Chocolate Mousse Brownies: Creamy Layers With Decadent Flavor
These rich brownies are topped with a silky chocolate mousse for the ultimate layered dessert that melts in your mouth.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 squares
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked, No-Bake (for mousse & ganache)
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Brownie Base:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
For the Chocolate Mousse Layer:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Ganache Topping:
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter (optional, for shine)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Make the brownie base: Melt butter and chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Fold in flour and salt until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20–22 minutes. Let cool completely.
Prepare the mousse layer: Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler until smooth. Let cool slightly.
In a large bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat to stiff peaks. Gently fold in cooled melted chocolate until smooth.
Spread mousse evenly over the cooled brownie layer. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Make ganache topping: Heat cream until just simmering, then pour over chocolate chips. Let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Add butter if using.
Pour ganache over mousse and smooth the top. Chill for another 30 minutes or until set.
Slice and serve chilled for clean layers.
Notes
Wipe the knife between cuts for clean, layered slices.
Use bittersweet chocolate for a less sweet mousse.
For a crunch, add a layer of crushed cookies or chopped nuts between the brownie and mousse.
Store in refrigerator up to 5 days. Freezes well (wrap tightly).
