Mint Chocolate Mousse

This Mint Chocolate Mousse is rich and indulgent, bursting with summery mint coolness. With only 4 ingredients, it's the perfect make ahead summer dessert.

I remember summer, the blazing heat, the balmy nights, the freedom. The summers of my childhood were very different to what I live with now here in Scotland. Last year, we didn't turn our heat off until July, and I had my leather jacket back out of the closet by August. We do make the most of those few sunny days, though. You can smell people grilling everywhere, and yes, people certainly do show a lot of skin. Gotta get that vitamin D where you can.

When I'm nostalgic for that old summer feeling I'm familiar with, I create it in my kitchen. Pitchers of iced tea or lemonade, indoor grilling, potato salad, fruity cocktails. It's not all that different from using your kitchen to travel when you're stuck at home. Food can bring up memories and evoke emotions so easily. It's the perfect medium for taking you somewhere else.

What makes Mint Chocolate Mousse so awesome?

This Mint Chocolate Mousse will whisk you away to a summer at the seaside where you put your feet up on the porch railing at the end of the day and watch the late sunset as you dip your spoon into a cold pot of fluffy, creamy mint-infused chocolate mousse and just know that your life is awesome. I definitely recommend serving these in small portions because you won't want to stop eating.

The quality of the mousse is largely dependent on the quality of the chocolate you use, and since there are so few ingredients, I encourage you to splash out on the good stuff. Any mint-flavored chocolate will work, though. And obviously, you could adapt this recipe for any infused chocolate that floats your boat. There's just something so summery about mint, though. Garnish it with a sprig of fresh mint if you like, but don't go out and buy mint just for this dish (unless you're a food photographer, obviously).

Magical Properties of Mint

Mint is a powerhouse in the metaphysical realm. Known as a plant that is almost impossible to kill, mint is great for resilience, and it's prolific quality also calls in abundance, fertility, and prosperity. But that's just the beginning. With its fiery Mars energy, it's also great for personal power, motivation, and decision making. Mint is tied to the solar plexus and heart, so use it in spells for love, joy, and success as well. Mint's powerful scent can also be used for purification. (Source: The Modern Guide to Witchcraft by Skye Alexander)

To learn more about the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this recipe. All the details are in the recipe card below.

• Mint chocolate - I prefer a darker chocolate for this
• Butter - unsalted
• Eggs - separated
• Sugar

Tips for making Mint Chocolate Mousse

This is easy, but it does use a lot of dishes. Start by breaking up your chocolate and adding it to a bowl with the butter. You can melt it by placing the bowl over a pan of simmering water or melt it in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until it's smooth. Set this aside to cool down for at least 10 minutes.

Next you'll separate your egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls. Beat your egg whites until they form stiff peaks. I like to use an electric handmixer for this. Add the sugar to the egg yolks, and beat those as well. You can just use a whisk for this. You'll then fold the egg yolk mixture into your melted and cooled chocolate. Finally, gently fold in the egg whites, about a quarter at a time, until you have a light, blended mousse.

You can leave it all in one bowl and scoop it out to serve later or pour it into four small pots, which is what I like to do. Put these in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set. You could add a sprig of mint or even a bit of whipped cream, but they're delicious just as they are.

Unfortunately, if you have any sensitivity to uncooked eggs, this dish is not for you. I say just get an extra bar of mint chocolate all to yourself.

No matter what summer looks like where you live, this Mint Chocolate Mousse will give you that easy, breezy summer feeling. It's gonna be awesome.

Looking for more awesome chocolate recipes? Try this Chocolate Kahlua Bread Pudding or some Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

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Recipe slightly adapted from Nigella Summer by Nigella Lawson.