Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse With Fleur de Sel
Updated February 27, 2024
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
285 grams bittersweet chocolate (about 10 ounces), roughly chopped, more as needed (see note)
Fleur de Sel, to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
45 grams carbs; 340 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 21 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 165 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 39 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Create an ice bath in a large bowl using ice and a little cold water. Nestle a smaller bowl in ice bath.
- Step 2
Place chocolate and 1 cup water in a small pot and heat over medium. Whisk until mixture is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Immediately pour melted chocolate into the bowl in the ice bath. Vigorously whisk chocolate mixture by hand until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. The chocolate should be fluffy and form a mound when dolloped with the whisk (it should generally have the texture and appearance of mousse). If the mixture does not thicken, add a bit more chopped chocolate and remelt over the heat. Spoon into serving bowls and garnish with fleur de sel.
For a lighter mousse, use 265 grams of bittersweet chocolate or just add more water.
Private Notes
Comments
I've discovered you can substitute booze for water. Wine is great, anything more than ~40 proof [creme de menthe, rum] is best cut maybe 50% with water or it's a little harsh.
I microwave the chocolate [travesty, I know] for a minute, stir 'til completely melted, then whisk in booze before putting it over the ice bath.
You're welcome.
Super easy, super rich. Followed the recipe to a T.
The mousse held up quite a while too, so I was able to make this way ahead of time, and just scooped it into pretty glasses.
I didn't have the arm strength to whisk by hand so cheated and used a hand mixer. :)
Everyone liked it, but it got a little....cloying/intense after a while, so I added a bit of high quality olive oil, which made it taste even more amazing.
These are the proportions I use (from the italian edition of Scientific American magazine, they have a nice blog from a chemist who loves cooking) 100 g chocolate 70% cocoa paste 115 g water The correct proportion fat/water (it is this proportion that makes possible to form a stable mousse) is this: 34% of fats over 100% of water. Fats percentage can be checked on the nutrition facts label of you chocolate bar.
Like others, I first experienced miserable failure: 7+ minutes of whisking (yes, with mixer) and the liquid did not thicken one bit. On the verge of angry defeat and waste of chocolate, I searched through the comments here, and found the solution: the ice bath did not extend all the way up and the bowl was not cold enough, which meant the mix was not chilling fast enough and not thickening. As one comment suggested, scrape the sides of the bowl if that's the case, to allow the mix to chill evenly. Also, while I was searching for answers to the problem I had left the mix alone for 5 minutes, sitting in the ice bath, which chilled it further and serendipitously solved my problem also. I whisked the now cold mix for another two minutes and voila, thick mousse.
Wow. Delicious. It took me about 10 minutes to make this, and 5 minutes to lick the bowl. Made exactly as directed but added 1 tsp cayenne pepper and 1 tsp vanila. No complaints from the diners. Thank you for a great, easy mousse recipe!
Is this how hot chocolate in Italy and France is made as well?