Easy Chocolate Mousse with Cocoa Powder

Close up shot of fluffy chocolate mousse garnished with desiccated coconut.

Easy Chocolate Mousse with Cocoa Powder

Craving a chocolate fix? You’re just 5 minutes and 4 ingredients away from this decadently Easy Chocolate Mousse with cocoa powder. No stress, no mess, just light and fluffy dessert goodness!

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings serves

Calories 538kcal

Author Wandercooks

Cost $5

Equipment

Ingredients

500 ml thickened cream / heavy cream 2 cups, also called heavy cream or double cream
70 g sugar 1/3 cup, white, raw, or sub with stevia sweetener
2.5 tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened
3 tbsp desiccated coconut + extra for garnish

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Add the cream, sugar, cocoa powder and desiccated coconut into a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form - pull the beater out and the mixture holds its shape without collapsing in on itself. The mousse should be nice and thick at this point.
500 ml thickened cream / heavy cream, 70 g sugar, 2.5 tbsp cocoa powder, 3 tbsp desiccated coconut
Spoon or pipe into individual serving bowls or glasses. Garnish with extra desiccated coconut.

Video

https://youtu.be/NqJ4lU6OgJQ

Notes

Cream - Always use thickened cream / heavy cream / double cream (it goes by lots of different names depending on where you live). It should have a higher fat content than regular cream, which will give your mousse a firmer whippy texture.
Sugar - We usually use raw sugar but you can use any kind of sugar you have on hand. You could even swap for a sweetener such as stevia to make it diabetic friendly.
Cocoa Powder - Use a high quality, unsweetened, powder with a high percentage of cocoa for rich chocolate flavour.
Desiccated Coconut (Optional) - This adds an extra subtle flavour and texture to the mousse. You can whip it into the mousse itself, or sprinkle it over the top as garnish.
Choose Quality - Quality ingredients will always give you better flavour and texture, especially in such a simple recipe. For example, any cocoa powder with less than 50% cocoa is basically chocolate flavoured sugar.
Avoid Bitterness - Always use high quality cocoa powder for the best flavour. Sometimes dark chocolate or dark cocoa powder can be overly bitter, so use a brand you trust or go for a sweetened cocoa powder to avoid this if you’re unsure.
Chill The Mixing Bowl - Pop it in the freezer for 15 mins or so before you whip for better texture in the whipped cream.
Sift the Cocoa Powder - For a smoother, more even end result. It’s not essential, but will help distribute the cocoa more evenly and avoid little clumps of chocolate powder through your mousse.
Stir Cocoa Through - Give it a quick stir before blending so it doesn’t flick up in your face!
Don’t Over-Whip - Look for stiff peaks when you’re whipping the cream (where the mixture holds its shape and doesn’t collapse in on itself). If you keep going after this point, you’ll just end up with chocolate flavoured butter!
Variations:
- Extra Intense Dark Chocolate - Look for a dark Belgian chocolate powder with a high percentage of cocoa (70% will give you a rich bittersweet flavour).
- White Chocolate Mousse - Swap the cocoa powder for white chocolate powder.
- Decadent Dessert - Serve with fresh berries and regular whipped cream, garnished with cocoa powder, for the ultimate decadent treat.
- Garnish Ideas - Top with fresh mint leaves, grated orange peel, chocolate chips, strawberries crushed biscuits or homemade crumble topping.
- Add Flavour - Add a nip of your favourite liqueur or essence - hazelnut, almond, coconut, vanilla, instant coffee, rum or Baileys would all be amazing!
- Make it Vegan - Swap the cream for an equal amount of coconut cream. Make sure to use the solid part at the top, not the liquid.
- Presentation - Use a piping bag (or a homemade version from a plastic ziplock bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe the mousse into individual pots or glasses for serving. You could use glass jars, cups, ramekins or simple dessert bowls, or just leave it all in one big bowl and scoop out portions as you need. It’s up to you!

Nutrition