Simplest Chocolate Mousse

• total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk chocolate chips (5 ounces)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Shaved or grated chocolate, for sprinkling

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of the heavy cream just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in cocoa powder, instant espresso, and salt. Transfer chocolate cream to a large bowl and let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Using a handheld mixer, beat chocolate cream until smooth and holds stiff peaks when you lift the beater from bowl. Do not overbeat cream because the fat will begin to separate and it will look curdled — you’re making mousse, not butter! Spoon chocolate mousse into bowls or glasses and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In another large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream with vanilla until smooth and holds a soft peak when you lift the beater out of the bowl. Spoon whipped cream on top of chocolate mousse and sprinkle with shaved or grated chocolate. Serve cold. Recipe excerpted from JUST COOK IT © 2018 by Justin Chapple. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Nutrition

• Calories: 2968 kcal
• Total Fat: 265 g
• Saturated Fat: 168 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 711 mg
• Sodium: 923 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 123 g
• Dietary Fiber: 8 g
• Total Sugars: 104 g
• Protein: 32 g