Margaret Fulton’s Excellent Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate mousse had it’s moment of glory in the 1970s. My preference was always for a small pot of dark dense intense mousse made with bittersweet chocolate, more closely related to a chocolate truffle than mousse.
Reading the Margaret Fulton Cookbook from 1968 for the Cookbook Guru I came across this recipe for chocolate mousse without cream, with a shot of espresso added for a bitter twist. It was a call for me to revisit chocolate mousse.
Most of this book has dated badly, but it is a snapshot in time, a valuable reflection of the Anglo Aussie food of my childhood. Thankfully we’ve moved on, embraced the cultural influences of our neighbours and friends, married their flavours and techniques to those we grew up with and created a free ranging Aussie cuisine unfettered by tradition.
There are some recipes of note in this book though, a smattering of recipes that translate across the 50 years since it’s publication. You only need to look at the baking others have been posting on the Cookbook Guru to see the foundation of many of today’s ideas.
I’ve tweaked this recipe a little in deference to my coffee habit and adjusted the method a tad for increased stability, but as it stands it’s a truly fabulous made in 10 minute dessert recipe.
It’s walnut season so I topped the mousse with crushed candied walnuts for crunch!
Chocolate Mousse
125g dark chocolate, chopped ( I used Lindt 58% bittersweet couverture)
30 mls strong espresso
4 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon castor sugar
Chop the chocolate and put it into a basin with the coffee.
Put the bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate.
Stir until smooth.
Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in to egg yolks one at a time.
Beat the egg whites into soft peaks, then sprinkle over the castor sugar and continue whisking until the sugar is incorporated. This will stabilise the egg white.
Lightly and thoroughly fold the 1/3 of the egg white into the chocolate.
Fold in the remaining egg white.
Spoon the mousse into individual serving glasses.
Chill for 4 hours or overnight.
Serves 6
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57 comments on “Margaret Fulton’s Excellent Chocolate Mousse”
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Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
I remember this recipe from my adolescence so well. I must have made it so many times. Grateful to find your post today as I wanted to cook it for some old friends. So thank you.
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You’re welcome. I made the mousse with my 9yr old grand daughter recently, just reinforced how brilliant the recipe is. Enjoy…..
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Hi there! Margaret’s is my go-to recipe for mousse too. Your presentation is beautiful. I was wondering if you’d had any success making it ahead of time? (I’m thinking almost 2 full days) (today for sunday!)
cheers
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Hi Kath, I’ve never tried 2 days ahead but if you made it tomorrow it would be fine Sunday. Enjoy….
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yum chocolate mousse. still a good thing after all these years. i used to make it with whipped cream also and no coffee but i think the coffee is a fab idea.
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Anything chocolate is very welcome! This looks easy and can be prepared in advance – two big pluses. Love those candied walnuts.
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Thanks Debi, you’re right chocolate is always a big hit!!
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I prefer the denser version of chocolate mousse as well, although they’re both pretty fabulous! Love the candied walnuts idea!
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Thanks Mimi, the choc mousse was quite a treat
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Classic indeed and very tasty.
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Thanks Stefan
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I love looking at old cookbooks – my mother has a series of Italian cook books from the 1970s and clearly food photography wasn’t big those days! The food looks totally unappetising (though many of the recipes are still ok). Margaret Fulton was such a legend – and the only Australian cook that was talked about back then (I have a vague memory of Peter Russell Clark though…). I think her grand daughter has a lovely cookbook that has just been released). Anyway the mousse looks terrific!
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Thanks Paula, it is good mousse, the espresso lifts the flavour a notch. I love old cookbooks for their social value. Did we really cook and eat that way?
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So beautifully put Sandra… “Thankfully we’ve moved on, embraced the cultural influences of our neighbours and friends, married their flavours and techniques to those we grew up with and created a free ranging Aussie cuisine unfettered by tradition.”
Such a beautiful luscious dessert too! Love the extra boost of espresso – could a mousse get any better than this!?! 🙂
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Thanks to your inspiration Margot, that line was grew out of something you said to me a month or so ago!
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How delectable and so beautifully presented! Yum!
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Thanks Fae, a lovely treat!
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Some things never go out of style.
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Spot on!!
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I am not a dessert maker, or eater really, but this one may make me change my mind! Yum!
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Thanks Ann, it’s quick and simple and oh so delicious, worth the effort!
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Sandra, that Mousse looks very very tempting and I like the addition of walnuts on the top! 🙂
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Most of my early cooking was taken from Margaret Fulton’s books. I recall making her chocolate mousse many times, with great success.
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MF’s mousse is a recipe so good I understand you making over and over. I’ve been cooking from this book for 40yrs, can’t believe I’d overlooked it!
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OMG: we did not use the word ‘fusion’ in those days but were truly trying for tastes and origins different! Am not a desert maker but remember these ‘obligatories’ only too well!! OK – if we call ‘Margaret Fulton’ of the time ‘dated’ what about recipes we read all the way to that ultimate gourmand Henry VIII? Let’s cancel the ‘bad’ and keep the ‘good’ Have a wonderful Long Weekend!!!!
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You’re right MFs recipes were of the day. I just can’t reconcile cooking with canned fruit etc any more than I could eat swan. It’s great mousse
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I haven’t made chocolate mousse in years! It was my go-to dessert when I was 16-17 and mum was having a dinner party. SO GOOD!
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It’s still good Mel!!
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Sounds divine. I’ve always felt guilty about all that cream.
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This is guilt free chocolate mousse then!
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It has been years since I made chocolate mousse. Baby Lady does one with tofu that is quite good. I keep threatening her with a “real” chocolate mousse. I need to make it one of these days. “Back in the day,” I used to do a chocolate mouse with bakers chocolate, sugar, rum, a spot of whipped cream and egg whites. It was silky smooth, very chocolatey and a hit everywhere I made it. I love the deep, rich, complex flavor of a mousse with dark chocolate not overpowered by the cream. A spot of espresso always accents the chocolate because it gives it the contrasting background to bring the chocolate forward on your palate. Your mousse sounds incredible!! I also love the pics, especially the tasting one. 🙂
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Food fashions come and go, but there are some dishes that are worth resurrecting, chocolate mousse being an example. Treat yourselves and give your mousse recipe an airing
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I hmmm amazing! Look very inviting indeed👌
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Thanks Sarah
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I used to love chocolate mousse, and actually got offered some last evening….alas, I had to say no as I can’t have raw egg these days….very sad
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Oh I’m sorry that mousse is off your diet Sue, but hopefully you still have plenty of fresh treats that are OK
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Oh, I manage!
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Looks fantastic. Chocolate at its best. Like this version with no cream, I will have to try it out.
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I prefer mousse without added cream, this is simple and extra yum
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I love that one of the ingredients is espresso 🙂 A sweet little treat that looks delicious, thanks for sharing the recipe!
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Coffee and chocolate mmmmm
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Looks just scrumptious! Nothing like classic mousse 🙂 Like the addition of crunchy topping, always good to have a little texture with custard!
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I’m all for texture, I love contrasts…
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I’ve always made her version, without cream, it stands up well go the French version. Like your tweaks.
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Thanks Francesca, it’s good mousse, that’s for sure…
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OMG Chocolate mousse. What could be better?
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Glenda this is THE best mousse, no cream, the tiniest amount of sugar, pure chocolatey pleasure!!
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Beautiful photos Mrs R. A treasured part of our culinary tradition, loving the crushed candied walnuts.
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Thanks Cheery, it’s easy to put your heart and soul into something you know will be delicious to eat once the photos are taken!
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Ahh! The SIXTH food group…
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yep, THE most important too!!!
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Reblogged this on The Cookbook Guru and commented:
Chocolate….Mousse… do I need to say more to get you reading this post by Lady Red Specs as part of this month’s The Cookbook Guru? An excellent example of why sometimes the old school recipes are still great. I know I’ll be asking for a remake next time Lady Red Specs is visiting.
Happy Reading,
Leah
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Looks absolutely delicious!
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And so, so simple. Thanks for commenting Aruna
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Oh wow… I want some!!! You’ll have to recreate this when you’re up for your visit as I think both Gee’s (or should I say all 3) might like it 🙂 xxx
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Easy….xxxxx
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