Halloween Chocolate Mousse

Just look how cute these little chocolate mousse graveyards are! It's kind of ridiculous how much I love Halloween and all the slightly cheesy, a little bit gory, and downright fun the food can be.

The inspiration for these totally adorable Halloween desserts came from a photo over at  My Recipes. If you have a favorite chocolate mousse recipe definitely go ahead and use that. Or you can try out my take on Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse. Or you can use the recipe posted here; it's light and fluffy and chocolaty.

The tombstone cookies are a basic rolled sugar cookie recipe. If you have one you love go for it and use it to make these tombstones. If you use the recipe I have here you will have TONS more cookie dough than you'll need for the chocolate mousses (insert big smiley face for extra cookies!)

Halloween Chocolate Mousse

Did I mention that I am a total sucker for Halloween desserts?

This past weekend I was hired to cater a Halloween party and was encouraged to make the menu as fitting as possible. There were tomato eyeballs and severed finger cookies and a bubbling cauldron of cheese (otherwise known as Caramelized Shallot and Gruyere Fondue, at least when it's not served in a cauldron) and lots of other Halloween inspired treats, including these chocolate mousse graveyards.

So guys, I need to quickly share something with you … I LOVE desserts served in 125ml mason jars. Seriously, they're the best!

Here's why desserts in little mason jars are the best:

  1. You can make them ahead of time and they always store so easily
  2. You can transport them no problem at all
  3. They're the perfect amount of dessert for after a big meal
  4. And they're super stupidly cute

If you make these Halloween Chocolate Mousse desserts make sure to snap a pic and tag @theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create.

Print
Halloween Chocolate Mousse

Halloween Chocolate Mousse

  • Author: Kristen Stevens
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: North American

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

If you're looking for a seriously cute Halloween dessert, this is it: Halloween Chocolate Mousse. The tiny graveyard scene is deliciously ghoulish.

Scale

Ingredients

For the Halloween chocolate mousse:

  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 4 tablespoons white sugar, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream

For the tombstone cookies:

  • 3/4 cups butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Black decorating gel or icing

To assemble:

  • Oreo cookie crumbs

Instructions

For the Halloween chocolate mousse:

  1. In a medium-sized bowl melt the chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. When it has melted remove it from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks.
  2. In a large bowl add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer until foamy. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form.
  3. In a large bowl add cream, vanilla extract, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
  4. Add 2 tablespoons of egg whites to the chocolate mixture and stir to loosen it. Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites. Then fold in the whipped cream.
  5. Divide mousse evenly between 8 small (125ml/ 1/2 cup) mason jars and place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
  6. Make ahead: mousse can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated.

For the tombstone cookies:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla using an electric mixer. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking flour, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix till combined.
  3. Roll out half the dough to 1/2 inch between 2 pieces of parchment paper, lightly dusted with flour. Cut out tombstone shapes. (Making the tombstones slightly pointed at the ends will help them hold in the mousse.)
  4. Bake on cookie sheets for 6-8 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and cool completely.
  5. Using a gel decorating pen or icing sugar, write RIP on each tombstone.

To assemble:

  1. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of cookie crumbs on top of chocolate mousse and place a tombstone cookie in each.

Notes

I substituted 1/2 cup of gluten free flour. The brand I use has black flecks (buckwheat four, I believe) and it worked well to produce a speckled, stone-like look.

*Mousse recipe is from Joy of Baking. They have a great video tutorial which I recommend you watch if you are new to making chocolate mousse.