Layered with rich chocolate mousse, crunchy Oreo crumbs, and fluffy whipped cream, these French Silk Chocolate Mousse Parfaits are a perfectly indulgent treat to satisfy every chocolate craving! They make a stunning individual dessert that is no-bake and great for serving to guests at any occasion.
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Any french silk pie lovers out there? 🙋🏼♀️ These French Silk Chocolate Mousse Parfaits are like french silk pie in a jar! Lusciously creamy, rich chocolate flavor, and crunchy Oreo crumbs… can it get much better?
This recipe was inspired by the French Silk Pie from Handle the Heat. We made the filling, lightened it a little extra, then layered it with crushed Oreos and homemade whipped cream. So. Dang. Good.
🏅 Why this recipe is great
There are plenty of recipes out there for chocolate parfaits… So what makes this one special? It’s ALL in the french silk!
French silk chocolate mousse has a richer, deeper chocolate flavor than regular chocolate mousse. It’s ultra-creamy without being dense or too light. This is a true chocolate lover’s dessert and honestly the best chocolate mousse recipe.
🍫 Ingredients
Bittersweet chocolate: Bittersweet is my favorite for deep flavor, but you can also substitute with dark chocolate.
Sugar: Just white granulated sugar for the mousse.
Eggs: We will be cooking the eggs in this french silk filling, so no worries about raw eggs!
Vanilla: Adds just a bit of extra depth of flavor.
Butter: I use salted, but unsalted will work just fine.
Heavy cream: You will whip the heavy cream for both the french silk chocolate mousse and the whipped cream layer.
Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar has a bit of cornstarch in it, which will help the whipped cream hold its shape.
Oreos: You can also use generic brand chocolate cookies.
🔪 How to make the best chocolate parfaits
Let’s start with the french silk chocolate mousse. This part does require dirtying a few dishes, but I promise the end result is worth it!
Melt the chocolate: I do this in the microwave for ease, but you can use a double-broiler too.
Cook the eggs and sugar: Cook in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Make sure to whisk constantly as it will burn easily. Continue cooking until it has reached 160°F AND thickened slightly. This takes about 4-6 minutes for me.
I have found that sometimes the thermometer says 160, but the mixture really isn’t thick enough. But if you overcook it, the final mousse will not have the right texture. To test if the mixture is truly done, do the spoon test. 👇
Spoon test: Dip a spoon in the mixture and use your finger to draw a line on the back of the spoon. When the line holds (the mixture doesn't drip back into the line) the base is ready.
Add chocolate: Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Then allow to cool until it’s just warm so it won’t melt the butter in the next step.
Whip butter: In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or using hand mixers, beat the butter until it is light and fluffy. Then slowly incorporate the cooled chocolate mixture. Once combined, beat on high for 5 minutes, making it light and fluffy. Set aside.
Whip cream: In a clean bowl, whip the cream with the whisk attachment on med-high until it starts to thicken. Then turn to high and beat until stiff peaks have formed.
Fold in the cream: Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Do this with a rubber spatula very gently - if you stir normally, you will beat all of the air out of the cream.
I promise the rest is easy! Just make the whipped cream, crush the cookies, and assemble.
Whip the cream: Whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Crush the cookies: In a food processor, pulse the Oreo cookies until they are fine crumbs.
Assemble: In 8 oz glass jars, assemble the chocolate parfaits with even layers. Layer about ⅛ cup of Oreo crumbs, then ¼ cup of chocolate mousse, then about 3 tablespoons of whipped cream. Repeat so that each jar has two layers of everything. Then sprinkle with Oreo cookie crumbs on the top.
Chill: Chill in the fridge for at least one hour before serving, or up to 1 day.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
When making chocolate mousse parfaits for a crowd, I suggest making them a day ahead. You can store them fully assembled in the fridge for up to 1 day.
I also suggest making sure you have enough glasses for your crowd before making them. If you don’t have 8 oz glasses, you can also use smaller glasses and just adjust the layers to fit into your cups.
🙋 Questions and Answers
You can make and assemble the chocolate mousse parfaits, then store in the fridge for up to 1 day before serving.
A parfait just refers to a layered dessert. You can make chocolate parfaits with layers of mousse or pudding. Mousse is commonly used in parfaits and is a creamy yet light dessert made with whipped cream.
Once the cream has been folded into the chocolate, you cannot re-whip the mousse. Re-whipping it will cause it to lose any of the air it has left and the mousse will deflate.
Yes, refrigerating the mousse helps it firm slightly and maintains the creamy, light texture. If mousse gets too warm, the whipped cream in it will melt and make the mousse runny.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Don’t overcook or undercook the egg mixture. The thickness of this mixture determines the texture of the final mousse. The mixture should be at least 160° and just thick enough to pass the spoon test (see recipe card).
- Fold the cream into the chocolate very gently, trying to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
📖 Other amazing chocolate desserts
- The Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake - This cake is truly fool-proof perfection! Moist, rich chocolate flavor, and luscious chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate Lava Cakes for a Crowd - These lava cakes are surprisingly simple to make and perfect for serving a crowd.
- Chocolate Mint Cookies - Soft, fudgy cookies with a melted Andes mint on top. Perfect flavor combination for holidays!
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📋 Recipe
French Silk Chocolate Mousse Parfait
Ingredients
French Silk Chocolate Mousse (makes 2 ½ cups)
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 tbsp butter softened
- 1 cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream
- 1⅓ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Oreo Cookie Crumbs
- 20 Oreo cookies
Instructions
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Cook over med-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160° and has thickened slightly, 4-6 minutes. Test thickness by dipping a spoon in the mixture. It is ready when you can draw a finger across the back of the spoon and the line holds. (See picture in post)
- Remove mixture from heat and whisk in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Let cool until just warm so it won't melt the butter in the next step.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using hand mixers, beat the butter on med-high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add cooled chocolate mixture gradually on low speed, then increase to high speed and beat for 5 minutes. Mixture should be light and fluffy. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- In the clean stand mixer with the whisk attachment or using hand beaters, whip the cream on med-high until slightly thickened, then turn to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Whip cream: In a clean bowl, whip the cream and powdered sugar with the whisk attachment on med-high until it starts to thicken. Then turn to high and beat until stiff peaks have formed. Fold in the cream: Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Do this with a rubber spatula very gently - if you stir normally, you will beat all of the air out of the cream.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture very gently. Fold until fully combined and no streaks remain.
Whipped Cream
- In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or using hand beaters, whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Oreo Cookie Crumbs
- In a food processor, pulse Oreos until they are fine crumbs.
Assembly
- In five 8 oz glass jars, layer about ⅛ cup of Oreo crumbs, then ¼ cup of chocolate mousse, then about 3 tablespoons of whipped cream. Repeat with each layer so that each jar has two layers of everything. Sprinkle Oreo crumbs on top if desired.
- Chill in the fridge for at least one hour before serving, or to 1 day.
Notes
- Don’t overcook or undercook the egg mixture. The thickness of this mixture determines the texture of the final mousse. The mixture should be at least 160° and just thick enough to pass the spoon test (see recipe card).
- Fold the cream into the chocolate very gently, trying to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Jan says
Heaven! This screams heaven. So good! I was hoping for leftovers but they all got eaten before I could get to any extras.
Danielle says
It is heaven! So glad you enjoyed them.