Easy authentic French recipe for dark chocolate mousse. Made with egg whites and without cream or butter, it's healthy too. The result is the lightest, fluffiest yet intense mousse au chocolat - and the most typical dessert in France, popular on many restaurant menus around Paris.
I LOVE this chocolate mousse! I have made other recipes and eaten many chocolate mousses in France but this recipe is the best! I also like that it is light. Thanks so much for sharing! - Kathleen
Traditional French Chocolate Mousse Ingredients
Trust the French to transform four simple yet good quality ingredients into a most elegant dessert. This French 'mousse au chocolat' recipe essentially consists of 70% dark chocolate with whipped, organic egg whites making it extremely light.
It's a fluffy yet still intense French recipe for dark chocolate mousse - without cream or butter.
It's not unlike this egg white-based light-as-a-feather white chocolate mousse with orange blossom.
Is Mousse from France? Some History
According to my Larousse Gastronomique, a Mousse is from France. According to journalist Olivier Poels for Europe 1 channel, it was around during King Louis XVI time in the 18th century thanks to the royal Swiss cook, Charles Fazi. As I would recount in my Parisian chocolate tours, Queen Marie-Antoinette was also partial to her chocolate, procuring such a luxury at the time via the pharmacies to avoid paying taxes on medicines.
It wasn't until slightly later in 1820 that the term, "mousse" came on the scene by the royal chef, Viard. He wrote out the royal recipe for chocolate mousse and, from then on, was made in well-to-do households and gradually became popular.
Even artist, Toulouse-Lautrec created a French chocolate mousse not unlike this recipe below. He mixed together cacao with whipped egg whites, adding sugar and butter.
What Does Mousse Mean in French?
French 'Mousse' is literally translated as 'foam' and can be savoury as well as sweet.
It's created by whipping up many egg whites to achieve this. Whipped cream is normally not used - although many recipes add a touch of cream to lighten it up if you're not used to intense dark (bittersweet) chocolate. No gelatin is needed in this recipe to set the chocolate, but it's often added to many mousses, like this strawberry mousse.
Can you make it without cream? Absolutely! In fact, I personally prefer it made this way like the French do - without it. That way the chocolate's flavour completely shines through.
What Chocolate is Best for Dark Chocolate Mousse?
In this chocolate mousse recipe, I use 70% bittersweet (dark) couverture chocolate.
The better quality the chocolate, the better this mousse will be. One of my best-loved dark cooking chocolate is Nestlé's Corsé tablets with 64% cocoa.
Even more intense in chocolate, then use Cacao Barry's 72% Venezuelan chocolate. It has complicated flavours of wine, black olives and a woodiness that comes from using two cacao beans, Criollo (the most rare) and Trinitario. Ever since I heard about Lindt's unsafe levels of lead (lawsuit November 2024), I no longer use this brand.
What Can Go Wrong With Chocolate Mousse?
The recipe is easy, using a few best quality ingredients: good bittersweet (couverture) chocolate - I use 70% cacao; a spoonful of unsweetened cocoa powder, a little sugar, fresh & organic egg whites and only one optional egg yolk.
However, what can possibly go wrong when making chocolate mousse?
The chocolate should be melted and no more. If it gets too hot, it can seize. It doesn't matter for the egg whites (although room temperature makes it easier), but if the yolk is cold and added to the chocolate it will seize the chocolate mixture while added. If this does happen, then just add a spoon of boiling water to fix it.
So, here are my recipe tips for the perfect dessert:
- Don't overcook the chocolate. Take it off the heat as soon as it has melted.
- Ensure your egg yolk is at room temperature.
- Moreover, to make it EVEN EASIER, add the egg yolk to the whites at the END of whipping.
- 2-3 days' old egg whites whip and mousse up even easier than fresh, creating lovely stiff peaks - just like for macarons.
Seizing of Chocolate Problem completely solved!
French Chocolate Mousse Recipe - Without Cream
What makes an authentic French chocolate mousse? As you can see from the recipe below, it is made without any cream.
The whipped egg whites make this light and fluffy to appreciate the good quality of the chocolate. So the result is an intense mousse for the most gourmet of chocolate lovers.
Melt (good quality) dark chocolate and unsweetened chocolate powder together over a pan of simmering water (bain-marie or water boiler) until just melted. Take off the heat, then fold in whipped egg whites with a little sugar and an egg yolk (as if as an afterthought).
Although slightly tweaked with more dark chocolate, less cocoa powder and the addition of salt, this is my favourite recipe originally inspired by chef Raymond Blanc. I also added the yolk in the egg whites rather than adding it to the chocolate.
Perfect Egg White Dessert Recipe
What you can do with egg whites for dessert? You're in luck! This recipe uses six fresh egg whites. For only 3 whites, try this strawberry mousse.
Only ONE egg yolk is used, although it's optional as I've discovered it's a recipe that works well also without it.
More egg white recipes
How Long do Egg Whites Last in the Fridge?
Egg whites can last for 5 days - even up to a week - in the fridge. I normally store them sealed in a clean jam jar. What's more, egg whites freeze well.
So if you're making any of the egg yolk recipes, keep the whites aside and freeze them until needed. I like to defrost them overnight.
French Dark Mousse au Chocolat - Low in Sugar
Little sugar is used in this healthy chocolate mousse. As I have learned from many French pastry chefs, too much sugar not only makes the mousse become grainy but it also interferes with the flavour of the intense, dark chocolate.
What's the point of having good quality ingredients if you mask it with too much sugar?
For another healthy mousse recipe, see my white chocolate mousse - it's made with cream but no added sugar.
How Long Does Chocolate Mousse Take to Set in the Fridge?
This light and fluffy French chocolate mousse only takes about 2 hours to chill and set in the fridge. What's more, if you have any leftovers, it can keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Just spoon into serving dishes before chilling and you're done. See my video recipe below.
Serving Ideas for French Chocolate Mousse
What can you serve with it? In most French restaurants, chocolate mousse traditionally arrives with a simple dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder on top. C'est tout (that's it)! However, if you like the extra frills and garnishes, serve with
- Coconut macaroons
- French tuiles, or edible flowers
- Love nuts? Top with toasted nuts or this delicious soft caramel nougatine
- Fruits: I love to top it with fresh cherries in summer or in winter with pears, boozy cherries, clementines or candied chestnuts
- Raspberry Macarons or salted caramel macarons
- French butter cookies (Palets Bretons) using some of the remaining egg yolks.
More French Chocolate Desserts
I have more of our favourite French mousses. Try a tropical version, also made without cream, chocolate mousse with passion fruit - or a white chocolate mousse with orange blossom and rose. Plus try even more chocolate desserts.
French Dark Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au chocolat)
Video
Ingredients
- 170 g (6oz) 70% dark (bittersweet) cooking chocolate (a cup)
- 10 g (2 tsp) unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Van Houten)
- 170 g (6oz) organic egg whites (from 5 large fresh eggs)
- 30 g (1oz/ 2 tbsp) sugar
- 1 organic egg, separated (at room temperature)
- pinch salt fleur de sel (Maldon or Celtic sea salt)*
Instructions
- Separate the extra egg, keeping the yolk aside for later (at room temperature). Add the egg white to the rest of the whites (to make to about 200g).
- Melt the chocolate and cocoa powder together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (Bain-marie), taking care not to overcook the chocolate (don't have the water at a rolling boil, just simmering gently). When the chocolate is nearly all melted, switch off the heat and stir until completely smooth, then take the bowl off the heat.
- In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites (using a stand mixer or electric beaters) with the sugar until soft and strong peaks form.
- When the whites are strong and hold well, continue to whisk in the egg yolk, if using, and add the fleur de sel.Gradually add the whipped egg whites to the chocolate with a strong yet flexible spatula, folding each carefully until well blended together. Repeat folding gently until the consistency is completely mixed together, light and airy.
- Either transfer the bowl to the fridge or pour/spoon into serving glasses and place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours until ready to serve.Serve chilled and top with fresh fruit, shaved chocolate or a sprig of mint.
Notes
This post was originally published on 8 October 2018 but now completely updated with a video.
More Chocolate - in Paris
Planning on a trip to Paris and need a fix of good chocolate? I have you covered (pun intended!). Check out your DIY self-guided tour around Montmartre, the best chocolate candy or sweet shops and some of the most wonderful chocolate shops and pâtisseries in Paris in French Food Guides.
Sol Geet
Hi there, This is my favourite recipie but recently i have started noticing that i get tiny bits of chocolate in my final product so its not completly smooth as it used to be. The only thing that i have changed is i stopped whipping eggs by hand and started doing it by machine. I really wan to fix this.. Could you please help?
Jill Colonna
Hi Sol,
I'm so glad to hear this is your favourite recipe. If you're worried about it no longer being as smooth as it used to be, then I would add just a little hot water (or warm milk - up to a tablespoon) to the chocolate and stir well before incorporating the egg whites. It sounds like the chocolate has cooled down too much before adding the rest. This way it will ensure it is melted completely.
Let me know how you get on.
Best,
Jill
Farah
Divine! Adding the egg yolk to the whites is absolutely genius. I’ve tried a lot of mousse recipes and this one is my go-to.
Jill Colonna
Thanks Farah. I just experimented, asking myself, "why not?" These are always the eureka moments! So happy you like the recipe. Happy mousse-making. If you like this, then try the white chocolate mousse or 100% choc mousse. Cheers x
Thea
This worked out really welllll!! although I might hold the yolk next time...it made things a tad runnier. Also because I didn't really have cooking chocolate at hand (I'm sorry if this is being unfaithful!!!) I compensated with extra cocoa powder melted with thick thick milk. I'm so sorry if this is wrong but I was desperate and it turned out amazing either way. Next time I'm definitely trying with the solid chunk. Thank you!!!!
Jill Colonna
I'm so glad it worked out, Thea, as you did change so much that it's not really the same recipe. Adding the egg yolk wouldn't have made it runnier, though using the right ingredients - but next time, I can't wait for you to try it with good quality chocolate for the best flavour. You'll get more of the chocolate's qualities as an extra fluffy mousse just with the whites.
David Scott Allen
I don’t think I mentioned when we were together that Mark and I do a monthly zoom dinner with his brother and wife across the country. It’s our turn to pick the menu for June, and we plan to do a simple cheese and herb soufflé with a salad, and I wanted to do a French chocolate mousse. I was intending to do Alice B. Toklas’ recipe (do you know her?) but honestly like yours better. Fewer egg yolks! Thanks for this recipe… I will be making it for our dinner.
Jill Colonna
Very flattered then, David. Thank you! No, I haven't yet heard of Alice but will look out for her name. Let me know if you made it x
David Scott Allen
I’m making it this Sunday for friends and bought the chocolate yesterday. I will report back!
Jill Colonna
I'm excited for you, David. Look forward to hearing about your dinner. Wish I could pop round!
David Scott Allen
This was absolutely amazing, Jill — loved the intense dark chocolate flavor and the perfect texture. Definitely adding to my list of regular and super easy desserts! I did make it with the yolk but might try just the whites next time! Thanks for a new favorite!
Jill Colonna
So thrilled to hear this, David. Thanks so much for returning with your mousse report! Now that I know you're a real chocolate fan, next time you come to Paris I'm taking you to some chocolate haunts!
Franklin
Thank you so much!
Just made some, left them to set this recipe is great!
Jill Colonna
Wonderful to hear that, Franklin. Thanks for taking the time to give me your feedback.
Elizabeth Conte Vitullo
This was so easy to make. I used 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, because that is what I had on hand. I omitted the egg yolk. This will be a delicious dessert for Valentine’s Day!
Jill Colonna
So thrilled to hear this Elizabeth. Thank you so much for taking the time to write and rate the recipe! Have a delicious Valentine's Day x
Todd B
Of all the chocolate mousse I've tried, this is the best dark chocolate mousse I've ever eaten.
It contains no cream, which if added means your mousse is no longer dark but milk chocolate. Because it contains no cream, it has a firmer texture. It's not at all like a smooth, whipped ganache, often disguised as a mousse. It has an intense chocolate taste. It's not a sweet mousse.
It's easy to make, but requires your full attention to melt properly the chocolate, to whip the egg whites (a French Meringue), and to fold the meringue into the chocolate. I had almost no experience with those 3 techniques but manage to make it successfully.
A mousse for those who love dark chocolate and for those who love mousse.
(Review posted on YouTube)
Stone Worshipper
Was looking for a mousse without cream this turned out a big hit. Thanks!
Jill Colonna
So happy you liked the video - and thanks so much for your feedback!
Klaude
Amazing! I really didn't expect it to turn out well with my cooking skills
Jill Colonna
That's wonderful to hear that, Klaude. Thanks so much for your feedback. Hope you enjoy more recipes on the website!
Aayusha Chy
Superbe recette - bravo !
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much for your feedback, Aayusha - glad you liked the video!
Prerna Mehta
Hi,
Question, if one is uncomfortable with uncooked eggs, can the egg whites be whisked over the Bain Marie?
Thanks!
Prerna
Jill Colonna
Hi Prerna,
I would suggest if you really can't find good quality organic eggs and don't want to use them in the mousse to make this, use either whipped cream or make a chocolate mousse cake style which is my fondant cake. I have never had any problems using egg whites and don't believe it's a problem as long as your egg whites are within the sell-by date and organic. Hope this helps.
Zoe Hughes
I haven't tried it yet! But I'm wondering what happens if you omit the yolk?
Jill Colonna
Hi Zoe,
You can omit the yolk no problem if you prefer. It just has a bit less richness but works well nonetheless. Let me know how you get on x