Chocolate Orange Mousse

Why To Try This Chocolate Orange Mousse

You will enjoy making this chocolate mousse recipe, because it’s simple – all you need are 5 basic ingredients, and some essential kitchen equipment: couple of mixing bowls, spatula, grater (zester), electric whisk, microwave and four serving bowls or mugs.

These chocolate pots can be made up to 2 days in advance and are easy to scale up or down – whether you’re making a romantic dinner for two or feeding a crowd, you will appreciate this recipe on every occasion!

This homemade mousse is wonderfully rich in taste, with a hint of orange and has light and creamy texture. My partner who is a big chocolate lover calls it ‘little heaven in a pot’.

• Dark chocolate – for best results, I recommend using premium (good quality) dark chocolate, that melts evenly, without lumps. Although a basic plain dark chocolate will work here too, it will probably become ‘clotted’ quite soon after melting, resulting in harder bites of the chocolate inside the mousse.
• Double (heavy/whipping) cream – make your own whipped cream by whipping fresh full-fat cream. It is easy and only takes a few minutes to do with the help of your kitchen blender or electric whisk.
• Free-range eggs – for this recipe, you will need just raw egg whites. Separate the eggs carefully and save the yolks for an omelette, or other recipe later. Use the egg whites to make a ‘snow’ – again, a kitchen blender or an electric whisk will speed this up. But you can also do it manually, it will just take a bit longer. This fluffy egg and sugar mixture will help stabilize the mousse and make it lighter.
• Sugar is added to make this chocolate dessert a bit sweeter. Dark chocolate is usually bitter, and so a small amount of sugar will help balance the taste without the dessert being too sweet. Use golden caster sugar, granulated sugar, or brown sugar.
• Orange – a real orange is used in this recipe, using both the zest and the juice. Always wash the orange before use and use an organic orange if you can. Zest it first and then squeeze the juice out. Save some of the zest for serving.

Detailed measurements and recipe method are listed in the recipe card below this post.

Substitutes & Variations

Here are some recommendations for ingredients substitutes in this recipe:

• Milk chocolate – you can use milk chocolate; however, the final result won’t be as dark as if it was made from dark chocolate (with higher percentage of cocoa used). Milk chocolate is often sweeter than dark chocolate, so you can use less sugar in this recipe.
• Orange chocolate – yes, you guessed it! If you have an orange chocolate bar or bites lying around, you can use those in this recipe – and you can skip adding orange zest and juice.
• Coconut cream – is the best swap for a whipping (heavy/double) cream, and can be used for whisking. However, this will add a hint of coconut flavor to the dish.
• Marshmallows – can be added instead of egg whites. You will need to melt them in the microwave before mixing them with other ingredients. Use only half of the sugar if that’s the case, as the marshmallows are sweet.
• Orange extract – add 1-2tsp to the mousse mixture if you don’t have fresh oranges.

Variations

This recipe will also taste delicious with the following twists - swap the orange for:

• Peppermint – chocolate and mint are a very popular pairing, especially around the holidays!
• Raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, cherry, or vanilla extract – all of these will turn this chocolate mouse into a whole new treat!

How to Make This Chocolate Orange Mousse

1. Whisk the cream with ⅔of the sugar until it becomes thick and doubles in volume
2. Melt the chocolate and mix it with orange zest and juice.
3. Whisk the egg whites whilst slowly adding the remaining sugar until the mixture becomes thick and firm. The ‘snow’ is ready when it stays in a bowl if you turn it upside down.
4. Mix the melted chocolate with the whipped cream. Gradually add firmed egg whites, folding them in gently until everything is combined.
5. Scoop the mixture into your chosen glassware or mugs. Cover these with a cling film and leave to set in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Decorate with freshly shaved orange skin and serve cold.

For more exact measurements and steps, please see the recipe card below this article.

Top Tips

Here are some tips that will help you create a beautifully fluffy and soft chocolate mousse each and every time:

• Use premium quality baking chocolate – this will help prevent the mousse from being lumpy.
• Think ahead and time the steps well and swap/adjust the preparation if needed – for example, when melting chocolate in a cold room, you may want to do this after you have whipped the cream and the egg whites have been firmed up.
• Don’t add hot chocolate to cold whipped cream and raw egg whites, this would cause the cream and egg whites to curdle. Instead, wait a few minutes before mixing the two.
• Allow time for the orange chocolate mousse to rest in the fridge – this will intensify the orange flavour. Ideally, wait overnight, but if you can’t, give it at least 1-2 hours.

Storage & Reheating

This chocolate mousse with orange is ideal for making ahead. Transfer it to a container/serving dish of your choice, cover it, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Serve it cold.

This chocolate mousse with raw eggs is not suitable for freezing.

FAQs

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