This 2-ingredient chocolate mousse recipe is the easiest mousse dessert ever! All you have to do is pour the hot milk over the chocolate and whisk the mixture! Made with no eggs, it can be vegan if you use dairy-free milk and dark chocolate.
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I know, I couldn't believe it either at first!
Being used to making a triple chocolate mousse with whipped cream I didn't believe that this easy choc mousse with just 2 ingredients would work.
This mousse au chocolat as the French would call it, is very similar to hot French chocolate (chocolat chaud). It only has a different chocolate to liquid ratio, in order to thicken and gain a luxurious creamy texture almost like the best chocolate pudding.
Whether you make it for a small party, Valentine's Day or just because you need something quick and chocolaty in the afternoon, this eggless chocolate mousse is a recipe you should definitely try!
😍 Why this recipe works
This easy choc mousse checks all the boxes:
Just 2 basic ingredients: No cocoa powder, no avocado, no gelatin. Just dark chocolate and milk. You probably have those in your kitchen already!
Quick and Easy: All you have to do is pour the hot milk over the chocolate and whip it with a whisk over ice (you can also skip the ice and refrigerate it until cold, then whip it).
Taste: Because there's only 2 basic ingredients, this is a chocolate dessert with a deep chocolate flavor!
No eggs: Because this is an eggless mousse recipe, it's suitable for people with egg allergies.
Vegan friendly: Use a dairy-free milk substitute and dark chocolate to make this a vegan mousse (most dark chocolate brands are vegan anyways).
Less fat: Made with milk and no heavy cream or butter, it's lower in fat than your regular mousse.
📋 Ingredients
To make this dark chocolate mousse you only need two basic ingredients:
Dark chocolate: It needs to be 55% cocoa or more, and the best quallity you can find You may also know it as bittersweet chocolate.
For people asking if milk chocolate will work:
This recipe already adds milk to dark chocolate, something that mellows out the aggressive flavor of the chocolate. Don't use milk chocolate because the taste will be weaker and the mousse may not thicken properly due to the different quantity of cocoa solids.
Milk: Use a milk of choice. This recipe has been tested with dairy-free and regular milk and both work fine.
Maple syrup or honey (optional): This will depend on the bitterness of the chocolate you'll use and your prefered sweetness level. In most cases you won't need it.
You will also need a lot of ice for the water bath, but I don't count this as an ingredient that goes into the recipe.
🥣 Substitutions / Variations
Water: You can use water instead of milk, just like Heston Blumenthal's two-ingredient chocolate mousse - video (some people call it 1-ingredient choc mousse because they don't count the water).
Vegan: Any vegan milk alternative such as almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk will work. Just to be sure, also check that you've picked a vegan chocolate.
Whiskey and black pepper: This recipe almost begs for some alcohol. Add a teapoon of whiskey and a pinch of freshly grated black pepper per serving and elevate it to a luscious, fragrant chocolate cream.
Mocha: Replace some of the milk with freshly brewed coffee. If you love mocha flavor make sure to also try this no-churn chocolate coffee ice cream (mocha flavor).
Earl grey or lavender: Replace the milk with earl grey tea or lavender tea. If you love the combination of bergamot or lavender and chocolate, you'll fall in love with these variations.
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
Follow this easy step-by-step guide to make these chocolate mousse cups:
Step 1: Finely chop the chocolate with a sharp knife (this will ensure that it will melt quickly and homogenize perfectly). Then, transfer it to a medium bowl.
Step 2: Heat the milk until almost boiling, pour it over the chopped chocolate and let it rest for 1 minute.
Step 3: Gently mix with a whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Taste it and add any sweetener if needed.
Step 4: Make the ice bath. Fill a larger bowl with ice and cold water and place the bowl with the mousse over the ice (you can also skip this step and chill the mixture in the fridge until it reaches 68ºF - 20ºC).
Step 5: Whip the mixture with a whisk or an electric hand mixer until very soft peaks form (it should have the consistency of a thin chocolate cake batter). Don't over-mix or the texture will be grainy (if you notice stiff peaks form, you have gone too far).
Step 6: Using a rubber spatula, divide the chocolate mixture between each glass (or cup) and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Serving suggestion
I usually leave this quick mousse plain or grate some extra dark or white chocolate on top. You can also garnish it with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries for a more elegant presentation.
👨🍳 Expert Tips
Make sure to follow these tips for making the best chocolate mousse!
How to know when it's ready: As you whip the chocolate mixture, it will start to lose its shine and become thicker. From that point on, it will thicken very quickly. Pay attention and stop whipping when it reaches the consistency of a thin chocolate cake batter, and while it's still pourable. The mixture will continue to thicken in the fridge.
No ice bath: This recipe has also been tested without an ice bath and it totally works, but it's not as quick. To make it this way, melt the chocolate with the milk and stir until you have a smooth mixture, then chill it in the fridge until its temperature drops to 68ºF or 20ºC. After that, whisk until thickened.
Electric mixer vs Whisk: for small quantities (2-4 servings) this recipe can be made with just a whisk. For larger quantities an electric mixer is suggested because whisking it by hand can be laborious.
What to do if you over-mix it. If you overmix the mousse, it will become grainy. But don't stress, this is one of those forgiving mousse recipes! Just melt it again in a microwave oven, over a double boiler or even on the stove (over low-medium heat). Then, start over. The texture after re-melting it will not be 100% perfect, but it will be much better!
Choose a good quality dark chocolate, at least 55% cocoa. This is a 2-ingredient chocolate mousse. If the chocolate is bad, you will taste it. Most chocolate chips are not the same quallity as chocolate bars and may also contain additives, that's why they're not recommended.
The following image shows the difference between a smooth mixture and an slightly over-beaten one.
💭 FAQs
Sorry, but no. This mousse thickens because of the fat in the chocolate. If you use cocoa powder it will not set and it definitely won't have the consistency of a mousse.
Cover each glass with a piece of plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The classic, traditional chocolate mousse is made with raw eggs, sugar, cream and chocolate. However, there are other types of chocolate mousse that don't require raw eggs. Some are made with heavy whipping cream, while other vegan version ask for coconut cream or mashed avocado.
🍳 Similar Desserts
If you're searching for more dessert recipes made in individual serving dishes, you should definitely try these Easy Italian Tiramisu without Eggs and this traditional homemade Greek Rice Pudding (Rizogalo).
More pudding and cream recipes:
If you tried this Easy Chocolate Mousse Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
🎥Recipe Video
📖 Recipe
Easy Chocolate Mousse Recipe (2 Ingredients)🍫
Ingredients
- 5.5 oz (155 g) dark chocolate (at least 55% cocoa but preferably 65%)
- ½ cup (122 g) milk of choice (regular or dairy-free)
- 1 teaspoon (7 g) maple syrup or honey (optional)
Instructions
- Finely chop the chocolate with a sharp knife (this will ensure that it will melt quickly and homogenize perfectly). Then, transfer it to a medium bowl.
- Heat the milk until almost boiling, pour it over the chopped chocolate and let it rest for 1 minute.
- Gently stir with a whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Taste it and if needed, add the sweetener.
- Make the ice bath: Fill a larger bowl with ice and cold water (you can skip the ice-bath and chill the mixture in the fridge until it reaches 68ºF - 20ºC).
- Whip the mixture with a whisk or an electric hand mixer until very soft peaks form (it should have the consistency of a thin chocolate cake batter). Don't over-mix or the texture will be grainy (if you notice stiff peaks form, you have gone too far).
- Using a rubber spatula, divide the chocolate mixture between each glass (or cup) and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Notes
- For 2 servings it takes approximately 4 minutes to thicken, when using a whisk.
- As you whip the chocolate mixture, it will start to lose its shine and become thicker. From that point on, it will thicken very quickly. Pay attention and stop when it reaches the consistency of thin chocolate batter, and while it's still pourable. Resist the urge to whip the mousse until firm because it will have a grainy texture. The mixture will continue to thicken in the fridge.
- If you overmix the chocolate mixture and becomes very thick you can either eat it as is (it's still edible) or reheat it until melted and start over.
- Add a teaspoon of whiskey (or brandy) per serving. It will be 50% better!
- Don't use chocolate chips!
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published with slightly different proportions, but has been revised on 12 Oct 2023 with new quantities for even better texture.
Akhila@Pepper Delight says
Yum....So Cute and they are healthy desserts too..I love the idea of whiskey. Cant wait to try it !!!
Makos says
Thank you Akhila!!!
Akhila@Pepper Delight says
Tried this recipe today and it turned out superb..Loved whiskey version especially 🙂 Thank you so much Makos for sharing this easy recipe!!!
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
i'm still mind-blown by that technique! i haven't tried it myself yet (there's too many fun things to try, and so little time!), but someday (: love the fruit hearts, too!
Gem Baysan says
I made this and added a splash of vanilla. Super tasty & intense. I will definitely be making this again. Maybe with a little Baileys.
Gem Baysan
makos says
Thank you Gem, I'm very happy you liked it!
Efi says
love this idea, especially the one with the whiskey!
Jeanie says
This recipe didn’t work for me! I’m not sure why? It’s more like pudding than mousse!
Makos says
Hi Jeanie, was the chocolate you used at least 65% cocoa? If yes, then what I can suspect is that you needed more ice or more beating time. If you didn't eat the mousse you can try beating it some more over an ice bath 🙂
Lita says
What a pack of lies. This recipe absolutely does not work.
Don’t trust whoever created this recipe. They are a liar and charlatan. Followed the directions exactly.
I got chocolate milk instead.
Makos says
Hi Lita, I’m sorry this didn’t work for you but it’s not lies. It really works and many people have made it. I’m guessing you either didn’t use the right chocolate or didn’t measure the ingredients correctly.