Frosted Cocoa Berry Delight (Printable)

Silky cocoa mousse with fresh mixed berries and creamy frosted topping, chilled to perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cocoa Mousse

01 - 5.3 oz dark chocolate (minimum 60% cacao), chopped
02 - 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 3 large eggs, separated
04 - 1.75 oz granulated sugar
05 - 7 fl oz heavy cream, chilled
06 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of salt

→ Berry Layer

08 - 8.8 oz mixed fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries), plus extra for garnish
09 - 2 tbsp powdered sugar
10 - 1 tbsp lemon juice

→ Frosted Cream Topping

11 - 5 fl oz heavy cream, chilled
12 - 1 tbsp powdered sugar
13 - 0.5 tsp vanilla extract

# How-To Steps:

01 - Gently toss mixed berries with powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside to macerate while preparing the mousse.
02 - Melt dark chocolate over simmering water in a heatproof bowl, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar until pale and thick. Stir in cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and melted chocolate until combined.
04 - Beat egg whites with pinch of salt to stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.
05 - Fold whipped cream gently into chocolate mixture. Then fold in beaten egg whites in three additions, maintaining volume.
06 - Spoon half of the mousse evenly into six serving glasses. Top with berry mixture, then cover with remaining mousse. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
07 - Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
08 - Top each glass with a dollop of frosted cream and garnish with fresh berries before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The mousse tastes decadent but comes together in about twenty minutes with ingredients you probably have on hand.
  • Those macerated berries create little pockets of tartness that make you want another spoonful immediately.
  • Layering everything in glasses means it looks restaurant-worthy without needing any real plating skills.
02 -
  • Room-temperature chocolate seizes and becomes grainy when it touches liquid—keep everything separate until it's cooled and the time is right to combine.
  • Those egg whites will not fold nicely if even a speck of yolk gets in them, so separate carefully and use pristinely clean bowls.
  • The mousse needs real chilling time, not just thirty minutes in the freezer—two hours allows the layers to set properly and taste better.
03 -
  • Whip your heavy cream in a metal bowl that's been in the fridge—the cold helps it hold volume longer and peak faster.
  • If your chocolate seizes or gets grainy while melting, stir in a teaspoon of neutral oil to salvage it before it's too late.

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