Chocolate mousse

The definitive Parisian chocolate dessert: silky, deeply flavoured, and impossibly light, made with just chocolate, eggs, and cream

Origin: Paris, France

From the journey of Cocoa.

The French word mousse simply means foam, and in the 17th century, as chocolate spread through the aristocratic courts of France following its arrival from Spain, inventive cooks began exploring its potential in food as well as drink. The chocolate house became a Parisian institution, and by the 18th century French pâtissiers were creating increasingly refined preparations. The mousse au chocolat as we know it (whipped egg whites or cream folded into melted dark chocolate to create that paradoxical combination of dense chocolate flavour and cloud-like texture) is a relatively modern refinement of the 19th and 20th centuries, but its cultural roots lie in the French transformation of a New World ingredient into high European gastronomy. French haute cuisine elevated cacao from a colonial commodity into an art form. This mousse is the Platonic ideal of that transformation: the quality of your chocolate determines everything.

Ingredients

base

200 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
30 g unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
2 tbsp caster sugar
200 ml double cream (heavy cream)

seasoning

1 pinch fine sea salt
1 tbsp cognac or dark rum (optional)

Method

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (bain-marie), stirring occasionally. Do not let the bowl touch the water. Remove from heat when smooth and glossy and allow to cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes).
Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cognac if using.
Whisk the egg whites in a very clean bowl with the pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar and continue whisking to firm, glossy peaks.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks: it should hold its shape but still have some fluidity.
Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in two additions, using a large metal spoon or spatula with gentle, sweeping strokes.
Fold in the egg whites in three additions, working gently but deliberately to maintain as much air as possible. A few white streaks remaining are fine: they will disappear on chilling.
Spoon into 6 individual glasses, ramekins, or a large serving bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) until set.

Notes

The mousse will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Serve at cool room temperature (remove from fridge 10 minutes before serving) for the best texture. Garnish with a few flakes of sea salt, a curl of dark chocolate, or a small spoonful of crème fraîche. The choice of chocolate is paramount: invest in the best 70% dark chocolate you can find.

The Gastrographer

Name: Chocolate mousse
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 200 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces; 30 g unsalted butter; 4 large eggs, separated; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 200 ml double cream (heavy cream); 1 pinch fine sea salt; 1 tbsp cognac or dark rum (optional)

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control