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This delicious chocolate orange mousse is modeled after the coffee Borgia and made with dark chocolate, espresso powder and orange zest.
This dessert was inspired by one of my favorite espresso drinks, the coffee Borgia. A Borgia is like a mocha (espresso, chocolate syrup, steamed milk) but with orange zest mixed in. It’s a wonderful flavor combination that I recreated in this chocolate orange mousse with melted bittersweet chocolate, a bit of heavy cream, espresso powder and orange zest.
You can serve the mousse with a dollop of whipped cream to lighten it up a bit but I actually prefer to eat it by itself. The recipe is very easy to make, the preparation takes no more than 15 minutes and you can easily scale it up and make a fancy dessert for a large crowd.
How to make coffee Borgia mousse:
You start with finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, instant espresso powder and a bit of heavy cream. You add those three ingredients to a bowl and set it over a pot of simmering water to melt the chocolate. Once the chocolate is fully melted, you give it a brief stir and then mix in the orange zest.
In a separate bowl, you whisk an egg yolk with sugar until the mix is nice and creamy and then whisk that into the chocolate mix (this works best when you do it in two to three batches).
You set that aside, grab your electric mixer and whip the egg white with a bit of cream of tartar to really stiff peaks.
Next you fold the whipped egg white into the chocolate mix and then fill the mousse into individual serving bowls or glasses.
That’s all there is to it, now you just let the mousse chill and right before serving you can garnish it with a fresh slice of orange.
Recipe Tip:
One thing I want to point out for the prep work of this recipe is that you want to make sure that you chop the chocolate very finely. That takes more time than a rough chop would but it will pay off big time because the chocolate will melt so much faster and more evenly.
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If you’re in the mood for a white chocolate mousse instead, I recommend the White Chocolate Mousse below:
Coffee Borgia Mousse
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped (I used a Ghirardelli 60 percent cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar)*
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon very finely grated orange zest (about one small orange)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 thin orange slices as garnish
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions:
- Add the chocolate, the cream and the espresso powder to a glass bowl, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water and let the chocolate melt. Don't stir the ingredients until the chocolate is almost fully melted.
- Once the chocolate is melted, take it off the water pot and stir in the orange zest. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl (by hand) until lighter in color and texture than when you started.
- Quickly whisk the chocolate mix into the egg/sugar mix in two to three batches. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, whip the egg white with the cream of tartar to very stiff peaks.
- Carefully fold the whipped egg white into the chocolate mix (take a half-turn around the bowl with the whisk and then shake the mousse through the tines of the whisk).
- As soon as no streaks remain, fill the mousse into individual serving bowls.
- Let me mousse chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Garnish with the orange slices and serve by itself or with whipped cream.
Notes:
Nutrition
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Coffee mousse,,,that sounds wonderful! :)
Thank you, Nancy! :)
Besides wanting to devour this I just wanted to say hi! Sounds like you are doing great Nicole!
Hi Abbe!!! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving such a sweet comment! Things are great over here, I’m getting back to the blog after a bit of a break. Hope all is well with you too! <3
My mouth is already doing a happy dance from just looking at this decadent chocolate mousse. I’m not sure I’d be able to share. :)
Thank you so much, MJ! Don’t worry, I wouldn’t blame you at all if you ate it all yourself (and I did the same). :)
I would love to have this! And the pictures are stunning!
Thank you so much, Adina! Wish I could send you some! :)
There is something seriously sexy about chocolate mousse. Such a grown up version of the pudding we enjoyed as kids. Love the ombre effect you have with yours, too. Stunning!
Thank you so much, Laura!! I agree, chocolate mousse is so grown up but still so easy to prepare, I never get tired of making (nor eating) it. :)
Couldn’t take my eyes off that glass of mousse. The flavors are so beautiful and the dessert so decadent.
Thank you so much, Taruna! I appreciate you stopping by and leaving such a sweet comment. :)
This is such a stunning dessert and coffee only makes chocolate mousse better!
Thank you so much, Marcie! And I agree completely about coffee and chocolate mousse. :)
What a gorgeous dessert idea especially for Valentine’s Day. And the photography is simply beautiful!
Thank you so much, Iryna!! This would make a nice Valentine’s Day dessert indeed.
What a beautiful elegant photo as usual. Just looking at it won’t satisfy the cravings though ;) I need to be fed :)
I hear ‘ya! Wish I could send you some. :) Thanks for kind words, Marvellina!
I love your photography! It’s so beautiful and moody :) And this MOUSSE. Delicious!
Thank you so much, Katherine!! :)
Wow I love your dark photography and this delicious mousse!! I just want to dive in. Have a great day Nicole.
Thank you so much, Christie! A wonderful day to you as well. :)
Oh my goodness, this mousse is so elegant and looks absolutely heavenly!!!
Thank you so much, Catherine!! :)
Wow! This looks amazing. Your photos are gorgeous!
Thank you so much, Kathy. I really appreciate your kind words!! <3