Is there anything more decadent than dipping your spoon into light, airy, creamy, and decadent chocolate mousse? Whether you’re looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day dessert or an easy and elegant treat you can make ahead of time, this Orange Chocolate Mousse is the ultimate bite for the chocolate lovers in your life.

There is something truly magical about the combination of chocolate and fruit. Whether it’s in a Pear Chocolate Galette or this creamy and dreamy luxurious mousse, the addition of fresh fruit elevates and deepens the flavor of chocolate. Just like coffee has the ability to intensify the flavor of chocolate, so does the bright and fresh pop of fruit.

Ingredients

Aside from being so ridiculously delicious it makes you close your eyes and appreciate the first bite, Orange Chocolate Mousse is also easy to shop for. This chocolate mousse recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand. Go ahead and chop up a little extra chocolate though for the perfect chef snack.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate – This is the star of the show and source of the intense, deep chocolate flavor. Pick a high-quality chocolate for this recipe since it is both the main flavor and the source of the sweetness in this dessert. Semi-sweet chocolate is made up of at least 35% cocoa solids.
Orange – Both the orange zest and the orange juice are used in this recipe to give a brightness that balances the richness of the chocolate.
Eggs – The yolks of the eggs bring richness to this chocolate mousse while the egg whites give it its light and airy texture.
Whipped Cream – The ideal fluffy accent to this decadent dessert is a simple crown of whipped cream.
Shaved Chocolate – Bringing texture and doubling up on the chocolate, don’t forget to garnish with freshly shaved chocolate!

How to Make Orange Chocolate Mousse

Perhaps you’ve had chocolate mousse at your favorite restaurant or at a fabulous restaurant. It’s always love at first bite. But do you know how easy it is to make chocolate mousse? With just a few simple steps and tips this is sure to become your new favorite way to celebrate all things cocoa.

Time needed: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Creamy, rich, and decadent, this chocolate mousse recipe gets a sunny twist with classic pairing of bright orange.

Separate
Separate your egg whites from your yolks.
Melt
Create a double boiler. Add your chocolate to the bowl and stir until it is melted. Allow it to cool.
Beat
Add the egg whites to a bowl. Beat them on medium-high until they become fluffy and form stiff peaks. This means they hold their shape when you lift up your mixer.
Orange
Add the orange zest and juice to the chocolate and stir to combine.
Fold
Add a scoop of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and stir vigorously. This will loosen up the chocolate. Add the remaining egg whites and use a spatulate to gently fold them into the chocolate, creating a light texture.
Chill
Divide the chocolate mousse between ramekins and allow it to chill or at least two hours. You can make this up to two days in advance.
Finishing Touch
Garnish your orange chocolate mousse with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and extra orange zest if desired.

Variations

For a deeper, slightly more bitter but completely indulgent twist on this chocolate mousse, replace the semi-sweet chocolate with your favorite dark chocolate. It won’t be quite as sweet.

How to Make a Double Boiler

The best way to easily and gently melt chocolate without causing it to burn or break is by creating a double boiler. Fill a pot about halfway with water and bring it to a simmer, but not a boil. Fit a glass bowl over the top, making sure that the water never touches the bottom of the bowl. It’s the steam that melts the chocolate. Add your chopped chocolate and continue to stir until it is melted.

Tools

Besides creating a double boiler, you will need a hand or stand mixer for this recipe. This is the best way to beat your egg whites until they are light, airy, fluffy, and hold their shape.

Storage

Orange Chocolate Mousse is the ideal make ahead dessert. It needs to be kept refrigerated until it’s ready to serve, and you need to keep it covered. If stored properly it will last for 3-4 days. However, once you taste that first bite it is sure to disappear!

Top Tips for Orange Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate mousse is all about that thick yet creamy and airy texture. There is something irresistible about the way it hugs the spoon. Make sure that your chocolate is cooled before adding your egg yolks. This will prevent the eggs from curdling.

In addition, because chocolate is the star of this dessert, make sure that you pick a high-quality chocolate. This will give you the best flavor profile.