Description
A velvety, light, and deeply chocolatey no-bake chocolate mousse cake that’s perfect for impressing guests without spending hours in the kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 220 g (8 oz / about 2 cups) chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
- 60 g (4 tbsp / 1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 340 g (12 oz / 2 cups) dark chocolate, chopped (60–70% cacao)
- 450 ml (1 7/8 cups) heavy cream, divided
- 120 g (4 oz / 1/2 cup) cream cheese or mascarpone, room temperature
- 45 g (3 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp (6 g) powdered gelatin + 30 ml (2 tbsp) cold water OR 3/4 tsp agar-agar powder
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 120 g (4 oz / 3/4 cup) dark chocolate, chopped (for ganache)
- 90 ml (3/8 cup) heavy cream (for ganache)
Instructions
- Make the crust: Pulse cookies in a food processor until fine, then mix with melted butter. Press into the bottom of a springform pan and chill for 15 minutes.
- Bloom the gelatin: Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Melt chocolate: Heat 150 ml heavy cream until simmering, then pour over chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth.
- Add gelatin and cream cheese: Stir bloomed gelatin into warm chocolate, then whisk in cream cheese and sugar. Cool to lukewarm.
- Whip cream: Whip remaining heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture in two additions until uniform.
- Assemble mousse: Pour mousse over crust, smooth the top and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Make ganache (optional): Heat cream until simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, stir until smooth, cool slightly, then pour over set mousse.
- Serve: Release from the pan, slice with a hot knife, and serve chilled with whipped cream or berries.
Notes
Use room temperature butter for the crust, and ensure the chocolate emulsion cools properly before folding in whipped cream. This mousse can be made ahead and keeps well in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 27g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 95mg