Salted Caramel Chocolate Mousse Cups with Crisp Chocolate Shells
By Liam Carter
This is a sweet finish for a Valentine’s meal or a shared dessert tray. Each cup pairs rich chocolate mousse with homemade salted caramel in a crisp chocolate shell, finished with coarse salt and chocolate curls after a long chill.
The shells start with melted chocolate spread inside muffin liners, while the mousse begins as a cooked custard of egg yolks, sugar, cream, vanilla, salt, and chocolate. A second cup of whipped cream is folded into the chilled chocolate base, giving the filling its airy structure. The caramel uses white sugar, corn syrup, salted butter, cream, salt, and vanilla for a dark, pourable topping.
The key mousse cue is a custard that thickens slightly over low heat without boiling; it should reach 170ºF when checked with a thermometer. Slowly stirring hot cream into the yolks first prevents bits of cooked egg from forming. Cool the chocolate mixture before folding in whipped cream, since warm mousse base can deflate or melt the stiff peaks.
Spoon caramel into the shells before adding mousse, then finish with more caramel, kosher salt, and chocolate curls or shavings. The cups can be eaten right away, but the recipe recommends another four hours of refrigeration for a thicker, fully set filling.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Individual chocolate cups make a thoughtful dessert for a date night or gathering because everyone gets their own mousse, caramel layer, and finishing sprinkle.
- Chocolate fans get contrast in every bite, since the firm shell surrounds a light mousse and the dark caramel adds a salty-sweet finish.
- Regular muffin liners can replace jumbo liners, which helps when serving a larger group by producing more petite cups from the same components.
- The long chilling time suits busy hosts because the mousse needs to set before serving, leaving the final dessert ready for topping later.
- Guests who prefer different chocolate styles can use dark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate in the mousse, as noted in the recipe.
- Leftover assembled cups stay portioned and easy to serve because each mousse filling is already contained in its own hardened chocolate shell.
Ingredients
- •muffin liners (jumbo or regular)
- •1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (about, 6 oz.)
- •4 egg yolks
- •0.25 cup granulated sugar
- •1 cup heavy cream
- •1 tsp vanilla
- •0.13 tsp salt
- •1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (dark chocolate chips were used; milk or semi-sweet chocolate may also be used)
- •1 cup heavy cream (additional)
- •0.5 cup white sugar
- •2 tbsp light corn syrup
- •3 tbsp salted butter
- •0.33 cup heavy cream
- •0.25 tsp salt
- •1 tsp vanilla
- •chocolate curls or shaved or chopped chocolate (for topping)
- •kosher salt or coarse salt (for topping)
Instructions
- 1
Melt the chocolate for the cups, using 50% microwave power and stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
- 2
Place 6 jumbo muffin liners into a muffin tin.
- 3
Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted chocolate into each liner and spread it about three-quarters of the way up the sides, making sure there is a thick coat everywhere.
- 4
Allow the chocolate cups to harden completely, using the refrigerator or freezer if desired, then peel away the liners.
- 5
Whisk the egg yolks together and slowly add the sugar, whisking until well combined.
- 6
Heat 1 cup cream with the vanilla and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not boiling.
- 7
Slowly stir at least half of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, then stir the whole egg and cream mixture back into the pot.
- 8
Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly but does not boil; it should reach 170ºF if using a thermometer.
- 9
Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips until melted.
- 10
Cover and refrigerate the mousse mixture for about 1 to 2 hours, just until chilled.
- 11
Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- 12
When the caramel begins to brown, stir constantly and continue cooking until it reaches a rich dark caramel color.
- 13
Add the butter and cream and stir until well combined and smooth.
- 14
Add the salt and vanilla; if the caramel is lumpy, return it to the heat and stir until the lumps melt, then set aside to cool.
- 15
Once the mousse mixture is cool, beat the additional cup of cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- 16
Whisk one or two spoonfuls of whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in all of the remaining whipped cream.
- 17
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of caramel into the bottom of each chocolate cup, warming the caramel slightly if it has become too thick without getting it too hot.
- 18
Spoon the mousse into each cup.
- 19
Drizzle the remaining caramel over the tops and sprinkle with kosher salt and chocolate curls or shavings.
- 20
Eat immediately or refrigerate for another 4 hours so the mousse sets and thickens.
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