With Valentine’s Day less than two weeks away, you may be wondering about what kind of sweet treat to make for your sweetheart. These chocolate mousse brownies are the perfect combination of familiar and fancy. The base layer is a rich, homemade brownie that will put any store-bought mix to shame. Then, it’s topped with a fluffy, chocolate mousse. The end result? One of the best desserts you’ve ever tasted. Cut them into fun shapes with cookie cutters for some extra brownie points, if you will. I recommend hearts if you make these for Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients for the Brownies:
- 4 eggs
- 2 c. sugar
- 8 oz. butter, melted
- 1 ¼ c. cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/3 c. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
Ingredients for the Mousse:
- 10 oz. chocolate (can be melting chips, bar, etc.)
- 2 ½ c. heavy whipping cream
- 2 ¼ tsp. unflavored gelatin
- 2 tbsp. water
Instructions for the Brownies:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line 13×9-inch pan with parchment paper. It’s best to leave extra on the sides for easy removal later. Spray with baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar and combine, then add remaining ingredients.
- Pour mixture into pan. I find it best to even out the surface with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 20-35 min. Once done, set aside to cool, but keep the brownies in the pan.
Instructions for the Chocolate Mousse
- Melt the chocolate. This can be done by microwaving in 30-second intervals and stirring, or by melting in a heatproof bowl over a simmering pot of water. Set aside once melted.
- Mix gelatin and water. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Bring ½ cup heavy cream to a boil. Add gelatin mixture and stir to combine.
- Once cream and gelatin are combined, add half of the mixture to the melted chocolate and combine. Once thoroughly mixed, add the other half.
- In a bowl, mix the other 2 cups of heavy cream until soft peaks form. This is when the cream starts to stand up but still falls over on itself. This is best to do with a hand or stand mixer, as it will take some time.
- Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, combine with whipped cream and create your chocolate mousse!
- Once the brownies have cooled, pour mousse on top and spread evenly. Let sit overnight to allow the mousse to fully set.
- Enjoy!
- Optional: Once the brownies have cooled overnight, you can cut them into fun shapes with cookie cutters. These brownies can be themed to any occasion!
Megan Kingsley can be reached at arg-life@uidaho.edu.