This recipe originally appeared on the KitchenAid blog. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe!

I’m calling summer’s bluff.

Because even though the calendar says there are just a few weeks left of it, I refuse to acknowledge these sandy beach days, these tan lines, these sun-squinting afternoons in the backyard, these warm nights with dinner on the deck are nearly ending. I don’t believe it. I won’t.

And yet —

Yet, I’m almost dreaming of cool winds whistling through crunchy leaves, chunky wool sweaters, a scarf wrapped around my neck, mugs of hot apple cider in hand while walking through pumpkin patches… ALMOST. Because let’s be real — I still need a few more sunny days to get rid of those weird tan lines.

Of course, no matter the season, I will always need dessert. That is something that will never change. And when I want to savor as much of the sunny outdoors before it begins to cool down, I also want my dessert to be short on prep and heavy on the deliciousness. That’s why I’m calling this blender dark chocolate orange mousse with sea salt my new best friend. And I’m not bluffing. Check out this Classic Chocolate Mousse too!

overhead view of dark chocolate orange mousse

Some facts about this mousse: It’s decadent, but simple. Indulgent, but easy. Sophisticated, but stress-free. You simply heat up a few ingredients on the stove, blend them to a dark chocolate-y, orange-y, sea salty perfection, pour the mixture into a few glasses, let them chill in the fridge for a few hours, and suddenly, DESSERT. But not just dessert — truly one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time. I do not kid when I tell you that I dream about this mousse on the regular, so much so that I’ve got a growing list in my phone of more flavor combinations using this very recipe that I add to when I wake up in the middle of the night with a new idea. I can’t stop. I won’t stop. And once you give it a try, you’ll likely feel the same way.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to go prep another batch of it before heading outside — to work on those tan lines.

Dark Chocolate Orange Mousse

By Stephanie Wise

Decadent blender-made dark chocolate orange mousse with a touch of sea salt makes for the ultimate treat.

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Chilling Time: 4

Total Time: 4 20

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Ingredients

▢ 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips
▢ 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
▢ ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
▢ ⅔ cup milk
▢ 3 egg whites
▢ ¼ teaspoon pure orange extract
▢ ½ cup cold heavy cream
▢ Fresh orange zest, for topping (optional)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

To a blender, add chocolate chips, sugar and sea salt. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring milk just to a simmer. Pour milk into blender; let stand 1 minute.
Blend mixture on medium-high speed 1 minute until well combined and smooth. Add egg whites and orange extract; blend on medium-high speed 1 minute more.
Divide mixture among 4 small serving cups or glasses. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form. Dollop whipped cream on top of fully chilled mousse, then sprinkle with orange zest, if desired.

Notes

The chocolate mixture should be smooth, well combined and just slightly thick after you add the egg whites and orange extract. If it isn’t, not to worry: it’ll thicken up a lot once chilled.
Not a fan of orange + chocolate? Swap the orange extract for vanilla extract for a classic chocolate mousse flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 212mg, Potassium: 445mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 531IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 106mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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