Chocolate and Irish Cream lovers unite – this is the dessert recipe for you.
It’s light. It’s creamy. It’s luxurious. It’s irresistible.
And best of all? There’s nothing to be intimidated by here. It’s incredibly easy to make, and because this recipe does not use any eggs, there’s no need to worry about the finicky steps that could leave you with scrambled egg mousse if you’re not careful.
No way, not here. We’re simply using your favorite Irish Cream liqueur, dark chocolate, and whipped cream to create this luxuriously creamy dessert. But there is one more secret ingredient that takes this recipe over the top… let’s get to it!
Chocolate Mousse Ingredients
As you can imagine already from our brief look at this chocolate mousse, the ingredient list is short and sweet. You only need a handful of basic ingredients.
- Dark Chocolate – I recommend using a 60% cacao baking bar, which can be found in your grocery store’s baking aisle near the chocolate chips. The dark chocolate provides an intense, not-too-sweet take on chocolate mousse.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – this is used to make whipped cream that will both be used in the mousse and to top it upon serving. Powdered sugar is added when we whip it together for a bit of sweetness.
- Espresso Powder – the secret ingredient. Coffee and chocolate is a classic combination, and adding espresso powder brings out the rich, dark chocolate flavor. Does it make it taste like coffee? No, not really, it really helps bring out the chocolate flavor.
- Irish Cream – the creamy, intoxicating addition to the mousse.
Those are our three-ingredient stars. You can also add in a pinch of salt or a little vanilla extra as more flavor boosters if you so desire.
What is Irish Cream?
Irish Cream is a scrumptious cream liqueur. It has a base of Irish whisky, with cream and flavorings. It can be enjoyed on the rocks, in cocktails (dessert cocktails anyone?), and is very commonly used in an Irish coffee.
What kind of Irish Cream should I use?
There are several different kinds of Irish Cream on the market, and if you have a favorite, that is definitely what you should use! If you’re new to the world of Irish Cream, Bailey’s Irish Cream is likely the brand you’ve already heard of and may have even tried. It’s a great option to use in both drinks and baking.
While I could have easily titled this recipe Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse, because of its popularity, I didn’t want to limit your options.
A few other brands you may want to try these brands: Five Farms, The Whistler, or Saint Brendan’s. Just remember: you really can’t go wrong when combining Irish Cream, espresso, and whipped cream.
How to Make the Mousse
Here are the easy steps to making this eggless chocolate mousse. You will need a saucepan, a glass bowl, or another to use as a double boiler, and serving containers (juice glasses are a great option – no need to get fancy here). I also recommend a hand mixer to make the whipped cream.
- Make the whipped cream. Here are some tips to do so:
- Chill the mixing bowl and beaters before starting. This ensures that the heavy cream stays cold, which helps it whips up more efficiently, creating the light, fluffy texture you know and love.
- Whip until fairly firm and stiff peaks form, beating for approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Place it back in the fridge and proceed with making the mousse.
- Melt the chocolate over a double boiler.
- What is a double boiler? It helps gently melt the chocolate, resulting in smooth, shiny chocolate. To create a double boiler, take a small or medium saucepan, filling it with approximately 1- 1 1/2 inches of water. Place a heat-proof bowl on top of the saucepan, ensuring that the bowl does not touch the water. Place the chopped chocolate in the bowl, then bring the water to a low simmer.
- Use a small spatula to stir the chocolate, until it’s fully melted and smooth, then remove it from the heat.
- Pour in Irish Cream.
- The cream needs to be room temperature or lukewarm in order to not shock the chocolate. Because the chocolate is warm, the liquid needs to match it or the chocolate will quickly harden up again. Stir until the chocolate is silky and shiny – it may take a minute.
- Fold in whipped cream.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream using a spatula until fully incorporated. It may seem a little soupier which is ok. Don’t fold too quickly or the light, airy texture will be ruined.
- Place in serving cups and chill.
- To make it easy on yourself, use a pastry bag to transfer the chocolate mousse to your serving vessels. Small juice cups, ramekins, or shot glasses are excellent choices to serve the mousse in. Any small server will do, there’s no need to get fancy unless you want to!
- You don’t need to use a pastry bag though, you can simply spoon the mousse into the serving cups as needed.
- Cover and chill the mousse cups in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight to set up completely.
And that’s it! So easy to make, with simple ingredients, and just a little bit of time.
To serve, garnish with fresh berries if desired, extra chocolate ganache, and chocolate shavings for a fun, beautiful presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time? Absolutely! In fact, they’re best if they chill overnight, so you can make them 1-2 days ahead of time. Be sure to cover with plastic wrap or a lid so the top texture stays fresh.
Can I use another type of chocolate? Yes, you can use a chocolate bar of choice, just keep in mind that the sugar level, and therefore the sweetness of the mousse will be altered.
Help! My mousse is grainy! This usually means you’ve overwhipped the cream, which will give a broken texture to your mousse. If you catch the error before combining with the chocolate, add fresh cream to the broken whipped cream, and beat until light and fluffy again.
When is the best time to make Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse? It’s a deliciously indulgent dessert for St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or really, any gosh darn day you please.
Get the Recipe Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate baking bar , 60% cacao
- 2/3 cup Irish Cream (like Bailey's), room temperature or lukewarm
- 1 tsp esperesso powder
- Pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract , optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Whipped Cream: chill a mixing bowl and the beaters of a hand mixer in the freezer for 10-15 minutes for best results. Then, add the heavy cream and powdered sugar to the mixing bowl and beat for 6-8 minutes until medium-firm peaks form. Place the whipped cream in the fridge until ready to use.
- Create a double boiler for melting the chocolate by filling a small to medium saucepan with approximately an inch of water. Place a heat-proof bowl on top of the saucepan, ensuring it does not touch the water. Bring the water to a low simmer, and place the dark chocolate in the bowl. Stir frequently until the chocolate is shiny, smooth, and completely melted.
- Slowly pour the room temperature (or slightly warmed in the microwave) Irish Cream into the melted chocolate. Add espresso powder, salt, and vanilla extract, if using. Use a small spatula or spoon to combine until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Fold three cups of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate until completely combined, this will take approximately 15-20 folds until completely incorporated. Reserve the remaining whipped cream (approximately 1 cup) in the fridge until ready to top the mousse at serving.
- Transfer the mousse to serving containers either by spooning it into cups or use a piping bag to fill them to the desired amount. Cover and place in the fridge; let them chill for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- When ready to serve, top with remaining whipped cream, and chocolate shavings or fresh fruit as desired.
I’m making this Friday for a dinner party….I’m having 11 people, does it double well and how many cups will I end up with?
Thanks
Anne
Hi Anne – I haven’t doubled it myself so I can’t say for sure, but I would you think you could as long as you are careful when folding it all together as to not deflate the whipped cream. You’ll end up with around 4 cups total (or 8 cups if doubled), and I generally serve just a little over a half cup for each serving. It’s rich so a little goes a long way. I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions and how it turns out! Enjoy!
Can you make this into truffles?
Hi Anita – I’m not sure, I haven’t tried it. If you try it, I’d start by chilling the entire mousse mixture so it thickens and is easier to work with. You’ll likely want to use a cookie scoop to form the balls, and chill or freeze again before rolling in melted chocolate. Again, no idea if this will work but that’s how I’d go about trying it out – would love to hear how it works out!