These individual servings of Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry “Carrots” pack a serious cocoa kick! Creamy chocolate mousse topped with crushed chocolate cookies and juicy strawberries disguised as carrots. Whether you’re hosting a festive Easter brunch or a springtime soirée, these chocolate mousse parfaits will steal the show.
Table of Contents
Creamy chocolate mousse, crunchy chocolate cookie “dirt,” and juicy strawberry “carrots” are joining forces in my latest and most favorite way to satisfy my sweet tooth and add a decorative touch to the dessert table. Best of all, each component of this sweet treat can be made a day in advance and then assembled when you’re ready to bring on the ooh’s and ahh’s of your guests.
Like many chocolate desserts around here, these individual servings of mousse pack a serious cocoa kick. They’re similar in flavor to pots de crème and are, quite literally, pots of chocolate mousse starring strawberries disguised as carrots planted into chocolate cookie soil.
Opt for single servings or plant an entire field by serving the mousse in a trifle dish or large bowl and allowing guests to dig up their own dessert.
For more spring dessert ideas, check out my Carrot Cake Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Homemade Jell-O Eggs.
These Chocolate Mousse Parfaits Are:
- Made with just 10 simple ingredients.
- Double as dessert and tabletop decor.
- Rich and velvety. These will satisfy even the most intense chocolate cravings!
- Make-ahead friendly.
- A show-stopping dessert perfect for Easter.
- Made with juicy strawberries dipped into orange candy melts for a fun and delicious twist.
- Heavy cream: Did you know you can make homemade whipped cream by just beating heavy cream? Make sure it’s chilled. It will whip easier this way.
- Eggs: You’ll use the egg yolks and whites separately in this chocolate mousse parfait, but need twice as many yolks as you do whites. Save the extra whites for an omelet the next day.
- Espresso or coffee: Feel free to use your morning leftover coffee here as long as it’s strong. But don’t worry, this only serves to enhance the richness and depth of the chocolate flavor rather than adding a distinct coffee taste.
- Sugar: Sweetens the mousse and balances the bitterness of the chocolate.
- Kosher salt: A small amount of salt brings out all other flavors, making things taste brighter and better. If substituting sea or table salt, use half the amount this recipe calls for (just a pinch!).
- Semisweet chocolate: Chopping the chocolate allows it to easily melt once it comes in contact with the egg yolk mixture. You could semisweet chocolate chips in a pinch but for the best flavor, I recommend using a bar of high-quality chocolate with at least 60% cocoa solids.
- Strawberries: Ensure they are thoroughly washed and dried before dipping them in the candy melts.
- Orange candy melts: Used to coat the strawberries, giving them their vibrant carrot-like appearance. You can usually find them in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Swap: If you can’t find candy melts, you could use melted white chocolate and orange food coloring.
- Chocolate cookies or wafers: Crushed cookies are this delicious dirt topping these garden-themed parfaits need.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Make the whipped cream. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. When this happens you should be able to lift the whisk up and have a mound of stiff whipped cream stick to it. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- Make the egg-yolk espresso mixture. In a large metal bowl, whisk the egg yolks, espresso or coffee, sugar and salt. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. This is called a double boiler! Whisk constantly until the mixture doubles in size and reaches 160°F using a candy or instant-read thermometer.
- Whisk in the chocolate. Add the chopped chocolate to the mixture and stir until it melts, then let stand until it reaches room temperature.
- Beat the egg whites. Add the egg whites to the stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the whites at medium-high speed until foamy. Pour in a tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Do so in two additions, folding until no white streaks remain. Then, add the whipped cream. Fold it in until just combine, but don’t overmix. This will result in flat mousse.
- Transfer the chocolate mousse. Pour the mousse into a large serving dish or your small parfait dishes of choice, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Prep the strawberries. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Wash and thoroughly dry the berries.
- Make the candy-coated strawberries. Melt the orange candy melts per the package instructions, then dip the strawberries (you’ll want to dip them up to their tops).
- Wait. Place the strawberries onto the prepared baking sheet and wait until the candy coating hardens.
- Add the toppings. When ready to serve, top the chocolate mousse with the cookie dirt, then insert the strawberries into the mousse until just the tops are showing.
Pro Tip: The mousse, crushed cookies and strawberries can all be prepared a day in advance and then assembled when you are ready to serve the dessert. Store the mousse and the strawberry “carrots” in the refrigerator over night.
- To easily crush the cookies, you can place them in a zippered plastic bag and whack them with a rolling pin until they turn into crumbs. Alternatively, you could blitz the cookies in a food processor.
- If you don’t own a stand mixer you can use a hand mixer when it’s called for. It just may take longer than the stated recipe times, since a hand mixer’s less powerful.
- You’ll want to make sure the bowl and whisk are completely clean before whipping the egg whites. If they’re dirty, the whites won’t whip properly.
- You can gently coat the dipped strawberries in orange sanding sugar for added shine.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best type of chocolate for making chocolate mousse is typically dark or semisweet chocolate with a cocoa content of around 60% to 70%. This chocolate provides a rich and intense cocoa flavor, which is essential for a decadent mousse. Look for high-quality chocolate bars or baking chocolate without any added flavorings or fillers.
Chocolate pudding is thicker and creamier, whereas chocolate mousse is airy. This is because chocolate pudding is cooked, whereas mousse has whipped cream folded into it and then is chilled, leading to a lighter texture.
If your chocolate mousse isn’t fluffy, you might have overmixed it. When you fold the whipped cream in, it’s important to do so until just combined. Overmixing it will knock the air out, causing the mousse not to be fluffy.
To ensure a flawless chocolate mousse, avoid overheating the chocolate, gently fold in the whipped cream to preserve airiness and allow the mousse to chill adequately for a firm texture.
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Equipment
- Candy thermometer
Ingredients
For the mousse:
- 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream, divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup room temperature espresso or strong coffee
- 3 Tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 large egg whites
For the strawberry “carrots”:
- Strawberries
- Orange candy melts
- Chocolate cookies or wafers, crushed
Instructions
Make the mousse:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.
- In a large metal bowl, combine the egg yolks, espresso, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it lightens in color, doubles in volume and reaches 160°F on the candy thermometer, about 1 minute.
- Remove the bowl from the pan and whisk in the chopped chocolate until the mixture is smooth. Let the mixture stand, whisking occasionally, until it is room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they are foamy. With the mixer running, gradually pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture in two additions, then fold in the prepared whipped cream just until combined. (Do not overmix or the mousse won’t be light.)
- Transfer the mousse to a large serving container or several smaller serving containers then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Make the strawberry “carrots”:
- Wash and thoroughly dry the strawberries. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or a Silpat.
- Melt the candy melts according to package instructions. Dip the strawberries in the candy melts so they are thoroughly coated then place them on the baking sheet to cool until the candy melts is fully hardened.
- When ready to serve, top the mousse with the crushed chocolate cookies (the “dirt”) then insert the strawberry “carrots” into the mousse so that only a portion of them show atop the surface. Serve immediately.
Kelly’s Notes
- To crush the chocolate cookies, place them in a resealable plastic bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin until they resemble coarse sand or breadcrumbs. Alternatively, pulse the cookies in a food processor.
- If you don’t own a stand mixer you can use a hand mixer when it’s called for. It just may take longer than the stated recipe times, since a hand mixer’s less powerful.
- You’ll want to make sure the bowl and whisk are completely clean before whipping the egg whites. If they’re dirty, the whites won’t whip properly.
- You can gently coat the dipped strawberries in orange sanding sugar for added shine.
- Make-Ahead: The mousse, crushed cookies and strawberry “carrots” can all be prepared a day in advance and then assembled when you are ready to serve the dessert. Store the mousse and the strawberry “carrots” in the refrigerator overnight.
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Nutrition
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Mousse recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
Does this recipe use white or powdered sugar?
Hi Megan! White sugar :)
Made this for my daughter’s birthday party. The mousse was creamy and delicious, and everyone loved the “carrots”!
this is awesome.
Thanks so much!
Absolutely love chocolate and such a fun presentation! Will definitely have to remember these strawberry carrots for when my son’s older.
Thanks so much, Gabriel!
Kelly, this dessert is so cute! Very creative! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you, Stephanie!
I have a serious weakness for chocolate mousse and for adorable treats! These need to happen asap!
Thanks so much, Anna!