This Chocolate Coffee Mousse is easy to make, totally delicious, and almost foolproof! It has a wonderfully rich and creamy texture yet is so super light and fluffy that it just melts in your mouth.
It takes only 5 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep to make the perfect dessert for chocolate and coffee lovers alike. Ideal for dinner parties, weekends, and special occasions like Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and anniversaries.
Special occasions like Valentine's Day, anniversaries, birthdays, and Christmas always call for special desserts. And in my house, most of those desserts have got to be made with chocolate. Well, the exception is Key Lime Pie but that's a discussion for another time.
I happen to love to make mousse for dessert. After a big dinner, it's the perfect light but rich indulgence that there is always room for. I love my Irish Coffee Mousse and my mousse-like Fudge Truffle Cheesecake but this Chocolate Espresso Mousse wins hands down. It is so easy to make that you can even whip it up for no reason at all. Yep, any time for chocolate is a good time.
What is mousse?
A mousse, which derives from the French word meaning “foam”, is a dessert that incorporates air bubbles into the mixture to make it airy and light. Think of it as a fluffier version of pudding. It was believed to be invented by the French post-impressionist painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec sometime in the late 19th century.
Mousse can be a thick and creamy type of pudding or a lighter, fluffier, more airy version such as this coffee mousse. Mousse can also range from sweet, such as this chocolate mousse, to savory, including flavors like chicken liver, salmon, or vegetables.
Ingredients
There are four main components of mousse. A base that supplies much of the flavor, like chocolate, a binder made with egg whites or gelatin, an aerator like beaten egg whites or whipped cream, and a flavoring agent which can range from salt and pepper for savory mousses to extracts, liqueurs, and spice in sweet versions.
- Chocolate - I like to use dark chocolate with at least 72% cacao, my favorite being Ghiradelli bars. It is important to use quality chocolate as all the flavor for the dessert derives from this main ingredient.
- Half and half - provides the rich creamy flavor and texture. Make it dairy-free by substituting almond, cashew or oat milk. The result will be slightly less rich than with cream but just as delicious.
- Eggs - both the yolks and whites are used. The egg yolks give the mousse its creamy, rich texture while the beaten egg whites provide the light, airiness.
- Sugar - is the sweetener
- Instant Coffee Granules - are used as an additional flavoring agent. After all, who doesn't love chocolate and coffee together? And the addition of coffee actually enhances the flavor of the chocolate making it more chocolaty. You can also opt to use espresso powder for a truly remarkable Chocolate Espresso Mousse.
- Salt - is added to amp up the flavors of any sweet dish
Note: The eggs used in this dessert are raw. It is perfectly safe to eat raw eggs as long as they are fresh and since eggs are pasteurized by law in the United States they are considered safe to use as is.
How to Make Coffee Mousse
- Chop up the chocolate so that it melts more quickly in the microwave. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30-second increments stirring in between until melted. It should take about 1-½ minutes.
- While the chocolate is still hot, add in the instant coffee granules or espresso powder. You can also opt for flavor from a liqueur such as Kahlua or amaretto.
- Pour in the room temperature cream slowly so as not to solidify the chocolate.
- Mix until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar.
- Beat for 2-3 minutes. The mixture will lighten and thicken slightly.
- Fold in the chocolate mixture.
- Combine until smooth.
- Add egg whites to a large clean mixing bowl.
- Add the salt and beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. The peaks will fall over as you lift out the beaters,
- Gradually add the remaining sugar and conintue beating until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes.
- The stiff egg whites should hold their shape when you run a spatula through them. (see photo #12 above) This is the most important step to create a mousse that is light and airy.
- Fold in the chocolate mixture.
- Try not to overmix as you want the air bubbles from the egg whites to give the mousse its signature light, airy texture.
- Divide the coffee chocolate mousse between 6 individual serving dishes. Place in the refrigerator to set for about 2 hours.
This coffee mousse will look great in any clear glass dish but think about taking it up a notch for special occasions by filling martini glasses, champagne flutes or even espresso cups.
To finish, I like to top mine with whipped cream, a fresh raspberry (for a touch of Valentine's Day color), and a sprig of mint just prior to serving.
Other topping options include raspberry sauce or coulis, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some chocolate-covered espresso beans, crushed pistachio nuts, or dark or white chocolate shavings.
Now take a bite and enjoy its light, airy texture while you savor the rich flavor of chocolate with hints of coffee overtones. This dessert is best eaten the day you make it but it will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Variations
- Bailey's Chocolate Mousse - add Bailey's Irish Cream in lieu of the coffee granules.
- Chocolate Kahlua Mousse - substitute Kahlua liqueur for the coffee granules.
- Amaretto Chocolate Mousse - give a hint of almond to this chocolate dessert by adding amaretto in place of the coffee granules.
- Chocolate Raspberry Mousse - replace the coffee granules with Chambord or some raspberry coulis.
Satisfy Chocolate Cravings with These Desserts
Chocolate Pound Cake - is a deliciously moist and rich pound cake that has ½ pound of chocolate between the cake and the rich chocolate glaze. What chocolate lover wouldn't love that?
Chocolate Raspberry Dessert Roll - a rich, soft chocolate sponge cake rolled around a cheesecake filling and fresh raspberries that you eat just like your favorite sushi! A fun ice-breaker for a party.
Kahlua Chocolate Cheesecake - yep, it's chocolate and coffee pairing up again to make the creamiest, richest, most delicious cheesecake.
Chocolate Panna Cotta - it's technically not a pudding and definitely not a mousse but somewhere in-between. This dense, rich chocolaty dessert is sure to please any chocolate lovers.
Whether it is for Valentine's Day or any special occasion, you can find the best dessert recipes here on 2CM!
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Chocolate Coffee Mousse
Ingredients
- 8 oz chocolate, broken up (I used Ghiradelli 72% cacao)
- 2 Tablespoon instant coffee granules
- ½ cup half & half, close to room temperature
- 4 eggs, divided
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat in 30-second increments, stirring in-between, until chocolate is melted & smooth. It should take about 1-½ minutes.
- Stir in coffee granules to dissolve.
- Slowly pour in half & half, stirring as you go so that it does not solidify the chocolate. Set aside.
- In an electric mixer, combine egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes until pale and thick.
- Fold into chocolate-coffee mixture just blended.
- Clean mixing bowl & beater. Beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Fold into chocolate mixture.
- Softly fold egg whites into chocolate-coffee mixture until just blended.
- Divide between 6 glasses and place in refrigerator for about 2 hours to firm up.
- To serve, garnish with whipped cream and top with your favorite berry or opt for chopped pistachios and grated chocolate.
Notes
- Bailey's Chocolate Mousse - add Bailey's Irish Cream in lieu of the coffee granules.
- Chocolate Kahlua Mousse - substitute Kahlua liqueur for the coffee granules.
- Amaretto Chocolate Mousse - give a hint of almond flavor to this chocolate dessert by adding amaretto in place of the coffee granules.
- Chocolate Raspberry Mousse - replace the coffee granules with Chambord or some raspberry coulis.
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on February 21, 2016.
