Warm chocolate mousse pots that can be made in minutes

What could be better than a warm and gooey chocolate dessert? A quick, warm and gooey chocolate dessert. These warm chocolate mousse pots add a sweet finishing touch to any meal and take no time at all to put together.

I have tested this recipe in various forms over the years, serving it as a soufflé tart in my pastry kitchens – baked into individual little tartlets and served simply with ice-cream. It was made to order when a customer chose it from the menu; nothing was prepared in advance as it was so quick.

These mousse pots are rich and indulgent, but having an individual pot to yourself is just the right amount. This is one of those desserts that is immediately impressive, as it looks like much more work than it is. These would rate higher on my favourite desserts list than cold chocolate mousse, as they don’t take hours to set. If you are impatient, like me, take note of this one.

I have made a sour cherry compote to serve as a base layer here, adding a few tablespoons to each individual pot before baking. This adds a gorgeous tart note to the pot and acts as a fruity surprise when you dip your spoon into it. This is optional, of course, but it is super quick, taking only a few minutes to cook and any leftovers are great in other puddings, or on top of porridge or yoghurt. I use frozen cherries, as they are available all year round, cooked gently with a little orange zest and juice in a saucepan until they have burst and the juices have become syrupy.

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While the compote can be made in advance, unfortunately the chocolate mousse can’t be prepped ahead, but the fact it only takes 10 minutes in the oven makes up for it.

When you are ready to serve the mousse pots, have all the ingredients ready to go: weigh the sugar, start to melt the chocolate and separate the eggs, this will make it so much easier to put together. Use a dark chocolate here, with high cocoa solids, 75 per cent and up will do the trick.

As all of our ovens are different, eight to 10 minutes cooking time given here is a guideline. The edges of the chocolate mousse should be slightly set when you dip your spoon in, almost cake-like, with the centre warm, gooey and melting.

Recipe: Warm chocolate cherry mousse pots