When I first made chocolate mousse, when I was about 10 years old, my sister, a devoted chocolate lover steadfastly refused to eat it as it contained raw egg. She has a “thing” about eggs (the worst thing for her is finding stray pieces of egg shell in her food). Come to think of it my mother also loathed eggs while pregnant with her so you’d suppose this has been passed on to her. This recipe is ideal for her and anyone who dislikes the idea of eating raw egg. It’s also ideal for those short on time, who don’t have hours to wait for a mousse to set.
It is ludicrously easy and sets straight away. The only thing that you might find is that it takes a while to melt the marshmallows (and don’t forget the water like I almost did, it will burn if the marshmallows are sitting at the bottom of the pot) and I wanted to set aside some time for the chocolate mixture to cool so that my thick whipped cream didn’t collapse. I set the pot of melted chocolate in a cold water bath and within 5-10 minutes while I was whipping the cream it had started to set and cooled well enough to fold in the cream. I used milk chocolate as I had used up all my dark chocolate on other things and didn’t have the time to buy some. The most fun part about this apart from eating it is dolloping it in the glass, it has the perfect dolloping texture and holds its dolloped shape. And whatever you do, don’t refrigerate it like I did, it becomes a bit too hard and loses it light mousiness. Keep it at room temperature and it will be lovely, soft and light.
Easy Chocolate Mousse by Nigella Lawson from Nigella Express
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
- 150grams mini marshmallows
- 50grams soft butter
- 250grams best-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 60ml hot water from a recently boiled kettle
- 250ml heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
Ready to be melted
Melting down the marshmallows with the chocolate, water and butter
Finally melting down (yes I am impatient, I suppose it didn’t take that long!)
1. Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate, and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Put the saucepan on the stove over fairly gentle heat to melt, stirring every now and again. Remove from heat to cool.
Pouring the chocolate onto the thick cream
Folding the chocolate and cream together
2. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the vanilla until thick and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture. Pour/scrape into 4 glasses or small dishes, about ¾ cup each in capacity, or 6 smaller (½ cup) ones, and chill until you want to eat. The sooner the better! And do not refrigerate if you can help it.
Recipe by Nigella Lawson from Nigella Express
Combined!
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72 Comments | Add your own
That looks heavenly.
But so can you only buy pink and white marshmallows in Australia? I never saw a bag of just plain white, non-fruity-flavored ones while I was there.
That sounds so easy to do! I usually do one with raw egg too. Never really though “I’m eating raw egg” though.
Might give this one a whirl!
x
This looks great! I’ve only ever made mousse with raw eggs- i have to give this a shot soon.
What chocolate do you purchase that fits the definiton of “best quality semi sweet chocolate”?
Oh I am so making that!
YUM!
Ooh, also perfect for pregnant women who have to avoid raw egg due to the risk of listeria. I really do need to sit down and read Nigella Express one of these days – looks like there are some great recipes to be discovered
Hope you’re having a ball on your holiday!
Sweet indulgence! The combo of marshmellows and milk chokkie might be a bit too sweet for me, but I’d still have a spoonful or three
Mmm I love choccy mousse.
Raw egg gives me a tummy ache so this might just be for me!
Hi Brittany-Thanks! I think you may be right, I don’t think I’ve ever seen plain white marshmallows here!
Hi Iron Chef Shellie-It is indeed! Definitely one to pull out of the hat when needing some “help” during a dinner party
Hi thecoffeesnob-Me too! I didn’t realise something like marshmallow would make it so much easier
Hi Alison-I am slowly working my way through two huge tablets of Lindt dark and milk chocolate. Although I think any couverture chocolate would do well here like Callebaut or Belcolade.
Hi Esz-Cool! Do let me know what you think!
Hi Nic-Definitely! So no need to miss out on anything. Have you had any chocolate cravings?
I am, thankyou very much!
Hi Maria-It is a bit sweet, but with bittersweet it would be just right
Hi Maria-Yes this definitely sounds like the right recipe then! Definitely nothing raw here
that swirl picture is awesome–i would’ve stopped right there and just eaten it as is! i’m a real lover of marshmallows (and chocolate, of course), so this is a winning recipe for sure!
Hi NGN,
May I ask why refrigeration is best avoided? Does it affect the texture of the mousse or does it just taste better chilled at room temperature?
Thanks
I saw that episode and was very interested in this mousse, Lorraine – it’s great to know it works well!
ooo thank you! i had some left over marshmallows from the rocky road cupcakes recipe you also put up
i flinched when i read the part about the egg with the shell in it.
Hi grace-I did contemplate stopping then actually!
Hi Jen-Yes it does affect the texture, it makes it less “moussey” and light and more solid and hard
Hi Patricia-It works so well, such a great dinner party standby!
Hi Isla-Hehe that’s exactly what I did, I had a huge bag of them and lots leftover from the cupcakes
I remember being sceptical when this episode of Nigella Express aired, but I’m really pleased to see that marshmallows in the chocolate mousse does work!
In fact, it looks delicious.
Hi Angela-Thanks, it was pretty good! I just wish I had known not to refrigerate it afterwards, that’s the only thing I would say
hehe. I did the same mistake of refrigerating it. Made it all hard and solid..oh well..
Hi Andrew-I’m glad I’m not the only one! I think that I was just being cautious because of the cream. I wonder if once you put it out it will become a bit softer again?
Wow again amazing images! I could almost let myself be really naughty and eat several of these all at once!
You have beautiful presentation!
Duckey x
Hi Duckey-It’s very light but rich which I liked. The richness being a sort of self regulating mechanism
Thankyou very much!
I use this recipe in lots of ways..and as for the melting..I start off with a half minute in the microwave. I happily add the whipped cream to the hot melted mix…and l add a tablespoon of brandy too.
(not for kids) I pour the mix into small coffee cups and chill in the ‘fridge. Sometimes I freeze them too, as it makes about 8 small coffee cups. When I serve them, I put a teaspoon of Cointreau or similar on the top and a little blob of whipped cream. I love the texture of this mix when it has been refridgerated..nice and muddy!!! (use any colour marshmellows..snip them up with scissors)
Hi jo-Ahh good to know that the melted mix doesn’t melt the whipped cream. I was worried that it would so I waited for it to cool!
hey, ive tried this recipe too
but it was kinda too sweet
i guess i was using too much marshmellows. lol
anyway..im eager to have my second try
Hi angel-It is quite sweet but I personally didn’t find it too sweet. Did you use the amount of marshmallows above
Perhaps less marshmallows would do the trick as there isn’t any sugar to cut down on.
omg yum …
sounds great i am so going to try that .cant wait
thanks xx
Hi Ashleigh-Fantastic! I’d love to hear what you think of it
I have made this mousse….the kids loved it….tomorrow I am going to pipe it into brandy snaps…..yummm
Hi PHATKT-That’s great to hear! yum brandy snaps sounds like a delicious idea
I made this tonight for dessert and put them into martini glasses. Eating it now but very rich. Should’ve made smaller quantities, but had nothing else. Nice but something I wouldn’t make again.
I LOVE it! I’ve tried to get it perfect for a long time… and today it finally was!
I’ll keep on making it, at least once a month… 
Hi Vanessa- It is rich, perhaps served in demitasse glasses would be better but I do know that two that I served it to had double servings so you never know!
Hi Anna Maria-That’s great! Did you change the recipe much? I just wonder as you mention trying to get it perfect for a long time
I have made Nigella’s chocolate mousse recipe.
And I substituted the milk chocolate with dark chocolate
also added nuts and berries at the end helped take away the richness and I absolutely loved it. As I am used to making Chocolate Mousse from the origianl recipe using egg, it is nice for a change without egg.
Hi Maria-Sounds like a great substitution! Lovely flavours, thanks for letting us know!
Hi, I have made this and it it quite lovelly.
For easter we made it and got several boxes of cheap hollow choclate eggs.
You carefully cut the top OFF the eggs leaving them in the colourful foil and peel back a little.
Drop spoonfuls of mousse into the empty chocolate egg and then sprinkle with a contrasting sprinkle..my kids like pink!
Then serve for Easter in the painted egg carton for the occasion.
Has a great effect.
Oh sorry one other thing, if you DOUBLE the whipped cream content..and use a dark chocolate, you can cut back the sweet AND refrigerate the mousse successfully.
Hi Mimmy-Sounds like a great serving idea and thanks for letting us know that doubling the cream and using dark helps with the sweetness and being able to refrigerate it!
This is the best chocolate mousse
I have ever made, It is delicious
I actually added a Barone chocolate to the recipe with the chocolate recommended yummy nice and rich.
Hi Martha-Excellent, so glad that you liked it!
From a cold South African winters evening…. thanx for the lovely mousse resipe.. going to make it tomorrow evening when my kids come for dinner.
Nigella rocks!! XX
Sorry, my fingers are cold, meant recipe!
has anyone tried this with white chocolate? would it work the same? i have tried it with dark choc and added some brandy, it was lovely!
Hi Bernalene-Oh that’s wonderful! Thankyou for letting me know, yes she does!
Hi janjan-I think it would work but perhaps be a touch sweet as the marshmallows are very sweet. Perhaps try folding in some raspberry puree through it?
Brandy sounds lovely!
Oh dear I’ve tried it, but I end up getting a watery texture. I really don’t know what’s happening. I’ve whipped the cream to what in my mind are rather stiff peaks. Urgh ): I wasted so much money on this.
This is a great chocoalte mousse, I have made it a few times now and today I am using it in a cake for my daughters birthday.
Hi Kev-Hmm really? It shouldn’t have that at all, the marshmallows really make it quite stiff in texture. The cream is supposed to be whipped until thick not stiff (you can see the texture in the photos) though so that may the cause of the issues you are having.
Hi Chris-It’s great isn’t it! So easy and safe for kids with the eggs etc
great recipe because it sets
very quickly [!!#@#$@]
I COULDNT STOP EATING IT, SO MAKING IT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
we made it together it was so much fun have never made a mousse
with marshmellows but we found out that it gives the mousse a great sweet, smooth, soft textur!
from ruby and heidi
just finished making them
lets just hope they taste alright
“And whatever you do, don’t refrigerate it like I did, it becomes a bit too hard and loses it light mousiness.” – Don’t you mean moussiness lol? Mice don’t have anything to do with this recipe, hopefully
I saw this recipe on a rerun of Nigella’s program on tv last night. Delicious and looks easy.
this is just amazing looking and tastes great
I was wondering if you could use 150grams of regular size marshmallows (cut into pieces) instead of the mini ones?
I have made this recipe a few times now and it tastes great every time!. Although on a few occasions when i added the chocolate mixture to the cream the cream melted therefore losing its mousse texture altogether, but i then put it in the fridge for a while, wasn’t a problem:) really great thankyou
Yuuuum – saw this on a re-run on Austar last night – can’t wait to try it – I thought I might use Toblerone chocolate – I’ll give it a go anyways!
I have tried this mousse a number of times. I find the best chocolate is Lindt 75-85% coco and it doesn’t matter if the marshmellows are pink or white.
It is wickedly more-ish.
my sister came along on xmas day with this and omg it is the best now im going to be making it but i might try using a mix of both milk and dark choc as it was rich and couldn’t eat a big serve
I love chocolate mousse too, but also don’t like it to be too authentic because of the egg factor. Must try this one next time the kids are over.
hey…i tried this..comes out sooooo nice n fluffy..my kids luvveeedddd it…..
I have made this a couple of times and it is lovely!!!!
coles sell plain white marshmallows in oz, they are big ones i just cut them down.
if it doesnt set freeze it for a little bit then re-whip..divine!!
Thanks so much for the tips on this recipe, next time I’ll use double the cream, and let the chocolate cool before combining as mine also went runny first time. Isn’t it the best recipe – great for those with egg allergies too.
i saw this recipe in one of nigella tv shows.
well too bad it’s difficult for me to make one,most marshmallow here in indonesia are imported goods and no halal mark in it,:(
i guess at this moment i have to use that kind of old recipe.
I made this with double cream and when I beat it it went very quickly into almost a butter like texture and I stopped beating therefore immediately.
On the previous occasion I used everyday thickened cream and it was much better I believe.
The double cream is very thick to begin with and I used a Breville whiz to beat it and wondered if that was my error.
yum yum
This did not turn out right, maybe you’re missing something, because it was working fine until i had to combine it and then the cream loss it’s consistency in the chocolate mixture. Maybe the chocolate has to cool completely before adding the cream
Hey I was just wondering what cream I should use as the recipe says heavy cream so should I use thickened cream or normal cream? Otherwise saw this on TV and totally forgot about it thanks for the recipe
Not bad at all… Except I suggest allowing the chocolate mixture to cool a little before folding through. Unless you are hopeless and it takes you twenty minutes to get from step 2 to step 3. I completed the recipe pretty quickly. Very tasty!!! Nice with (of course) strawberries…
Hi all. Really want to make this into a Mocha mouse. How much coffee/espresso would you recommend? Also, when would I add the coffee? Melt with the chocolate? Going to try adding the mouse as a filling for Mocha cupcakes.
I was wondering could this mousse be used to make a chocolate mousse cake, bottom layer chocolate cake with the top layer mousse? would it hold a cake shape without putting it in the fridge? Thanks
Great recipe. Me and my family loved it. Very quick to whip up at the end of the day
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