Chocolate Olive Oil Mousse With Cardamom Chantilly & Sea Salt

Luxuriously silky chocolate olive oil mousse with an aromatic cardamom Chantilly cream and flaky sea salt is heaven in dessert form. The extra virgin olive oil in the chocolate mousse gives it a silky smooth texture and ultra-rich taste, and the aromatic cardamom cream perfectly complements the deep chocolate flavor. The salt brings it all out and gives it a bit of crunch; it's to die for!

Best olive oil chocolate mousse

I adapted this easy recipe for chocolate mousse from one that I learned at culinary school before becoming a private chef. The more I learn about ingredients and the art of cookery, the more playful and adventurous I can be, and I decided to swap one of the egg yolks for extra virgin olive oil, forgo the gelatin, and serve it with something a little more elegant and aromatic than a plain vanilla cream.

The result is an elevated and luxurious dessert that is incredibly easy, but tastes gourmet and restaurant-worthy. I'm very proud of this recipe, and hope you enjoy it! It's ideal for a dinner party or special occasion.

Ingredient notes

As always, the quality of your ingredients is key. I didn't want this chocolate mousse to be too sweet, so there is no added sugar, but it is still incredibly decadent and luxurious. It is also a chocolate mousse with no gelatin, as we use the right proportion of chocolate and high-fat cream. In the UK, our cream is called double cream, but in the US it is known as heavy cream. You need cream with as high a fat content as possible (35–40%), and it needs to be very cold to whip up properly.

The cardamom chantilly is lightly sweetened, just to take the edge off the cardamom, which is a very strong spice and always needs taming. But otherwise, we rely on good-quality chocolate (both milk and dark) to provide the sweetness. I like Lindt, and used their 70% dark chocolate and their milk chocolate in the development of this recipe. But any other good-quality chocolate will work; Ghirardelli and Callebaut are also very good.

Use a mild extra virgin olive oil with low acidity (under 1%) for the best taste. As the egg is only semi-cooked, make sure it is fresh and either pasteurized or from a chicken vaccinated against salmonella (in the UK, eggs stamped with the British Lion are safe).

Make the chocolate olive oil mousse

I normally start by whipping the cream. Make sure your cream is cold, and it can also help to chill the beaters in the freezer for 5 minutes before you begin as well. A metal bowl stays colder than glass or plastic, so opt for this if you have one.

We want to whip the cream to a soft peak stage (floppy tips), and be very careful not to overwhip it. You can use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, but I personally prefer to use an electric hand whisk so I can keep a closer eye on it.

Now make your sabayon. Place the egg into a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (a double boiler) and whisk it over the indirect heat until it becomes thick, pale, and frothy. It should feel warm/hot to the touch. Don't let the bottom of the bowl get too hot, though, or you can scramble the eggs. Lift the bowl up a few times as you go to let steam escape.

Break the dark chocolate and milk chocolate into small pieces, and melt them in the microwave on medium-low, then mix in the extra virgin olive oil.

Quickly mix the melted chocolate olive oil mixture into the whisked egg with a spatula until all is incorporated.

Finally, fold in the whipped cream in three stages until you have a silky smooth mousse. Pour it into glasses or ramekins, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

How to serve

Serve the chocolate olive oil mousse with a spoonful of the cardamom chantilly cream on top, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and serve.

I like this mousse when it is still quite soft, so I generally only let it set in the fridge for an hour or so.

Wine Pairing

A Tawny port, Pedro Ximénez Sherry, or a Banyuls will all go wonderfully with this rich and luxurious chocolate mousse. Read more food and wine pairing tips.

How to store

Keep this mousse covered and in the fridge for 1-2 days. As it contains eggs that are not fully cooked, it cannot be stored for any length of time and is best enjoyed fresh.

You can make the cardamom chantilly cream ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Neither the mousse nor the cream will freeze well.

Variations and substitutions

Here are some other ways you can add even more of a twist to this chocolate olive oil mousse recipe.

Add some orange zest to the mousse for some chocolate orange flavor, which tastes great if you add a pinch of cinnamon too.

For more of a texture boost, add some crushed pistachios on top, or other nuts like pecans or Brazil nuts.

If you cannot have raw eggs, try this mousse with an extra tablespoon of the olive oil and slightly increase the amount of whipped cream. The result will be looser, and less airy, but just as tasty.

I have not tried this mousse with vegan alternatives, but I have generally found that oat-based dairy substitutes behave best in general.

Equipment

Try to weigh your ingredients by the gram using a digital scale rather than measuring by volume. Check out my handy conversions handbook for help! I use an electric hand whisk to whip the cream and make the sabayon base for the mousse. Melt the chocolate and make the sabayon in heatproof bowls.