The 5-Minute Chocolate Mousse I've Been Making for Decades

My Great Aunt Wini was known for her chocolate desserts—so much so that her wedding gift to my mom was a collection of recipe cards. If there was a bundt cake being baked in my house growing up, you can bet it was Wini’s chocolate version. Chocolate frosting for a cake, or chocolate sauce for ice cream? Wini’s. And of course, if we wanted chocolate mousse, the ingredients for this easy recipe I’m sharing with you went straight into the blender. 

If I were to get technical about it, I’d place the texture of this dessert somewhere between a mousse and a pot de crème—it’s rich enough that you only need about 1/3 cup per serving. The texture is slightly aerated but definitely denser than a classic mousse, which requires whipping up egg whites and whipped cream and gently folding them into the mixture.

The process for this mousse is much, much easier than your standard mousse recipe: Pour some chocolate chips into a blender, add in some hot milk, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until evenly combined. It takes about five minutes to prepare. 

Tips for Making Wini’s Mousse

You do need to allow this mousse plenty of time to chill before serving. It will seem quite thin when you pour it into your ramekins, but after 12 to 24 hours in the fridge, it magically turns into a solidified, spoonable dessert. Make it up to a day in advance, then serve it straight from the fridge. 

Serving This 5-Minute Chocolate Mousse

You don’t really need to add any toppings to the mousse (Wini never did), but a dollop of whipped cream and some chocolate shavings are a nice option if you’d like to fancy it up a bit.

Chocolate mousse is a blank canvas, and if you’d like to add other flavors, you certainly can. Add a dash of cinnamon for a flavor reminiscent of Mexican hot chocolate. Substitute a few drops of peppermint extract for the vanilla extract, and you’ll have a peppermint chocolate mousse. Or top your mousse with a few fresh raspberries or a raspberry coulis for a fruity twist.

Easy Chocolate Desserts

• 2-Ingredient Chocolate Pudding
• 3-Ingredient Chocolate Cookies
• Chocolate Pudding Cake
• Chocolate Mug Cake

Melt the chocolate:

Add the chocolate chips and baker’s chocolate to a blender. 

Heat the milk to scalding temperature (180°F to 185°F), either in a microwave-safe measuring cup in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds, or in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat. It should be steaming but not actively boiling.

Pour the hot milk over the chocolate in the blender and let it sit to allow the chocolate to melt a bit, about 2 minutes.

Blend the mousse:

Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt to the blender. Blend at high speed until the mousse is smooth and slightly aerated, about 1 minute.

Pour the mousse into 6 ramekins, pot de creme cups, or coupe glasses—you’ll use about 1/3 cup per serving. 

Cover the ramekins and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Serve the mousse chilled, on its own or with whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top. They will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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