Crustless Chocolate Mousse Pie with Warm Caramel Sauce
Elegant and sinfully rich, this crustless chocolate mousse pie with warm caramel sauce is simply sensational. Your dinner party guests will groan with pleasure.
It’s hard to believe that only 7 ingredients can create such a decadent dessert. If you want to serve something extra special, this would be a good choice. It’s a chocolate lovers dream.
I’ve made this mousse recipe many times and every time it gets inhaled. Actually, deep groans of delight are more like it.
I found the recipe in a magazine many years ago (not sure which one) and googled it recently to learn that it was created by the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls in Logan Ohio. The chef deserves a lot of credit.
What to expect
Decadent frozen dessert: The chocolate mousse pie (with no crust) is rich and creamy and includes coconut. The coconut adds texture and flavor, but if you’re not a fan, leave it out. The mousse is supposed to be eaten partially frozen.
Easy, but several steps: The mousse and caramel sauce are not hard to make, but I’m not going to lie – there are several steps and lots of dishes to wash. Thank you dear husband, my chief dish washer.
The caramel sauce is to die for. I’ve made it for other desserts like apple cake with caramel sauce or to drizzle over banana bread. You just want to lick the plate.
Serves a crowd: This mousse serves about 15-18 people since it’s almost impossible to eat more than a thin slice at a time because it’s so rich!
Bonus: The dessert is gluten-free and Passover friendly.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Mousse: chocolate chips, coconut, cream, eggs
Caramel Sauce: cream, sugar, water, vanilla, butter
Variations to consider
- Leave out the coconut if you or your guests don’t like coconut.
- Instead of warm caramel sauce, you can try a pureed berry sauce.
- If you like a salted caramel sauce, just add a pinch of sea salt to the sauce or sprinkle on a few bits of flaky salt when serving.
Step by step instructions
Expert Tips On How To Make Mousse
This article on how to make mousse from Food 52 is a good one. Here’s a summary of the key tips as it relates to this recipe:
- Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. You will need lots of separate bowls.
- Follow the instructions in the order given in the recipe.
- Make sure the ‘base” – in this recipe, the chocolate – comes to room temperature before adding other ingredients.
- Lightly fold in the ‘aerators’ one at a time – in this recipe, whipped cream and whipped egg whites. Work quickly and lightly. Use a rubber spatula and don’t over mix in order to keep the mousse light. Add the aerators a bit at a time (in 3 parts).
- The mousse must be refrigerated to set. For this recipe, the mousse sets in the freezer.
Shortcut
- Buy a high quality caramel sauce and heat it up.
Make Ahead
- Make the mousse and caramel sauce up to 2 days ahead according to the original chef.
- Honestly, I’ve kept leftovers in the freezer and the caramel sauce in the fridge tightly covered for over a week and they were still sinfully and perfectly good.
Other party desserts
- best banana cake with chocolate icing
- super moist whole orange cake
- carrot and pineapple cake
- moist apple cake recipe with bourbon caramel sauce
- orange polenta cake (gluten free)
- easy peach tarte tatin (for beginners) – 30 minutes
If you’re looking for some quick and easy sweet treats, check out these easy homemade sweet snack and desserts.
Crustless Chocolate Mousse Pie with Warm Caramel Sauce
Equipment
- Springform pan 9-10 inch (23-35 cm). If you don't have one, use a shallow glass dish.
- Electric hand mixer or immersion blender to beat whipping cream and egg whites
Ingredients
Mousse
- 3 cups chocolate chips
- 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream (35%), divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 8 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (plus 1/4 cup extra for garnish)
Caramel Sauce
- 1 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup whipping cream (35%)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- MAKE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE: Melt chocolate chips in a medium or small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1 cup cream and 1 cup (85 grams) grated coconut. Pour into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Whisk egg yolks into cooled chocolate mixture.
- WHIP CREAM: Using an electric hand mixer or immersion blender, in a separate bowl, beat the chilled whipping cream until soft peaks form. Set aside (place bowl in fridge if possible).
- BEAT EGG WHITES: Clean and dry the beaters, then in a separate small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, but not dry.
- COMPLETE THE MOUSSE AND FREEZE: Gently fold whipped cream into the melted chocolate mixture in 2-3 stages. Then gently fold in whipped whites. Pour mousse mixture into a 10 inch (25 cm) springform pan (9 inch/23 cm will work too) with 2 inch/5 cm sides. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.
- MAKE CARAMEL SAUCE: Stir sugar and water over low heat in a medium saucepan until it dissolves (about 5-7 minutes). Increase heat to medium heat and gently boil WITHOUT STIRRING until the syrup turns a deep amber color (about 8-9 minutes). Carefully add whipping cream (it will bubble vigorously) and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. If making a day ahead (or more), cover and refrigerate, then when ready to use, heat on low, stirring frequently until warm. Put sauce in a gravy or coffee thermos if desired to keep warm.
- TO SERVE: Place mousse in fridge for 30 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Run a sharp knife around the sides, the release the sides of the spring form pan. Place mousse (with bottom of spring form pan) on a serving plate. Sprinkle on coconut for garnish (I like to toast coconut first). Ladle a bit of warm caramel sauce onto plates. Slice mousse into thin wedges (it's very rich so keep slices thin!). Drizzle on a bit more sauce you like. Dig in!
Recipe Notes
- Expert tips on how to make mousse (by Food52)
- Follow the instructions in the order given in the recipe.
- Make sure the ‘base” – in this recipe, the chocolate – comes to room temperature before adding other ingredients.
- Lightly fold in the ‘aerators’ one at a time – in this recipe, whipped cream and whipped egg whites. Work quickly and lightly. Use a rubber spatula and don’t over mix in order to keep the mousse light. Add the aerators a bit at a time (in 3 parts).
- The mousse must be refrigerated to set. For this recipe, the mousse sets in the freezer.
- Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. You will need lots of separate bowls.
- Variations to try with the mousse pie:
- Leave out the coconut if you or your guests don’t like coconut.
- Instead of warm caramel sauce, you can try a pureed berry sauce.
- If you like a salted caramel sauce, just add a pinch of sea salt to the sauce or sprinkle on a few bits of flaky salt when serving.
- Make Ahead: The mousse and caramel sauce can be made 2 days ahead. (I’ve kept leftovers in the freezer and the caramel sauce in the fridge tightly covered for over a week and they were still sinfully good).
do you whip 1 cup of whipping cream or both. sounds like you pour 1 cup into the melted chocolate then whip the other cup of whipping cream?
Hi Ilene, you are right. You pour one cup into the melted chocolate and whip the other cup. I will make that clearer in the recipe. Thanks for pointing it out. It will help clarify for other readers.
This recipe does look fabulous. But…is it safe to eat raw eggs?
I’ve made this recipe many many times without any problem. But you’re right, there is always a small risk of salmonella when cooking with raw eggs. If you refrigerate your eggs in the cold part of the fridge (not the door), keep them in the original carton and have clean hands and utensils, the risk is very small. It’s up to you of course. Here’s a detailed article on egg safety by What’s Cooking America. Hope that helps.
I’m rating this 5 stars even though I have yet to make it. It looks amazing and your directions great.
My only issue is that I was not around to be a “taster” but I expect you had many willing volunteers!
I promise to use more testers next time Judi!?