Coffee Mousse Recipe (Mocha Mousse)

Name: Coffee Mousse Recipe (Mocha Mousse)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 18 min
Ingredients: 4 large egg yolks; 2½ cups heavy whipping cream; ½ cup powdered sugar; 3 tablespoons espresso powder; 1 tbsp cocoa powder

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This easy Coffee Mousse Recipe is the ideal treat for coffee lovers and chocolate lovers! This rich and creamy dessert is made with just a handful of ingredients and comes together in less than 20 minutes! You will love the smooth texture and intense flavor in this light and airy mousse. It's perfect for any special occasion or anytime you want a treat - this is one recipe you won't want to miss!

Creamy coffee mousse in a ramekin, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and a chocolate covered strawberry and chocolate covered coffee beans.

Whether it's a special occasion or just a cozy night in, coffee mousse can be whipped up quickly and easily with minimal ingredients, making it the perfect quick treat.

This recipe uses whipped egg yolks to get a light and airy texture, and it comes together in less than 20 minutes.

If you want an even simpler mousse recipe that is low-carb, try my 3-Ingredient Keto Chocolate Mousse. This recipe comes together in less than 5 minutes! And for another light dessert recipe, check out my Fruit Salad with Cool Whip and Pudding recipe!

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What is coffee mousse?
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
How To Make Quick Coffee Mousse Recipe
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Easy Recipes You'll Love
📋 Recipe

What is coffee mousse?

Coffee mousse is a delicious and light dessert made with espresso powder, sugar, egg yolks, and whipped cream. It has a rich flavor and creamy texture that make it irresistible.

The preparation of coffee mousse involves mixing the ingredients together to obtain a smooth mixture that needs to be refrigerated before serving.

Coffee mousse is served cold and accompanied by fresh fruits, biscuits, or wafers.

In addition, this mocha mousse can be used as a topping or filling for cakes, pies, or other pastries.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Easy To Make - With only a few simple ingredients, you can easily whip up this delicious coffee mousse dessert in no time. So even if you’re short on time or energy, you can still find time to make this decadent treat!
Versatility - Serve it as a light dessert after dinner, top it with fresh berries or slices of banana, or top it with chocolate shavings, coffee beans, cocoa powder, or a drizzle of chocolate.
Creamy Texture - The super smooth texture of this espresso-infused mousse is simply heavenly.
Flavorful - Even if you don't typically like strong coffee flavors, you will love this recipe.
Beautiful presentation - This dessert can be served up in individual ramekins or served on its own in an impressive bowl. Either way, it's the perfect dessert for dinner parties or busy weeknights!

Ingredient Notes

Everything you need for this easy coffee dessert recipe can be found at your local grocery store.

The ingredients for coffee mousse measured out and placed on a wooden table.

Egg yolks. Egg yolks add body and richness to the light and airy mousse, and help thicken it so that it holds its shape after it has been whipped and chilled.
Powdered sugar. This is used to sweeten the mousse and add a creamy texture. The finer granules of powdered sugar easily dissolve, creating a smooth consistency. You can also use caster sugar for this recipe too.
Heavy whipping cream. This adds richness and creates a light and airy texture. The higher fat content of the cream helps to emulsify the other ingredients, ensuring that they combine together smoothly and evenly.
Espresso powder. This adds delicious coffee flavor. The flavor of the powder helps to balance out the sweetness from the powdered sugar. My favorite brand of espresso powder is Nescafe Gold Espresso Powder, I really love the flavor and the smell of it.
Cocoa powder. This adds a subtle, not strong, chocolate flavor, that compliments the coffee flavor perfectly. I used dark chocolate cocoa, but you can use any baking cocoa.

See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.

How To Make Quick Coffee Mousse Recipe

First, place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Beat them with an electric hand mixer on high speed for about 3 minutes, until they are fluffy and light yellow.

Four egg yolks placed in a stainless steel mixing bowl.

The egg yolks after they are mixed until they are light and fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar, espresso powder, and cocoa powder. Beat the ingredients with the mixer until combined.

The cocoa, espresso powder, and powdered sugar added to the egg mixture.

The cocoa, espresso powder, and icing sugar mixed with the egg yolk mixture in a stainless steel mixing bowl.

Place 1 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until hot but not boiling.

Temper the eggs by slowly pouring the heated cream into the bowl with the egg mixture, constantly stirring until smooth and combined.

Pour the tempered egg–cream mixture back into the saucepan, constantly stirring over low heat until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon (do not boil). This will take approximately 5 minutes.

The hot cream being poured into the mixing bowl to temper the eggs, a hand using a whisk to mix.

The hot mixture in a saucepan, coating the back of a spoon to show it is done.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool while you prepare the whipped cream topping. Cover and place in the fridge until cold.

Pro Tip: To speed this process up, place the coffee/cocoa mixture in the freezer, and stir it every 5 minutes. It will be cool enough to use in about 15-20 minutes.

In a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip 1-½ cups of cold heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream into the cooled mousse mixture and stir to combine with a rubber spatula.

The cooled espresso mixture on top of the whipped cream in a mixing bowl.

The mixture after it has been folded together in a steel mixing bowl.

Spoon the mixture into a large serving bowl or individual ramekins. For a neater presentation with less mess, you can put the chocolate mixture in a piping bag and pipe it into serving dishes with a round tip or star tip.

The coffee mousse spooned into four white ramekins.

Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of espresso powder, cocoa powder, or coffee beans.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

The coffee mousse in a white ramekin, topped with whipped cream, chocolate covered coffee beans, and a chocolate dipped strawberry.

Expert Tips

Start with cold ingredients. Cold ingredients will whip up more easily and produce a creamier mousse.
Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This will ensure you get an airy, light mousse texture.
Be sure to temper the eggs properly; slowly adding a bit of hot cream to them while stirring constantly will help avoid lumps or curdling.
Cool the custard completely before adding it to the whipped cream mixture to keep it from melting.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving; this helps the flavors meld together and ensures a firmer mousse texture.

Recipe FAQs

Why do you need eggs in mousse?

Eggs are a necessary ingredient in mousse because they act as an emulsifier, which helps thicken the mixture and add stability. They also provide structure, helping to create that creamy light texture we all know and love.

What do you do if your mouse is too runny?

If your mousse is too runny, add additional sugar to help thicken it. However, it will get thicker after sitting in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Instead of using espresso powder, could you use freshly ground coffee beans?

Hmmm, I wouldn't use freshly ground coffee beans as a substitute for espresso powder as the coffee granules won't dissolve. You could try using instant coffee powder, and grind it to a super fine powder.

How do you store coffee mousse?

Coffee mousse is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or covered tightly with plastic wrap. It will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Once served, always ensure that any leftovers are covered and stored in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

The coffee mousse in a white ramekin, topped with whipped cream, a chocolate covered strawberry, and a sprinkle of espresso powder.

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