# Chocolate Mousse Recipe
Canonical URL: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/recipes/chocolate-mousse
Publication state: published
Updated: 2026-08-02
Primary keyword: chocolate mousse recipe
A practical, source-aware recipe for chocolate mousse, with the history kept close to the method.
## Timing and Yield
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 30 minutes
- Total: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6  servings
## Ingredients
- 1 cup chilled heavy cream, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup brewed espresso or strong coffee, room temperature
- ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
- 3 Tbsp. sugar, divided
- 6 oz. semisweet chocolate (60–64% cacao), chopped
- 3 large egg whites*
## Method
1. Step 1: Whisk ½ cup chilled heavy cream in a small bowl to stiff peaks; cover and chill.
   Step image: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/images/recipes/steps/chocolate-mousse-step-1.webp
   Image description: Step 1: Step 1 for Chocolate Mousse.
2. Step 2: Combine 4 large egg yolks, ¼ cup brewed espresso or strong coffee, room temperature, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl. Set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is lighter in color and almost doubled in volume and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160°, 1½–2½ minutes. Remove bowl from heat. Add 6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped, and stir until melted and mixture is smooth. (If chocolate is not melting, place the bowl back over the simmering water for about 10 seconds.) Let sit, whisking occasionally, until room temperature.
   Step image: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/images/recipes/steps/chocolate-mousse-step-2.webp
   Image description: Step 2: Step 2 for Chocolate Mousse.
3. Step 3: Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 3 large egg whites in a medium bowl on medium speed until foamy, 1½–2½ minutes. With mixer running, gradually beat in remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Fold egg whites into melted chocolate mixture in 2 additions; fold reserved whipped cream into mixture just to blend. Divide mousse among six 4-oz. ramekins, dessert glasses, or teacups. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours. Do Ahead: Mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and keep chilled. Let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.
   Step image: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/images/recipes/steps/chocolate-mousse-step-3.webp
   Image description: Step 3: Step 3 for Chocolate Mousse.
4. Step 4: Just before serving, whisk remaining ½ cup chilled heavy cream in a small bowl to soft peaks; top each cup of mousse with a dollop of whipped cream.
   Step image: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/images/recipes/steps/chocolate-mousse-step-4.webp
   Image description: Step 4: Step 4 for Chocolate Mousse.
## Storage
Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat only when the texture benefits from it.
## History Context
This dessert builds on the history of the cacao drink that moved from amazonian domestication and mesoamerican ritual into colonial sugar, industrial bars, and global luxury, linking the dish to chocolate’s longer story in food culture.
## Primary Image
- URL: https://thefoodthatshapedus.com/images/recipes/variants/chocolate-mousse/chocolate-mousse-og.webp
- Description: Chocolate Mousse. Photo: N i c o l a from Fiumicino (Rome), Italy / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
- Status: editorial-placeholder
## Sources
1. Original Chocolate Mousse recipe. Bon Appétit. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chocolate-mousse