I had the pleasure of cooking with cookbook author Rosa Jackson at a farm in the hills of Nice, France. We had a full menu of Nicoise dishes. There was a delicious socca I couldn’t stop snacking on while cooking, herb-crusted rack of lamb, squash soup, and the French chocolate mousse with olive oil to finish. Special thanks to Rosa for allowing me to share the recipe.
This mousse has just 2 tablespoons of sugar, so it’s a somewhat “healthy” dessert, if that is of concern. Chocolate is the focus, so use a good quality one that you’d enjoy on its own. Traditional French chocolate mousse uses raw eggs. If you don’t want to use them, Rosa recommends substituting for pasteurized eggs. I researched and saw that they may not whip up as well, but will still result in a lovely dessert.
*This post uses affiliate links.
French Chocolate Mousse with Olive Oil
Mousse au chocolat à l’huile d’olive
From Rosa Jackson’s Nicoise Cookbook
Serves 6
The surprise ingredient in this chocolate mousse is olive oil, which replaces the traditional butter. I use either the delicate Nice olive oil, which has a buttery quality, or a smooth-tasting oil from Provence made with very ripe olives (known as fruité noir). Feel free to experiment with different oils, but avoid any that are bitter or pungent for this recipe.
I love the “chew” that chocolate mousse develops with a longer resting time, so you can plan on making this dessert several hours or up to a day ahead of serving it. Be sure to use very fresh, free range eggs, since they are not cooked in this recipe. With very little added sugar and no cream (which has no place in traditional chocolate mousse!), this is a grown-up dessert that is light enough to serve at the end of a hearty meal.
Ingredients
6 ounces good-quality bittersweet baking chocolate, with 60-70% cocoa solids (165 g), chopped
6 tablespoons delicate-tasting olive oil (90 ml)
6 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons white sugar (25 g)
A pinch of fleur de sel or flaky sea salt, plus extra for serving
Cocoa powder, for sprinkling
Directions
In a large heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave, melt the chocolate with the olive oil. Remove from the heat just before the chocolate has completely melted and stir to melt the last lumps. Let the chocolate cool until it is warm rather than hot, about 5 minutes. If you want to use a thermometer, the temperature should be around 105°F/40°C.
Meanwhile, in a stand mixer or with a hand-held electric mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed. When they start to turn white, add the sugar. Turn the speed up a notch and continue beating until soft peaks form. You should be able to turn the bowl upside-down without the egg whites sliding out.
Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk lightly. Add about 2 tablespoons of the melted chocolate to the egg yolks and stir until smooth. Then add this egg yolk-chocolate mixture to the remaining chocolate and stir with a whisk to combine.
Add a third of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and stir with a spatula to lighten the mixture. Carefully fold in another third of the egg whites, then add the rest of the egg whites and a pinch of fleur de sel, and fold very gently until combined. Transfer the mousse to individual ramekins or to a large serving dish, and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Serve sprinkled with cocoa powder and topped with a few more salt crystals.
Recipe re-printed with permission from Rosa Jackson’s Nicoise Cookbook, (W. W. Norton & Company, 2024).