Dark Chocolate Mousse Sea Salt (Printable)
Silky dark chocolate mousse finished with a touch of sea salt for enhanced flavor and texture.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chocolate Base
01 - 5.3 oz high-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
02 - 1 oz unsalted butter, cubed
→ Mousse Mixture
03 - 3 large eggs, separated
04 - 1.8 oz granulated sugar
05 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
06 - 5 fl oz heavy cream, cold
→ Finishing
07 - Flaky sea salt, for garnish
08 - Dark chocolate curls or shavings (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
02 - Whisk egg yolks with half of the sugar and vanilla extract until pale and creamy. Gradually incorporate the cooled chocolate mixture until fully blended.
03 - In a separate clean bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Slowly add remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
04 - Whip cold heavy cream in another bowl until soft peaks develop.
05 - Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until just combined, then carefully fold in the beaten egg whites in three additions, preserving the airy texture.
06 - Divide mousse evenly among serving glasses or ramekins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.
07 - Sprinkle each portion with flaky sea salt and optionally decorate with dark chocolate curls or shavings prior to serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It looks fancy enough to impress but takes less than 30 minutes of actual hands-on work.
- That moment when sea salt hits the dark chocolate and everything clicks into place—it's the kind of detail that makes people ask for seconds.
- You can make it a full day ahead, which means less stress when guests arrive.
02 -
- Raw eggs can be a concern—if you're worried, use pasteurized eggs or pasteurized liquid egg products, and the mousse will still turn out beautifully.
- Don't skip the cooling step for the chocolate; if it's too hot, it will cook the egg yolks into scrambled texture. Warm is fine, hot is not.
- The difference between a drooping mousse and a perfect one often comes down to keeping your bowls and beaters completely free of grease—even a tiny bit of oil will collapse the egg whites.
03 -
- Keep everything cold—cold cream whips faster, cold bowls help egg whites stay stable, and a cold fridge means faster setting and better texture.
- If you're nervous about raw eggs, don't let that stop you from making this; pasteurized eggs work perfectly and taste just as good.
- The sea salt garnish isn't just decoration—it's the moment when this dish becomes special, so don't skip it or substitute table salt, which won't have the same mineral complexity.