Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Mousse
A rich and decadent chocolate mousse that won't weigh you down at the end of the meal. Extra virgin olive oil lends a nice velvety richness with a fuller depth of flavor. This elegant make-ahead dessert is delicious on its own, or you can finish with whipped cream, crushed nuts, fresh seasonal fruit, cookies and more. Just be sure to give the mousse at least 4 hours in your refrigerator to chill.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 6 large eggs separated
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons room temperature strong coffee, espresso, or 1 teaspoon espresso powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons water (optional)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- Toppings of your choice (optional, like whipped cream, fresh berries, crushed toasted nuts or amaretti cookies)
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, using your microwave's chocolate melting function, or microwaving in 30-second bursts, stirring with a spatula each time, until the chocolate is completely smooth. Or, melt in a heat-safe bowl over simmering water, stirring constantly.
- Add the olive oil. Add the olive oil to the melted chocolate and stir with a spatula or whisk until fully combined and shiny. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Make a meringue. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using an electric whisk, beat the egg whites and 1/4 cup (50g) of the sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. The meringue should be shiny and roughly quadruple the volume of the egg whites. When you lift out the whisk, the meringue should stick up in a sharp point.
- Beat the egg yolks. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest and coffee (if using) until pale and thick, about 2 minutes.
- Combine the chocolate and egg yolks. Use a wide spatula to fold the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture until fully combined. It will be thick and shiny, similar to brownie batter.
- Fold in the beaten egg whites. With a wide spatula, gently fold one third of the beaten egg whites at a time into the chocolate mixture. To preserve as much of the air as possible, fold the mousse gently, rotating the bowl a quarter turn after each fold. Mix until no streaks of egg white remain before adding the next third.
- Chill. Spoon the mousse into 8 ramekins, cover with plastic, and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Use chocolate with 60 to 70% cacao. If you’re willing to spend an extra minute chopping, bars are generally cheaper and better quality than chips.
- Use a smooth, rich, high quality olive oil that's not too bitter or peppery. We like our Italian Nocellara, Californian Arbequina, or Greek Private Reserve.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 340.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.7g | Protein: 5.9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 124.5mg | Sodium: 195.4mg | Potassium: 207.8mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 23.1g | Vitamin A: 192.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 36.8mg | Iron: 2.4mg
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