that transports you to Paris with each heavenly spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4.5 ounces (130 grams) dark cooking chocolate
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) heavy cream (full fat)
Sweeteners:
- 3 tablespoons superfine white sugar (caster sugar)
Garnish and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Carefully extract the egg whites from the yolks while the eggs are still chilled. Transfer the whites to a spacious mixing bowl and the yolks to a smaller vessel, keeping them separated for subsequent preparation.
- Transform the egg yolks into a silky, uniform consistency through vigorous whisking.
- Deconstruct the chocolate into fragments and combine with butter in a microwave-safe container. Apply intermittent heating in 30-second intervals, stirring between each cycle, until achieving a flawless, glossy texture. Allow a brief cooling period.
- Whip the heavy cream (236 milliliters or 1 cup) to a robust peak formation, maintaining precision to avoid over-agitation.
- Incorporate granulated sugar into the egg whites, vigorously beating until creating firm, structured peaks.
- Delicately integrate the egg yolks into the whipped cream using approximately 8 gentle folding motions, permitting subtle streaking.
- Verify the chocolate’s temperature, ensuring it remains fluid yet warm (35°C to 40°C). Restore warmth through brief microwave reheating if necessary.
- Cascade the molten chocolate into the cream and yolk mixture, executing gentle folding techniques with roughly 8 calculated movements until just combined.
- Incrementally introduce the beaten egg whites by first folding in one-quarter of the volume into the chocolate blend. Subsequently incorporate the remaining whites with smooth, deliberate motions, avoiding excessive manipulation.
- Distribute the mousse evenly across 4 elegant serving vessels. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably overnight, to achieve optimal texture and flavor development.
- Preceding service, embellish with pillowy whipped cream, delicate chocolate shavings, and optional garnishes like vibrant raspberries or a refreshing mint sprig for aesthetic enhancement.
Notes
- Cold ingredients will sabotage your mousse’s dreamy texture, so pull out eggs and cream 30 minutes before starting.
- Melting chocolate requires gentle heat and patience – microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between each burst to prevent burning.
- Copper or stainless steel bowls work best for whipping egg whites, creating maximum volume and stability.
- Soft peaks mean stopping when egg whites form gentle curves that slightly droop when beaters lift up.
- Clean whisks and bowls eliminate any grease that could prevent egg whites from reaching full, fluffy potential.
- Let chocolate cool to warm (not hot) temperature before mixing with other ingredients to prevent curdling.
- Folding means cutting through mixture’s center and scooping along bowl’s edges, rotating bowl as you go.
- Store mousse in airtight containers in refrigerator for up to three days to maintain optimal texture and flavor.
- Garnish with fresh berries, chocolate shavings, or mint leaves just before serving for elegant presentation.
- Room temperature eggs whip faster and create more volume than cold eggs straight from the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 398 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 125 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 370 mg