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)
Ingredients
1
lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped (such as Guittard 64%)
2
cups heavy cream
7
large egg yolks, room temperature
3
Tbsp. plus ⅓ cup (105 g) sugar
½
tsp. vanilla extract
5
large egg whites, room temperature
¾
tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
Whipped cream, maraschino cherries (such as Luxardo), and extra-virgin olive oil (for serving)
Flaky sea salt
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.