Classic chocolate mousse (no sugar, no cream)

This is a classic recipe with eggs creating rich and fluffy chocolate mousse. This recipe contains no sugar and no cream and yet, it’s perfect for an indulgent dessert or an after dinner treat.

This is very low sugar chocolate mousse, because the only sugar comes from the type of chocolate you’ll use (and you can use any kind of plain or milk chocolate)

I always make it when I run out of cream or don’t want to make the chocolate mousse too rich. It’s fairly easy and quick to make and it taste as good as the traditional chocolate mousse.

Why make this chocolate mousse

• It’s a classic version of chocolate mousse
• There is no sugar!
• It’s a budget friendly recipe (no cream!)
• It tastes like the most delicious chocolate ever!
• Dairy – free (when made with plain – dark chocolate)

PIN TO KEEP FOR LATER

Top tips for making this chocolate mousse without cream

Heat up your chocolate very gently (to prevent it from overheating or burning)

Make sure that your egg whites are very stiffly whisked – it will make the chocolate mousse extra light and fluffy

There is no sugar in this recipe, but if you want to make your chocolate mousse sweeter, swap the dark chocolate for milk or use 50% milk and 50% dark

Don’t rush things and very slowly fold in the egg whites into the chocolate mixture

Ingredients

Chocolate

Since chocolate forms the majority of this recipe ingredients (together with eggs), the flavour of your mousse will depend on what type of chocolate you’ll use.

I’ve used plain dark chocolate (usually around 53% cocoa solids), but you are welcome to use milk or mix of milk and dark chocolate if you prefer.

If you use darker chocolate than say 75% cocoa solids, you might need to adjust the amount of water in the recipe.

The stronger plain chocolate you use, the dryer the chocolate is, so using a little bit more water (or adding flavour essence or alcohol) helps to emulsify the chocolate and make it more liquid.

Eggs 

Since we will be using uncooked eggs, make sure that the type of eggs you use are good quality and preferably organic and free range.

We will be using the eggs separated into egg whites and yolks.

Water

If you want to, you can replace the water with milk, but I think it’s actually quite nice to have the flavour of the chocolate to come through and not have the milk or cream to weigh it down.

Butter

If you use salted butter, don’t use any more salt, unless you taste the mousse and think that it really needs some extra salt. The salt from the butter should be sufficient.

Salt

Don’t forget the pinch of salt – it helps to bring all the flavours together

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES

• Chocolate Pancakes with cocoa powder >>
• Chocolate & Mint Cookies >>

How to make this chocolate mousse without cream different

If you want to make your traditional chocolate mousse without cream to taste slightly different (every time you make it), you can easily add different flavours, spices or even alcohol.

I would recommend to start with just one type of flavour and once you are confident with your flavour combinations, you can add more and combine the flavours together.

I always choose one type of flavour as my dominant flavour and then have the other to support it. Sometimes, it’s equally nice if you have a contrasting flavour with something spicey, zesty or sharp in flavour.

There is no right or wrong here – anything goes – but don’t make the flavours too strong straightaway as the flavour develops and intensifies as the chocolate mousse sets and cools down.

Add alcohol

Add a tablespoon of alcohol (rum, brandy or whisky) if you fancy making it into a special treat.

Add essential flavouring

You can also add 1 teaspoon of flavouring, such as caramel, orange, mint, almond or any other you think will work with your chocolate mousse.

Add spices

Spices are my favourite way of adding a hint of flavour. Start with just 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves.

You can also try ready mixed or homemade spices, such as mixed spice, gingerbread spice or pumpkin pie spice, depending on the season or your mood.

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES

• Breakfast Brownie Chocolate Batter Oatmeal >>
• Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ice-Cream >>
• Chocolate & Beer Cupcakes >>
• Vanilla Cupcakes with chocolate frosting >>

How to make chocolate mousse without cream and sugar

Take a medium size saucepan and add the water and chopped up or broken chocolate.

Melt over low heat and stir until the chocolate melts into the water.

Add a pinch of salt and carry on stiring.

Take off the heat and add slowly the butter and let it to melt in.

Add the egg yolks, one at the time, gently steering until they are blended in and the chocolate mixture is nice and glossy.

In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.

Add a table spoon of the chocolate mixture into the beaten eggs and whisk together.

Gently incorporate the egg whites into the chocolate mixture by folding it carefully.

Divide between 4 large ramekins (or glasses) or 6 smaller ones.

Leave to chill in the fridge for about 2 hrs.

Serve as it is or with whipped cream, raspberry coulis, fresh fruit or anything else you fancy.

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES

• Chocolate & Oats Cookies (Gluten Free) >>
• Peanut Butter & Chocolate Skillet Brownie >>
• Chocolate Bliss Balls >>

How to serve chocolate mousse

Serve as it is or with whipped cream (can be plant based), homemade vanilla ice-cream, raspberry coulis or fresh raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. Chocolate mousse can be also served with a liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, Irish Cream or Kahlua, for a boozy twist.

How to store chocolate mousse

Once made, store your chocolate mousse in the fridge (ideally covered) and eat within 1-3 days.

How long will chocolate mousse last

There is very little that can go off in this classical chocolate mousse recipe, so once made, your chocolate mousse should last about 3 days.

It’s best to eat the mousse fresh, but you can make it in advance and eat it within 24 hrs, knowing that it’s perfectly save to do so.

Can I freeze chocolate mousse?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing chocolate mousse.

Generally speaking chocolate and eggs don’t freeze very well, which makes this chocolate mousse doubly unsuitable for freezing.

Why didn’t my chocolate mousse set?

There could be several reasons why your chocolate mousse didn’t set. This could be mainly because using the wrong kind of chocolate, using composite chocolate (no cocoa butter), incorrect ratios, improperly whipped eggs, using too many flavorings or substitutes beyond my suggested variations.

This chocolate mousse recipe also needs a good 1-2 hrs to set in the fridge, so if you take the mousse out too soon it might not be set just yet. All you need to do is to keep the mousse in the fridge for longer. On occasions, if your fridge is a little warmer or you have a lot of other food in your fridge, the chilling time might be longer than 1-2 hrs, so just be patient and if you’ve done everything else right, the mousse just need longer time in the fridge.

If you are using chocolate with more cocoa butter (or chocolate with over 60% cocoa solids) this can make the mousse heavy and thick and set a little too much.

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES

• Chocolate & Coconut Fat Bombs >>
• Strawberry & Chocolate Overnight Oats >>
• Chocolate Buttermilk Loaf Cake >>

What can I do if my chocolate mousse won’t set?

If your chocolate mousse won’t set, there are several things you can try to fix it.

First of all you can try to re-whip the mousse with a hand mixer or whisk to incorporate more air, which can help it set.

You can also try to fold in some whipped cream to help stabilize it, but you would be adding dairy into this recipe. Another option is to melt some more chocolate and fold it into the mousse to help it set.

If all else fails, you can try to turn the mousse into a sauce or filling for a cake or pie. Previously, I’ve made the leftover mousse into frosting for a cake, used it as topping for pancakes or added to my breakfast porridge. It also makes a great base for a my Breakfast Chocolate & Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl recipe or Brownie Batter Porridge Recipe.

Any leftover or failed chocolate mousse is also great as a topping for ice cream or cake, or you can mix it with whipped cream to make a chocolate mousse parfait.

Note on using raw eggs in this recipe

Using raw egg whites and egg yolks in chocolate mousse is generally safe for healthy adults, but there is a small risk of foodborne illness from salmonella bacteria. People with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, very young or old people, should avoid raw eggs due to the risk of salmonella.

However, there are ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. The easiest thing to do is to buy eggs that have been already pasteurized to eliminate the risk of salmonella. You can also use pasteurized egg whites and yolks, which are available at some grocery stores and sold separately (eg. egg whites in a cartoon).

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES

• Chia & Chocolate Smoothie >>
• Chocolate & Peanut Butter Smoothie >>
• Chocolate Oat Smoothie (Sugar Free) >>

How to pasteurize eggs at home

If you have your own chickens or you are given fresh eggs from a farm, you might like to pasteurize the eggs at home before you use them.

Pasteurization of eggs is a process that heats the eggs to a specific temperature and duration to destroy harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella, that may be present in the eggs. Pasteurization of eggs is required by law for all egg products distributed for consumption, which means that the, once you buy in the shops, should be already pasteurised.

There are several methods to pasteurize eggs at home and here are the three basic methods you might like to use:

Regardless of which method you choose, it’s important to use a food thermometer to ensure that the eggs reach the correct temperature for pasteurization and also timer (so that you don’t actually cook your eggs).

1. Sous Vide Method: You can pasteurize eggs by cooking them sous vide at 135°F (57°C) for 75 minutes. This method requires a sous vide machine, so it might not be a practical method for most people at home.
2. Stovetop Method: You can also pasteurize eggs on the stovetop by transferring room-temperature eggs to a saucepan with cold water (about 1 inch above the eggs), and heating up over medium heat until the temperature reaches 140°F/60°C. Maintain that temperature for at least 3 minutes (3.5 minutes to be extra safe) either by lowering the heat slightly or adding a little cold water. Remove the eggs and put them in a cold water afterwards.
3. Oven Method: You can also pasteurize eggs in the oven by preheating the oven to 325°F (163°C). Place the eggs in a muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and immediately place them in ice water for a few minutes to stop the cooking process.

This blog post was originally written on 23 September 2020 and last updated 15 August 2023