Indulge in decadence: The art of perfect chocolate mousse

Light, delicate, and intensely chocolaty – that's exactly how you can describe this mousse. You can prepare it in just a few minutes with simple ingredients, and it will become a dessert perfect for a family dinner or a gathering with friends. Its velvety texture always makes an impression.

Do you usually prepare a cake for dessert? This time, surprise your loved ones. We don't eat mousses often, and they always make an impression when they appear on the table. Their advantage is a short, natural ingredient list and a simple preparation method. Of course, it's worth planning ahead because they require chilling. Despite their sweet taste, they have plenty of nutritional value, all thanks to dark chocolate.

Although the mousse contains two kinds of chocolate, milk and dark, you can freely increase the amount of the latter. For fans of more sophisticated desserts, a mousse based solely on dark chocolate will be ideal. Dark chocolate is a source of valuable protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.

Dark chocolate is also valued for its high content of antioxidants. These compounds help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. When choosing chocolate, it's worth opting for one with high cocoa content to maximise its health benefits.

Chocolate mousse is an excellent base for a more elaborate dessert. It goes perfectly with seasonal fruits like strawberries or raspberries. You can also recreate the taste known from chocolate bars by combining it with orange. Just add a bit of grated citrus zest. A classic combination is chocolate mousse with whipped cream and nuts.

This time of year, the combination of chocolate flavour with herbs works well too. Aromatic leaves like mint or lemon balm are excellent here. However, the most important aspect is the mousse itself; its texture should be velvety. Therefore, you must carefully evaluate the moment to whip the cream, as doing it for too long will make it overly thick.

Ingredients:

• 240 ml double cream (36%),
• 250 g mascarpone cheese,
• 115 g milk chocolate,
• 115 g dark chocolate,
• icing sugar to taste.

Preparation method:

1. Break the dark and milk chocolate into small pieces, melt them in a bain-marie, and set aside to cool.
2. Whip the double cream until stiff. Blend the mascarpone cheese and add icing sugar to taste.
3. Gradually add the melted chocolate to the mascarpone cheese and mix at medium speed.
4. When the cheese combines with the chocolate, add the whipped cream and gently fold it in using a kitchen whisk or silicone spatula.
5. Spoon the mousse into dessert glasses; you can use a piping bag for this.
6. Cover the dessert portions with cling film and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
7. Serve the chilled chocolate mousse with your favourite toppings.