Dark chocolate olive oil mousse

Chocolate mousse sounds complicated, and many recipes make it so. This one uses a good dark chocolate, eggs, a little sugar and, instead of cream, a spoonful of olive oil for a silky, almost savoury richness. It needs no special equipment, sets in the fridge in a few hours and is the easiest impressive dessert I know.

Choosing the chocolate

The flavour of this dessert is almost entirely the chocolate, so it is worth using a good one. A dark chocolate of around 70% cocoa solids gives a deep flavour without too much bitterness. Chop it finely so it melts evenly, and melt it gently. Chocolate burns easily and, once grainy, it cannot be saved.

A dessert with five ingredients has nowhere to hide. Use good ones.

Rosa Delgado

Air is the secret

The lightness in this mousse comes from whisked egg whites. Whisk them to soft peaks, when the peaks just flop over at the tip, not until they are stiff and dry. Then fold them into the chocolate very gently with a large metal spoon, cutting through the middle and turning the mixture over. The aim is to keep as much air as possible.

Dessert without the stress

When I have people coming for dinner, dessert is the thing I want to have finished before anyone arrives. This mousse is perfect for that: it is made in the morning, or even the day before, and sits quietly in the fridge until it is time to serve. No last-minute whisking, no nervous checking of the oven.

The olive oil might seem strange in a chocolate dessert, but it works beautifully. It makes the mousse silky and adds a gentle, fruity richness that pairs well with dark chocolate. Most people cannot tell what the secret ingredient is, and I rarely tell them.

Before you start

• Separate the eggs carefully. Even a little yolk stops the whites whisking up.
• Use a very clean, dry bowl for the whites.
• Chop the chocolate finely so it melts quickly and evenly.
• Choose small glasses. This mousse is rich and a little goes a long way.

Ingredients

Serves 6 · Prep 20 min · Chill 3 hr · Level Medium

• 200 g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
• 3 tbsp good olive oil
• 4 eggs, separated
• 40 g caster sugar
• 1 pinch flaky salt
• 150 g raspberries, to serve
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder, to dust

Method

1. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring gently. Take off the heat and stir in the olive oil. Cool for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate one at a time. It will thicken; that is fine.
3. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt to soft peaks. Add the sugar gradually and whisk until glossy.
4. Stir a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate to loosen it.
5. Gently fold in the rest of the whites in two batches, until no white streaks remain.
6. Spoon into 6 small glasses or cups and chill for at least 3 hours.
7. Serve topped with raspberries, a pinch of flaky salt and a dusting of cocoa.

Make it ahead

The mousse keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to two days, which makes it perfect for dinner parties. Take it out of the fridge fifteen minutes before serving so it softens slightly and the flavour opens up.

Common questions