Posted on Friday, 7th January 2011 by Grace Massa Langlois
Chocolate Chantilly is a special Chocolate Mousse. What makes it so special? Read on… You may not know this but chocolate is like oil. Have you ever heard the saying, “never mix oil and water”? Well, the same has been said about chocolate as well. As a Chocolate Lover I have read countless articles that mixing precious chocolate with water is a big no-no!
They also say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks so don’t call me an old dog because I’m learning some new tricks about chocolate! I just tried an impressive easy chocolate dessert lovingly called Chocolate Chantilly. Chocolate Chantilly is actually a super easy Chocolate Mousse that has only two ingredients – Chocolate and Water. Mon Dieu!
If you pride yourself on being a Chocolate Connoisseur you may be a bit skeptical. I know I was. To quote yet another common expression, I had to see it to believe it. And most importantly, I had to taste it.
In fact, with precise measurements, good quality chocolate (70% cocoa solids), very little elbow grease and less than 5 minutes of your time you can make a killer Chocolate Mousse.
And I must say, not just any chocolate mousse, but one that is rich and velvety in texture. Keep in mind with only two ingredients (one of them being WATER) the quality of the chocolate is VERY important.
Your standard run-of-the-mill chocolate chips won’t do for this recipe. No, this is when you need reach into that special cupboard. You know the one? – The one where you stash those special ingredients. Reach in and take hold of those exquisite Cadillac bars of chocolate. The ones you’ve been saving for that especially remarkable dessert. Those bars of luscious chocolate will elevate this simple, 2-ingredient dessert to a “Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong” top 20 hit!
If you’re like me you prefer to try a recipe the first time as written but keep in mind you can experiment with this recipe and add different flavour profiles the next time. I highly recommend keeping your measurements precise for this recipe. If you want to experiment and add a tablespoon of liqueur make sure to reduce the amount of water by a tablespoon. You can also infuse flavours into your water.
The trick to this recipe is to watch the consistency. I used a whisk the first time so I could control how much and how fast I whisked and I was able to reach the perfect consistency the first time (Oh, the bliss! Oh do I wish I could be so lucky when it came to pie dough).
But heed this warning. If you whisk too much the chocolate could become grainy and you’ll miss the desired creamy-dreamy consistency mark. But have no fear! One of the added benefits of using this method is that you can reheat the chocolate mixture and start the whisking process again.
Hervé This invented the recipe for Chocolate Chantilly. Monsieur This is French physical chemist with a PHD in molecular gastronomy. He also discovered the perfect temperature to cook an egg, around 65° C.
Heston Blumenthal says, “As a Chef you’re always told that water is an enemy of chocolate, seizing it up and making it go grainy – this is nonsense!”
Heston is absolutely correct! Ready to try your hand at little molecular gastronomy nonsense? Chocolate Chantilly achieved using a simple method that even a child can master.
Chocolate Chantilly – “Easy Chocolate Mousse”
(From Cafe Fernando via Hervé This & Heston Blumenthal - Video of Heston preparing Chocolate Chantilly)
Makes 4 X 4-ounce servings
- 265 grams (9.35 ounces) good quality bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
- 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 4 tablespoons caster (superfine granules) sugar, optional
- 1 tablespoon liqueur (Grand Marnier, Baileys, Frangelico), optional (reduce water by 1 tablespoon if using)
- Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Set a slightly larger bowl on top of this water and ice filled bowl. The bottom of the larger bowl should touch the iced water, set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan combine together the chocolate, water, sugar (if using) and liqueur (if using). Set the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the top bowl. Whisk with a wire whisk or an electric hand-held mixer until thick. Keep an eye on the texture of the mixture as you’re whipping (do not over mix), if you whisk too much you run the risk of the mousse becoming grainy. If the mixture becomes grainy, transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and place back over the heat. Heat the mixture until half of the mixture has melted and then transfer back to bowl and whisk again briefly.
- Divide evenly among serving cups and enjoy.
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Tags: after school treat, afternoon tea, cake fillings, chocolate, chocolate dessert, chocolate mousse, cupcake fillings, dessert, dessert fillings, desserts, food, food photography, food photos, individual dessert, individual desserts, mousse, mousse recipes, pudding, quick desserts
Posted in Baking & Pastry, Baking Mise en Place, Custards, Creams & Mousses, Fillings, Frostings & Dessert Sauces, Recipes
Comments (44)
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January 7th, 2011 at 8:31 am
Interesting recipe!
January 7th, 2011 at 8:54 am
This recipe looks so delicious! 4 simple steps is right up my alley. I’m definitely going to try it this weekend. :
January 7th, 2011 at 10:49 am
Never thought it would work but I was more surprised at the taste and texture – spot on!
January 7th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Manuela Durson, Grace Langlois. Grace Langlois said: New Blog Post-Chocolate + Water + Molecular Gastronomy = Chocolate Chantilly http://su.pr/1B9vOo #sweets #desserts #chocolate #fbz #yum [...]
January 7th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Wow. I would have never thought it would work with so few ingredients. I will definitely have to try this.
January 7th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Now this is my kind of recipe, quick, less than four ingredients, and tasty chocolaty goodness!
Happy Weekend!
Bon appetit!
CCR
=:~)
January 7th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Great recipe! I thought it would be so much more complex with the fancy presentation but it looks so simple! I’ll have to keep it in mind when I need to impress.
January 7th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
I love heston. some people are intimidated by him and his cookiness
nice recipe
January 7th, 2011 at 3:47 pm
This looks heavenly! Great photos too!
January 7th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
I read this elsewhere and tried it immediately – FABULOUS! I have made it 4 times now (since Christmas) – once with an electric mixer – and the whisk is the only way. It is absolutely unbelievable – and all you need to have on hand is chocolate! (It even works with chocolate chips!!!)
January 7th, 2011 at 6:51 pm
So interesting and so simple. Sounds like a much healthier version of chocolate mousse, with no eggs, or cream. Thanks for the tip on no whisking too much!
January 7th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
I want to try it with milk chocolate, wonder if it will work. I think I will try over the weekend.
January 7th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
Thank you
January 7th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I’m no chocolate expert so I’m not skeptical about this recipe. I so so so have to try it for all the times my husband craves for chocolate haha. Great job, Grace!
January 8th, 2011 at 12:00 am
That recipe is so simple and yummy, I’ve go to give it a whirl. Thanks for sharing!
January 8th, 2011 at 3:19 am
Oh wow! It’s so great that all you need is water to create a beautiful chocolate mousse. The pink ribbons on the jars are gorgeous.
January 8th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Your chocolate mousse looks gorgeous!
January 8th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Incredibly beautiful mousse and it looks so simple to put together.
January 8th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Wow, this is a must try recipe!!! YUM.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
I didn’t think mine was going to work and doing it by hand was getting exhausting.. I don’t think my water was cold enough, I had run out of ice so I put a frozen pack of veggies in the water and tried a single electric beater.. Still didn’t look promising. I was checking the consistency thinking it was getting somewhere where all the sudden it just got thicker, turned off the beaters and used the whisk to finish it up. The consistency is amazing. However, 70% cocoa doesn’t tickle my taste-buds so I am curious to know if milk chocolate works!!
January 8th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Nicole if you try again run the water for a bit until it gets cold and add a good amount of ice. I would prepare before melting the chocolate so it gets cold. It only took me a few minutes whisking by hand to get to the right consistency. I think it helped because the water was so cold. I am curious too about using milk chocolate and hope to try it in the next few days. I did add sugar to the batch I made because my son doesn’t like 70% chocolate either, a little too bitter for him. I will let you know how it goes, wish me luck!
January 9th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
This recipe looks too good to be true mmm.
January 10th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
I have also been told to avoid the mixture of chocolate and water like the plague. This recipe definitely proves that wrong. I HAVE to try this!
January 11th, 2011 at 3:26 pm
This recipe looks so easy and delicious too!
January 13th, 2011 at 12:27 am
What a photos..it is very interesting recipe and looks amazing!!!
January 13th, 2011 at 12:46 am
Thank you Sandra!
February 2nd, 2011 at 11:46 pm
This looks really great. I have one question… Can I put the mousse in the fridge after it’s done if I don’t want to serve it immediately? I want to prepare it in advance. Thank you so much.
February 3rd, 2011 at 9:53 am
Jenny I wouldn’t make it too far in advance but it does set beautifully in the fridge.
February 4th, 2011 at 1:23 am
Thank you Grace
. will make this today.
August 13th, 2011 at 8:47 am
Where can I find the jars you used?
August 13th, 2011 at 10:55 am
Pattie the jars I used were originally candle filled, when I first read your comment I thought I’d purchased them at Pier 1 Imports but I just located a partially filled jar. I purchased the candles from a specialty market close to home. Luckily the label was attached and I located the company that manufactured the candle, Country Home Candle. I will email the link to you.
August 14th, 2011 at 7:58 am
[...] bin ich über seine elaboriertere Variante (…oder sollte man es wahre Eingebung nennen?) bei Graces sweet life. Ungläubig und kritisch wie ich war, dachte ich sofort, ja, ja, was sich die Herren This und [...]
August 18th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
[...] It can be found pretty easily on food blogs, but I first saw it on my friend Grace’s site, La Mia Vita Dolce. Grace is always making something great and taking gorgeous photos of it, so I was drawn right in. [...]
August 19th, 2011 at 8:20 pm
Hey, just made this tonight with milk chocolate (for anyone who is interested) and I found that it works if you use 3 parts milk chocolate to 1 part water and it was DELICIOUS!!!!!
August 21st, 2011 at 5:55 am
I’ll have to try that Joanna – thank you!
September 14th, 2011 at 7:55 am
Wow! so easy and i am sure, equally delicious. Definitely going to give this one a try. Love your photography, gorgeous!
February 16th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
OK! I NEVER post on these sites but LAWD this was to die for. Like chocolate pillow puffs of heaven in my mouth! Not gonna lie, I wasn’t sure if mine was going to turn out airy and fluffy but after I used an electric mixer for a while, I did the same and turned it off and beat it by hand with a whisk and it came out dreamy. I also froze the remainder and ate it for the next few days!! It was JUST as good, if not better, than when I made it! I just popped it in the micro 30 seconds at a time for 1 minute and stirred it around—BAM! Totally doable when company comes over if it’s in the fridge. THIS WAS AWESOME!
March 3rd, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Definitely choose a chocolate you would eat and be patient… the texture goes from velvety thick to grain in the blink of an eye! Also make sure that you place the bowl in the coldwater, my mixture wasn’t thickening up until I realy kept the bowl in the ice water. I had to reheat the mixture 3 times after it went grainy on me but the texture was well worth it! If you find that your chocolate is little bit too bitter a little kosher salt sprinkled on top goes a long way! Great recipe, will def do this again with a better tasting chocolate this time (My choco was semisweet baking chocolate (59%))
March 3rd, 2012 at 5:03 pm
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback LG, so happy you enjoyed!
June 23rd, 2012 at 12:06 pm
[...] Chocolate Chantilly – “Effortless Chocolate Mousse” Image by GracesSweetLife Chocolate Chantilly Recipe [...]
August 10th, 2012 at 8:51 pm
This is a must try. I’m curious however about the color of the mousse in the last picture. It looks to be about 1 part chocolate to 5 parts water???
Perhaps a trick of lighting, but not as appetizing as the other pictures.
August 14th, 2012 at 10:38 am
Hi Aitch, I never noticed that but you’re right does not look as appetizing. It is definitely the lighting something we struggle with.
August 15th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
[...] source: adapted from Cafe Fernando via Grace’s Sweet Life [...]
April 30th, 2013 at 9:09 am
[...] my childhood. I dished up a bowl and went to the lap top to see what I did wrong. I came across La Mia Vita Dolce‘s post for this same dessert. She had the sweetest words my eyes have ever [...]