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25 Comments Looking for an easy and delicious dessert? This Italian chocolate mousse with coffee and rum is rich, velvety, and surprisingly simple to make. The espresso and dark rum add a grown-up twist to the classic Italian-style mousse. Serve it with extra whipped cream and shaved chocolate and you’ve got the perfect dessert for dinner parties, holidays, or Valentine’s Day.
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
Chocolate mousse is honestly one of the easiest desserts out there. I also have several versions online already, so that’s pretty handy! This recipe for Italian chocolate mousse is made with raw eggs, so you can choose to use pasteurized eggs, or check out my recipe for chocolate mousse without eggs. If you prefer a firmer mousse, use this chocolate mousse recipe that includes butter.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this Italian chocolate mousse, you’ll need the usual mousse ingredients (see recipe card), plus the following extras:
- Espresso – You can also use strong coffee and simply leave out the rum for an alcohol-free chocolate mousse.
- Rum – Not a fan of rum? Swap it for something like amaretto. The rum isn’t overpowering here; it adds a subtle warmth.
Funny enough, I’m normally not into alcohol in my desserts – nor coffee in my desserts – but in this case it’s truly a match made in heaven!
How to Make Italian Chocolate Mousse
Why is this called Italian chocolate mousse? This style of mousse gets its “Italian” nickname from the characteristic combination of espresso, alcohol, and the creamy zabaglione-like texture. But at the end of the day, it’s basically just a delicious chocolate mousse with coffee and rum, so I wouldn’t get too hung up on the name.
To make chocolate mousse with coffee, follow these steps:
- Melt the chocolate au bain-marie (in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water). I usually use chocolate that’s not too dark – around 60% cocoa.
- Let it cool slightly while you beat the egg yolks until pale and creamy.
- Stir the melted chocolate, the espresso (at room temperature!), and the rum into the yolks.
- Whip the cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the chocolate mixture.
- Lastly, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold these into the chocolate mixture as well.
- Let the mousse chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight.
FAQ Italian Chocolate Mousse
This chocolate mousse gets called “Italian” because of the classic combination of strong espresso, alcohol (often rum or amaretto), and a zabaglione-style base made with raw egg yolks. It creates a slightly bitter-sweet flavor profile commonly found in Italian desserts.
Absolutely. Just omit the rum and add 1 extra tablespoon of espresso or a teaspoon of vanilla extract for more flavor. This will give you an alcohol-free chocolate mousse with coffee.
Yes! Delicious options include:
- Amaretto
- Marsala
- Baileys (note: Baileys makes it sweeter)
- Contratto Caffè (Italian coffee liqueur)
- Whiskey (for a stronger flavor)
This recipe contains raw eggs, so it’s not recommended for:
- pregnant women
- elderly individuals
- people with weakened immune systems
- very young children
Alternative: use pasteurized eggs or make egg-free chocolate mousse.
The best flavor comes from dark chocolate between 55% and 75% cocoa.
For chocolate above 75% cocoa, you may want to add a bit more sugar to balance the bitterness.
Recommended toppings include:
- whipped cream
- chocolate shavings or chopped chocolate
- cocoa nibs
- candied orange peel
- fresh fruit
More Chocolate Mousse Recipes
3 ingredient healthy avocado chocolate mousse (paleo and vegan)
Italian Chocolate Mousse with Coffee and Rum
Ingredients
- 170 gr dark chocolate
- 4 eggs
- 150 ml whipping cream very cold
- 4 tablespoons dark espresso
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 2 teaspoons sugar
How to make Italian chocolate mousse
- Make a double boiler and bring the water to a soft simmer. Put the chocolate in a heat resistant bowl and leave to melt. Put a mixing bowl in the freezer.
- Split the eggs and whip the egg yolk with the sugar till it becomes light and creamy. Add the melted chocolate, rum and espresso.
- Place the cream in the bowl that came out of the freezer and whip until it forms firm peaks. Add the cream to the chocolate mixture and fold it in with a spatula until combined.
- Mix the egg whites until it forms firm peaks and add that to the chocolate mixture as well. Fold it in carefully.
- Divide the mixture over 6 glasses and put in the fridge overnight. Serve with extra cream if you want.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
Lovely and delicious! I love the tiny details of your photos, like the cocoa sprinkled around the spoon. So artistic.
mmm nothing is better than this! Looks gorgeous!
Wooo Hooo! Rum in it means it is going to be lovely:-) love the combination here.
This sounds fantastic with the espresso and rum! I’m going to have to try this.
Such a classic dessert!
This looks so amazing! I LOVE Donna Hay too!
Oh, does that look luscious or what! I’m craving chocolate like nothing else now!
What a lovely presentation! I simply want this…rich, decadent, sinful mousse. It needs to wait overnight? Ooh…talk about torture! I can hardly wait!
What a lovely presentation! I simply want this…rich, decadent, sinful mousse. It needs to wait overnight? Ooh…talk about torture! I can hardly wait!
Wow, you make it all look so spectacular! I know my guys would really like this, but I am passing on this as we have had too many desserts around here with the other blog alongs I do. Someday I will go back and make it. I am just now discovering Donna Hay and love her simplicity! You did a great job on this mousse.
How wonderful and light this looks! Your photos are stunning – I can almost taste that last spoonful!
I used to make a chocolate mousse with uncooked eggs – but then the salmonella scares hit, with all types of “don’t eat raw eggs” warnings. But where I live now, there is a lovely woman down the road who raises chickens and sells eggs. She loves her chickens and is always fussing over them. I am looking forward to trying the recipe with these wonderful eggs!
I can’t wait to try. Your picture is so pretty. (I think you left out the chocolate.)
Mmm. Dark chocolate and espresso – great combination. Looks delicious.
Mmm. Dark chocolate and espresso – great combination. Looks delicious.
What an excellent , rich & boozy chocolate mousse!! A grand dessert!!