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Something decadent. Something simple. Just what you may be craving at the end of a long day whether at work or just in life in general, or maybe, better yet, as something to savor to celebrate.
Adding sparkling wine of your choice to a classic French chocolate dessert is more simple than you may have once thought, and in 15 minutes I am going to show you how you have Champagne Dark Chocolate Mousse made and in the fridge, and need only to wait as little as 30 minutes. Yep, in that time of waiting for the mousse to set, you can kick off your shoes, let down your hair, put the day away and snuggle in for an evening of relaxing that will be punctuating by scrumptious bites of a chocolate treat that is sure to satiate.
Adapted from a French baker I wholeheartedly trust, Dominique Ansel, as she shared the inspiration in his latest cookbook Everyone Can Bake, I have made the recipe smaller in amount so you don’t have oodles of chocolate mousse in your fridge and can instead make just enough for you and someone else or you today and then later this week. However and whatever you need, all you need are four simple, ingredients and one of them is a high quality dark chocolate bar. Find that, along with a sparkling wine you like to drink, or maybe some is leftover in the fridge, and you have special dessert that can be made in minutes. Let me show you how!
Let’s get to the video, shall we? 🙂
~NOTE to readers who cannot see a video below: Be sure to turn off your ad-blocker if you use one as you will not be able to see a video at all if the ad-blocker is in use. Once you turn off your ad-blocker, you will need to restart your device to view the video.
Links shared during the episode:
- Dominique Ansel’s cookbook, Everyone Can Bake: Simple recipes to master and mix
- I purchased the ones I used in this episode as a vintage set from France, found on Etsy, so I highly recommend shopping on Etsy. But I have also shopped a few new ones below:
~Cook & Share! I would love to share your Simply Luxurious Kitchen inspired experiences from your kitchen. Tag me on Instagram with @thesimplyluxuriouslife #tslkitchen (or directly tag @tsllcookingshow) and your post could appear on my Instagram feed as well as on a future Show Notes post (see readers’ pics below). Many readers have already shared their meals inspired by recipes from TSLKitchen. Check out TSLL’s IG Story Highlights – titled, Viewers’ Recipes. Below are a few readers that have shared recipes and pics that caught their eye (and tastebuds ?) since last season concluded. Thank you to everyone who has shared!
Digital Cookbooks for Each Season of the Show are available (and they are free to everyone!). If you are looking for all of the recipes for each previous season in one easy to find place without having to click through each episode for each season, I now have available a Digital Cookbook for Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5. Shop here. Season 6’s cookbook will be available at the end of this season (end of November).
Champagne Dark Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 5.5 ounces dark chocolate, high quality at least 70% cacao
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 1/4 tsp gelatin (5 grams – not ounces as stated in the video)
- 1 tsp cold water (to mix with the gelatin)
- 1/4 cup sparkling wine of your choice (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Chantilly Cream
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 – 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bring the whole milk to a boil on the stove. While it is coming to a boil, chop up the dark chocolate and place in a small-medium mixing bowl. (chop or break up into thumb-size pieces so it will melt easily.
- While the milk is coming to a boil, in a very small ramekin, mix the gelatin powder or sheets with the cold water and quickly mix. It will become almost like glue or loose chalk. That is okay. Add the gelatin mixture into the milk upon removing from the stove once it has boiled. Whisk until incorporated with the milk.
- Immediately pour the milk and gelatin mixture over the chocolate in the small-medium mixing bowl. Don't touch it. Let it just sit and begin to melt the chocolate for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Whisk in the sparkling wine until combined with the chocolate. You do not need to add champagne to enjoy this delicious chocolate mousse recipe, so this step is optional.
- Once the minute has passed, whisk to combine until a smooth ganache is created (no more chocolate chunks – you can always place the mixing bowl over a small sauce pan filled with about 1-2 inches of water and bring the water to a simmer – a double boiler effect – place the mixing bowl on top of the simmering water to warm up the mixture just enough to melt the resisting chocolate).
- Set aside the ganache (keep on the counter, do not place in the refrigerator yet).
- In a separate medium size mixing bowl, using a whisk or hand mixer, mix the heavy whipping cream – 3/4 cup – until soft peaks form – about 3-5 minutes.
- Gradually fold the whipped cream into the ganache until all incorporated.
- Select your preferred serving dishes. I chose a champagne coup to signify the special ingredient that is in the mousse.
- Pour the mousse into your dishes, filling nearly to the top, but not entirely as you will be topping with Chantilly cream to serve.
- Place in the refrigerator (or freezer) for 45 minutes (or 30 minutes if you want it less firm, and slightly smooth).
Chantilly Cream
- While the mousse is chilling, making the Chantilly cream. Add the heavy whipping cream to the same medium mixing bowl you used previously, add the sugar. Whisk for about 4-5 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and whisk for about 30 seconds.
To Serve
- Remove the mousse from the fridge and place your desired amount of Chantilly cream on top. Add chocolate shavings by using a fork or a chocolate shaving tool, running against the remaining chocolate bar while holding above the Chantilly cream you have placed on top of the mousse. Then serve!
- Keep extra servings in your fridge until ready to enjoy.
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I watched this video and within two hours had purchased the ingredients and assembled this delicious gift!
Chocolate mousse is a favorite dessert that I would eat in restaurants but never considered making on my own. It turned out perfect. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I plan to make frequently in the future!
Christie,
Your comment brought an immediate smile to my face! So tickled you were inspired to give it a go tout de suite and that, most especially, that it turned out as you had hoped! Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
Thank for this exciting holiday idea! Once upon a time, in Paris with my husband and our grade school son, we had a late dinner in a small bistro near our bed and breakfast. We ordered chocolate mousse for dessert and what we received was a very large coupe and 3 spoons. I’ll never know if this was a house special service or if they had too much left at the end of the evening! It made for a memorable experience!!
What a beautiful and délicieuse mémoire !I appreciate your sharing with us all. 😌🇫🇷❤️
Hi Shannon. I made this chocolate mousse recipe yesterday. What a divinely decadent treat, yet smoothly simple to create. Thank you!
Janet Nicole,
Soooo glad you enjoyed it! And thank you so much for coming back to share! 🙂
Like others said above, it was already prepared and savoured chez moi. Who can resist such deliciousness? I will use this mousse again for Christmas desert. It was totally “approved” by the household! 😉
For me, this was an interesting experience, because I usually prepare my mousse au chocolat with egg whites (for the mousse effect). It was the first time that I made a mousse au chocolat with gelatin, cream, and of course, champagne. Thank you, Shannon, for another great culinary adventure!
Great video, too. One can see that your kitchen is a happy place for you!