If you search online for “chocolate mousse recipe,” you will find hundreds of millions of results. Does that even include searches for “recettemousse au chocolat?” — would that search bring an additional hundreds of millions of results? I also wonder, of those millions, how many are the same recipe? One by Julia Child, another by Jacques Pépin, or the chocolate-famous Jacque Torres, all endlessly copied and repeated? Perhaps Alice B. Toklas’ recipe is among them. (That one is actually on Cocoa & Lavender.) When it comes down to it, you really need just one recipe you like the best. After trying recipes by the chefs I just mentioned, plus quite a few others, I realized that the one I like best is my mother’s, which I share with you today.
I honestly don’t know where Mom got her recipe. I just know that I added it to the cookbook of her recipes that I made after she died 38 years ago. Her recipe is simple and takes almost no time to make. It is very rich (well, not too rich) so I recommend small portions — the recipe below will make four to six portions. Yes, I used a piping bag for the photos (what kind of food blogger would I be if I didn’t?) but, mostly, I usually just spoon it into a pretty glass or bowl. You can top it with a dollop of whipped cream and/or chocolate shavings, if you’re in that kind of mood.
Place the chocolate in a glass or metal bowl set over simmering water, and stir it until fully melted. (Note: the bowl should be wider than the pan of water so that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. You can also use a double boiler, if you have one.) Set the melted chocolate aside to cool to baby-food temperature.
Place the egg whites in a small mixing bowl with a pinch of cream of tartar and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy, but not dry. Set aside.
Place the cream and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl (I use the stand mixer with the whisk attachment) and beat until the cream forms stiff peaks.
Pour the melted chocolate into the egg whites and fold them together until no streaks are left. Then, scrape this mixture into the whipped cream and very gently fold together, again to the point that no streaks are visible. (At this point it should look like chocolate mousse.)
Divide the mousse among four or six small wine glasses (see below) or decorative bowls; cover and refrigerate for at least two hours (or up to 2 days).
Notes
Serves 4 to 6; recipe can be doubled.Note: the quality of the chocolate makes a big difference in the final product. I prefer Belgian dark chocolate around 56% cacao. Semi-sweet morsels work as well, but may contain modifiers and additional flavorings.
What an absolutely perfect dessert! And of course, you piped the mixture into the bowls! Though it looks just as yummy in the glasses. I like recipes that bring back memories of a loved one.
I don’t have a very sweet tooth, so I almost never eat puddings at home, though I can be tempted if I go out to lunch or dinner. Of course, your dessert menu is always quite tempting!
Thanks, Ronit — the mousse (even without yolks) is quite decadent. I love using my mother’s recipes; sometimes I tweak them and sometimes (like this mousse) they are perfect as is!
Yes: all endlessly copied and repeated… I really hate that!
But I love Mousse au Chocolat and of course I have my own recipe.
Yours sounds interesting without egg yolk!
We have Australian women’s weekly cookbooks here that have lots of well-tested recipes including a choc mousse one which i used to make often. Plenty of cream and beaten egg whites and so delish! I bet this is good.
sherry
Most beautifully piped, David; however, it looks equally good in the wine glasses. I now have a recipe, and it involves chocolate, handy for leftover egg whites when I make carbonara, for example…Thank you 🙂
Thanks, Carol — a friend asked me why I didn’t pipe it when I served it to him recently — and I said, “because you requested whipped cream!” I definitely don’t pipe it in that case! Why cover the beauty?
I love the simplicity of this recipe, David. And there’s no question that if you put “mom” in front on any recipe it’s even better! (For me, at least!) I really love this. Mine would likely not even make it into the glass on onto the plate, let alone piping bag. Ha! Just give me a spoon. 🙂 ~Valentina
Don’t I know it? So many recipe’s I use start with “Mom.” Weren’t we lucky to have Moms like this? It is really hard not to start eating the mousse straight form the bowl.
Believe it or not, I’ve never made chocolate mousse. So this will be my new favorite recipe! I love simple. And rich… Plus my new warming drawer supposedly can be used to melt chocolate— this will be a great excuse to test it out.
Thanks, Frank — I think you will love this recipe for its simplicity and taste. And I know you will use amazing chocolate. I hope the melting function of your warming drawer works!
It’s high time I made chocolate mousse again, and so your recipe it is David. I also have lots of frozen egg whites in the freezer, probably destined for a pavlova as well. How lovely to use your Mum’s recipe, she was a woman ahead of her time.
I would give anything to cook a meal with my Mom today. It’s hard to believe she has been gone 38 years. She was ahead of her time, Pauline — and we four boys knew how lucky we were to have a mum who loved to cook for us!
This has that perfect mix of nostalgia and pure dessert joy. I love how simple the recipe is, yet it still turns out looking so silky and elegant, especially with the piping.
Carolyne
August 8, 2026 at 5:45 amSeriously…who can resist chocolate mousse?
David Scott Allen
August 8, 2026 at 12:27 pmI, for one, cannot. 🙂
Barb
August 8, 2026 at 6:56 amWhat an absolutely perfect dessert! And of course, you piped the mixture into the bowls! Though it looks just as yummy in the glasses. I like recipes that bring back memories of a loved one.
David Scott Allen
August 8, 2026 at 12:27 pmI like getting fancy sometimes, Barb – it always looks so nice! Glad you like the recipe and, yes, I love remembering my Mom around this time of year.
Mad Dog
August 8, 2026 at 7:25 amThat looks delicious – I’m not big on puddings, but you had me on the first picture!
David Scott Allen
August 8, 2026 at 12:26 pmThanks, Mad Dog – does that mean desserts in general?
Mad Dog
August 10, 2026 at 10:09 amI don’t have a very sweet tooth, so I almost never eat puddings at home, though I can be tempted if I go out to lunch or dinner. Of course, your dessert menu is always quite tempting!
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:15 pmWell, I try my best, Mad Dog!
Jill W Becker
August 8, 2026 at 10:07 amPerfect!!
David Scott Allen
August 8, 2026 at 12:26 pmThanks, Jill!
angiesrecipes
August 8, 2026 at 11:13 amThat looks so silky and smooth! I would love some 🙂
David Scott Allen
August 8, 2026 at 12:25 pmI wish I could bring some right over, Angie – I just made another batch!
Ronit Penso
August 8, 2026 at 3:17 pmHow great it is that you can remember your mom through such wonderful recipes.
The mousse looks so velvety and tasty! 🙂
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:18 pmThanks, Ronit — the mousse (even without yolks) is quite decadent. I love using my mother’s recipes; sometimes I tweak them and sometimes (like this mousse) they are perfect as is!
FEL!X
August 8, 2026 at 6:19 pmYes: all endlessly copied and repeated… I really hate that!
But I love Mousse au Chocolat and of course I have my own recipe.
Yours sounds interesting without egg yolk!
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:17 pmAs I use a lot of yolks and have leftover whites, this is a perfect recipe for me.
Sherry M
August 8, 2026 at 9:46 pmWe have Australian women’s weekly cookbooks here that have lots of well-tested recipes including a choc mousse one which i used to make often. Plenty of cream and beaten egg whites and so delish! I bet this is good.
sherry
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:17 pmIt sounds very much like the same recipe, Sherry — so good and just a wee bit decadent!
Fran @ G'day Souffle
August 10, 2026 at 8:35 amWow! First recipe I’ve seen without using egg yolks- brilliant!
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:16 pmIt is rare to find a recipe without yolks, Fran — but I don’t miss them at all in this recipe!
Mimi Rippee
August 10, 2026 at 11:23 amFantastic recipe! We shared some at Bistro Allard in Paris! They brought it by in a giant bowl! I also prefer the more fudgey version.
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:14 pmI wonder if that is a “thing” in France. We had it served that way in Paris, too. The mond they scooped onto our plate… I literally had to stop her!
Carolyn Niethammer
August 10, 2026 at 2:00 pmI have a big blog of semi-sweet chocolate I brought back from Guatemala that has been sitting around for a while. I should grate it for this mousse.
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:13 pmThis will be the perfect used for at least four ounces of that chocolate, Carolyn! Thanks — so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Carol
August 10, 2026 at 5:35 pmMost beautifully piped, David; however, it looks equally good in the wine glasses. I now have a recipe, and it involves chocolate, handy for leftover egg whites when I make carbonara, for example…Thank you 🙂
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:12 pmThanks, Carol — a friend asked me why I didn’t pipe it when I served it to him recently — and I said, “because you requested whipped cream!” I definitely don’t pipe it in that case! Why cover the beauty?
valentina
August 12, 2026 at 11:22 amI love the simplicity of this recipe, David. And there’s no question that if you put “mom” in front on any recipe it’s even better! (For me, at least!) I really love this. Mine would likely not even make it into the glass on onto the plate, let alone piping bag. Ha! Just give me a spoon. 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:11 pmDon’t I know it? So many recipe’s I use start with “Mom.” Weren’t we lucky to have Moms like this? It is really hard not to start eating the mousse straight form the bowl.
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
August 12, 2026 at 1:48 pmBelieve it or not, I’ve never made chocolate mousse. So this will be my new favorite recipe! I love simple. And rich… Plus my new warming drawer supposedly can be used to melt chocolate— this will be a great excuse to test it out.
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 3:09 pmThanks, Frank — I think you will love this recipe for its simplicity and taste. And I know you will use amazing chocolate. I hope the melting function of your warming drawer works!
Jeff the Chef
August 12, 2026 at 7:34 pmAre you suggesting that there is a mood that DOESNT include the addition of whipped cream? I’ve never been in it if there is. 🙂
David Scott Allen
August 12, 2026 at 11:02 pmI would never suggest such an outlandish concept. Never. Well, maybe once.
Pauline
August 16, 2026 at 7:25 pmIt’s high time I made chocolate mousse again, and so your recipe it is David. I also have lots of frozen egg whites in the freezer, probably destined for a pavlova as well. How lovely to use your Mum’s recipe, she was a woman ahead of her time.
David Scott Allen
August 16, 2026 at 10:02 pmI would give anything to cook a meal with my Mom today. It’s hard to believe she has been gone 38 years. She was ahead of her time, Pauline — and we four boys knew how lucky we were to have a mum who loved to cook for us!
Raymund
August 20, 2026 at 3:55 pmThis has that perfect mix of nostalgia and pure dessert joy. I love how simple the recipe is, yet it still turns out looking so silky and elegant, especially with the piping.
David Scott Allen
August 21, 2026 at 8:16 amThat is the joy of simplicity, Raymund!
Inger
August 24, 2026 at 9:53 amWho doesn’t love chocolate mousse and I’m sure your mom’s is extra special. It’s really pretty piped too.