Like an idiot, one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to give up candy bars and this girl is currently craving chocolate. I know, rookie mistake, but when I asked myself when the last time I was truly impressed by a piece of candy I purchased from the grocery store I was coming up empty. Obviously if someone buys me a box of Elbow Chocolates or brings me a candy bar from Switzerland, I’m going to eat it, but for the time being I am saying no to store bought candy… wish me luck!

Which brings me to today’s recipe: chocolate hazelnut mousse! I do realize that mousse and candy bars aren’t exactly in the same category, but when you’re craving chocolate why settle for a crummy candy bar when you can have chocolate mousse instead?! Originally this recipe was going to go up before Christmas, but then life happened. While I do tend to make this chocolate hazelnut mousse most often around Christmastime (because I use it as a filling for another yummy recipe), it’s perfectly suitable for the rest of the year... like random Monday’s when you’re craving chocolate or everyone’s most despised day of the year: Valentine’s Day.

Typically, I serve this mousse in individual ramekins or stemless wine glasses for an appealing presentation. These adorable heart-shaped ramekins would truly make for a memorable occasion.

There’s something sort of romantic about mousse. It’s typically rich in flavor, and silky smooth in texture. Best of all, it comes together in a snap.

Snap your fingers. That’s about how long this mousse takes to come together. Okay, maybe it’s a little bit longer, but you get the point. It feels like even less time if you’re dancing around your kitchen sipping on a glass of wine or a toasted almond (recipe coming very soon). 🥃

I’ve been told by several people that they don’t make mousse because it’s intimidating. NO IT ISN’T! This version is incredibly basic, you don’t need any special items from the grocery store (except maybe the Frangelico). All you need to do is melt some high quality bittersweet chocolate, whip up some egg whites and whipping cream (not together), and you’re basically done. In less than 10 minutes, you’ve got a drool worthy dessert waiting for you in the refrigerator. Offhand, the only other dessert I can think of that comes together that quickly comes from the grocery store and is frozen.

Not today my friend, not today.

If you do plan to seduce your love with this mousse, might I suggest adding a splash of Frangelico to the whipping cream? I know, sounds like an unnecessary step, but trust me, when you’re trying to set the mood, alcohol almost always helps. 😘