Chocolate Mousse

Anyone out there still looking for a Valentine's Day dessert? Well, I have the perfect one for you! A two ingredient chocolate mousse that's quick and easy, but still wonderfully delicious.


Two ingredients??? Yup, just chocolate and water in this awesome recipe invented by French chemist Hervé This (well, if you decide to add sugar, then it's three ingredients, but still :P). There's no need to mess with eggs or cream. Gadget wise, all you really need is a trusty whisk, a pot for melting the chocolate and water, and two mixing bowls for, well, mixing. The reason it tastes so good is that it's pretty much pure chocolate, rich and decadent. Just make sure you use good quality chocolate and you're all set.


Also this recipe is pretty adaptable. The flavor can be tweeked by replacing some of the water with liquor or tea, or maybe by adding some spice, like cinnamon. Adding sugar is optional (I chose to add it). The mousse can be served in containers of all sizes. I brought some to a get together in little plastic shot glasses and decorated them with a bit of whipped cream and little red chocolate hearts. The leftover mousse was put in plastic champagne glasses and garnished with a dollop of whipped cream and the word "love" piped in chocolate, the perfect end for a Valentine's Day meal.


adapted from Cafe Fernando

9.35 oz (265 g) bittersweet (70% cocoa) chocolate 
1 cup (240 ml) water
4 tbsp sugar, optional

cold water & ice

Place ice and cold water in one of your mixing bowls. Then place the other mixing bowl on top to chill. Chop up the chocolate and place it in a medium sized saucepan. Add the 1 cup water (and sugar if you decide to use it) and place the pan over medium heat, whisking the mixture occasionally.

When the chocolate is all melted, take the pan off the heat and pour the mixture into the mixing bowl that's been chilling (the one on top of the ice and water). Take your whisk and start mixing until the mixture starts thickening and resembling softly whipped cream.

Continue whisking until it thickens more and can be scooped up by the whisk (video below showing perfect texture). At this stage it is very easy to over-whip the mousse, so watch the texture carefully or else it will end up grainy.

Divide mixture into serving containers, garnish (if desired with whipped cream and chocolate hearts), and serve.