Hi Bakers,

Blame it on egg prices or my own hang-ups on eating raw eggs, but we are going eggless for today’s mousse. It is downright delicious and you need to have it in your life! Valentine’s Day or otherwise, this mousse had me scraping every last bit out of the bowl.

This chocolate mousse is sweetened by caramelized sugar and lightened with whipped cream. The texture is airy and soft - not dense and decadent like most other chocolate-forward desserts. So much more sophisticated than a chocolate pudding, but with not much more effort.

We start by making a ganache. Instead of melting the chocolate with steamed cream, homemade caramel sauce (which has an adequate amount of cream in it) is poured over chopped dark chocolate. For a bit more flavor, add a splash of vanilla and a pinch of salt.

To create the light, airy texture of mousse, the caramel ganache is folded together with whipped cream. Simple as that. 

More Valentine’s Day Recipes:

Double-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Forget chocolate truffles, these cookies have crispy edges that contrast with the soft, fudgy centers and are seriously addictive.

Date Cinnamon Rolls

Turn plump dates into a paste and spread it on cardamom-scented dough before baking and being slathered in spoon-licking bourbon cream cheese glaze. Follow the timeline so you can wake up to these warm buns come February 14th. 

Raspberry Choux Cream Puffs

These pâte à choux cream puffs are full of rose-scented chantilly cream, vanilla pastry cream and raspberry jam. They are cute and fanciful - perfect for a Valentine’s tea or brunch with the girls.

Berry Eton Mess

Looking for something on the lighter side? Try this simple dessert made from baked meringues, whipped cream, and fresh fruit.

Caramel Chocolate Mousse

The Ingredients:

1 cup (200g) + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, diced
2 cups (480ml) heavy cream, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
8 ounces (226g) dark chocolate, chopped
Cocoa powder or chocolate shavings for topping

The Method:

• Place 1 cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir intermittently with a wooden spoon or heat safe spatula until all of the sugar melts.

• Keep cooking the sugar until it turns the color of amber, a light-medium golden brown.

• Add in the butter and immediately stir to combine. Be careful of splatters as the caramel may bubble up.

• Take the saucepan off the heat and set on a heat-safe counter or trivet. While whisking, slowly stir in ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream until smooth. If there are any bits of hardened caramel, place the saucepan back on the stove over medium heat and whisk until everything is melted.

• Off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Put the chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl, then pour the hot caramel over the top. Whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

• Next, whip 1 cup (240ml) of cream until it holds medium peaks. Take care not to overmix the cream.

• Begin folding the whipped cream into the warm chocolate mixture. Do this in three batches, adding ⅓ of the whipped cream at a time and making large, deliberate stirs with a rubber spatula or metal spoon until combined.

• Spoon the chocolate mousse into serving dishes and refrigerate until firm, at least an hour or two.

• To serve, whip up the remaining ½ cup (120ml) of cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Dollop on top of the chocolate mousse and sprinkle with cocoa powder of chocolate curls/shavings.

Serving and Storage:

• The recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.

• Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Baker’s Notes:

• Make sure to start with room temperature butter and cream for the caramel. It will make it smoother and not sputter up as much.

• The caramel-chocolate mixture should be warm but not too hot when folded together with the cream. Allow to cool if necessary. The whipped cream will melt a bit but should have a bit of body to it in order to create the aerated texture of the mousse.