Inspired by the French bistro tradition of making one giant vat of mousse to serve the whole restaurant over the course of a night of service, this recipe is party food at its finest. What gathering would not be improved by a big bowl of serve-yourself mousse set up in the corner of the room along with a stack of bowls and a few topping options? Every guest can dress their bowl to their liking, and you get to rake in compliments on a dessert you finished days before the party.
Mousse techniques can vary significantly—should you whip the cream or the egg whites or both? should you melt the chocolate alone, in the egg yolks, or in the cream?—but through a few rounds of testing, we found that this method marries a fluffy texture with a complex chocolaty flavor. Heavy cream and chocolate heated together over a double boiler creates a perfectly smooth mixture; tempered egg yolks provide richness and body, while a soft meringue adds airiness and lift.
Any style of serving bowl will work for this recipe; while something fancy in glass or ceramic is pretty, you might need to use a mixing bowl if that’s the biggest vessel you’ve got. Don’t stress: I can say from experience that even cheap plastic nesting bowls look chic when filled with mousse this good.
When chilling your mousse, leave at least an inch of space between the lip of the bowl and the top of the mousse. This will keep the plastic wrap off the surface and ensure a smooth, ready-to-scoop-into result.
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes (plus 5 hours for chilling)
Yield
12–16 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 1 lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped, and 2 cups heavy cream in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring occasionally with a heatproof rubber spatula, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from heat.
Step 2
Vigorously whisk 7 large egg yolks, room temperature, and 3 Tbsp. (38 g) sugar in a large bowl to dissolve sugar, about 2 minutes. Add a small amount of chocolate mixture, whisking constantly until combined (doing this warms the eggs without scrambling them). Add remaining chocolate mixture, whisking constantly until combined, then whisk in vanilla. Let cool.
Step 3
Meanwhile, beat 5 large egg whites, room temperature, and ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until foamy. With the motor running, gradually sprinkle in remaining ¹⁄₃ cup (67 g) sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
Step 4
Gently fold half of egg white mixture into cooled chocolate mixture until mostly combined, then fold in remaining egg white mixture. Scrape chocolate mousse into a large serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap (do not let it touch the surface of the mousse). Chill at least 5 hours to set up.
Step 5
Serve chocolate mousse with whipped cream, maraschino cherries, extra-virgin olive oil, and flaky sea salt in small bowls on the side for topping as desired.
Do Ahead: Mousse can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Recipe notes
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