Hazelnut Chocolate Olive Oil Mousse Recipe
This decadent Hazelnut Chocolate Olive Oil Mousse combines rich dark chocolate with toasted hazelnuts and smooth olive oil, resulting in a creamy and airy dessert with a subtle twist of espresso and orange zest. Topped with luscious chocolate whipped cream and bittersweet shavings, this mousse offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Toasted Hazelnuts
- 170 grams hazelnuts (skinless, chopped and finely blended)
Chocolate Mousse
- 225 grams 70% dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 125 grams extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 large egg whites
- 50 grams granulated sugar
Chocolate Whipped Cream and Garnish
- 250 grams heavy whipping cream (33-35% fat, very cold)
- 4–6 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Bittersweet chocolate shavings (for garnish)
Instructions
- Toast Hazelnuts: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃). Spread the whole hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast them on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes until fragrant.
- Remove Skins: Place the hot hazelnuts in a kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove the outer skins, leaving skinless nuts.
- Grind Hazelnuts: Blitz the skinless toasted hazelnuts in a food processor until they form a fine powder. Set this aside for later use.
- Melt Chocolate: Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) or melt in 30-second intervals in the microwave. Stir until smooth and allow to cool slightly.
- Combine Chocolate and Hazelnuts: Transfer the melted chocolate into a large mixing bowl and stir in the ground hazelnut powder evenly.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, extra virgin olive oil, instant espresso powder, vanilla bean paste, orange zest, and sea salt until well combined.
- Incorporate Wet and Chocolate: Pour the egg yolk mixture into the cooled chocolate and hazelnuts, stirring until you achieve a thick, shiny batter.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a clean bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat until stiff, glossy peaks develop.
- Fold Egg Whites into Chocolate: Gently fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a spatula, carefully repeating until no white streaks remain, preserving the lightness.
- Transfer to Serving Dishes: Spoon or pipe the mousse into glass goblets, cups, or serving bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to chill and set.
- Prepare Chocolate Whipped Cream: Combine the cold heavy whipping cream and cocoa powder in a stand mixer bowl and whip on high speed using a whisk attachment until thick and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip.
- Serve with Toppings: Just before serving, pipe the chocolate whipped cream over the chilled mousse. Garnish with bittersweet chocolate shavings created by scraping a chunk of dark chocolate with a vegetable peeler over the mousse.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks for the mousse to have the ideal airy texture.
- Use high-quality 70% dark chocolate for the best rich flavor balance.
- Extra virgin olive oil adds a subtle fruitiness; choose a mild or medium intensity one to complement the chocolate.
- Orange zest enhances the flavor but can be omitted if you prefer a more classic chocolate taste.
- The mousse needs chilling to set properly; avoid serving too soon.
- Chocolate whipped cream can be adjusted in sweetness by varying the amount of cocoa powder.
Keywords: Hazelnut mousse, chocolate mousse, olive oil dessert, chocolate hazelnut, elegant mousse recipe, dark chocolate dessert, creamy chocolate mousse
