Are you still looking for a delicious idea for Valentine’s Day? Try these Chocolate Mousse Hearts. The chocolate mousse is light yet intensely chocolaty and the shell of the chocolate hearts is thin and crisp.
The mousse is airy and soft, which is why one serving is satisfying, but keeps me wanting more because each bite melts in your mouth and it is almost impossible to beat this unique treat.
I love chocolate mousse, it is an amazing dessert, simple yet clever, and it is quickly prepared. For this recipe, you only need a couple of simple ingredients: Eggs, heavy cream, sugar and good quality chocolate. The key is to have the right temperature and gently whisk the ingredients, or more precisely, just fold them in.
Tools & Equipment
- 3 small bowls
- Digital thermometer
- Heart shape silicone mold/any other mold
- Medium bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Silicone spatula
- Stand mixer fitted with the whisk and paddle attachment
Recipe Tips
Chocolate: For the mousse I used a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate. You can also use only semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate, depending on your own preference. A mixture of all 3 is possible as well. However, for a perfect chocolate mousse, it is best to use high quality chocolate.
Heavy Cream: For the perfect texture of the chocolate mousse, it is important to whip the cream only semi-stiff (soft peaks) and no more. If you whip the cream until stiff, you won’t be able to fold it in as easily and the texture of the mousse would be not as good.
Temperature: Make sure to stick to the temperatures given in the recipe. The correct temperature is essential to make an even, well-textured mousse.
Ingredients for Chocolate Mousse Hearts
Directions – How to Make Chocolate Mousse Hearts
Coat the Mold
Melt the chocolate in 30-second increments in the microwave in a small bowl. Pour the melted chocolate into the mold, spread it out, moving the mold around and use a pastry brush, to make sure the mold is evenly coated with enough chocolate.
Repeat the process with each of the remaining chocolates. When everything is coated, place the mold in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
Make the Mousse
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream on medium speed until semi-stiff (soft peaks), for about 2 minutes. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Combine egg, egg yolks and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat the mixture to a temperature of 60°C/140°F. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Mix on medium speed until it is almost white, for about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl in between. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until it starts to boil. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl and gradually pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stirring until smooth.
Check the temperature of your chocolate emulsion. Once it is between 40-45°C/104-113°F, gently fold the egg mixture into the chocolate emulsion. Remove the semi-stiff whipped cream from the fridge and fold it into the chocolate-egg mixture.
Pour the mousse evenly into the hearts, then place the mold in the fridge overnight to let the mousse set. Release the hearts from the mold and let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly before serving.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storage: Keep the chocolate mousse hearts in the fridge covered with plastic for up to 3 days. They are best served cold, but if chilled overnight or longer, let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for a softer texture.
Freezing Instructions: Freeze the mousse hearts in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw the mousse hearts in the fridge overnight an bring to room temperature before serving.
My Summary for Chocolate Mousse Hearts
Difficulty: Simple.
Taste & Texture: The chocolate mousse has a rich chocolate flavor and a light, airy and creamy texture. The better the quality of the chocolate you use, the better this mousse will taste. The chocolate shell of the heart is thin and add a nice crunch to the mousse.
Time: Melting the chocolate and coating the mold with melted chocolate takes about 20 minutes. After that, the mold needs to go into the freezer for about 1 hour. Preparing the chocolate mousse and filling the hearts takes about 30 minutes. Then the chocolate mousse hearts are placed in the fridge to set overnight.
More Recipes
- Chocolate Truffles
- Chocolate Mousse
- Hello Dolly Magic Cookie Bars
- Mousse au Chocolat
- Raspberry Sugar Cookies
