Greek Yogurt and Chocolate Mousse with Cherries

choco_cherry_pThis year, thanks to favourable weather conditions, cherries have appeared in France and Switzerland early, so I have been enjoying them for quite a long time. This refreshing slightly tangy dessert keeps them raw, untransformed, preserving not only their taste, but, I guess, much of the precious vitamin C. Obviously, they make a perfect pair with dark chocolate. The photograph you see above was taken last year when I was offered some black sour cherries (unavailable here), but I have tested this mousse with sweet cherries several times this year and it was equally delicious (well, to be frank… almost… if, like me, you appreciate sour cherries).

WARNING! This lighter mousse contains Greek yogurt and it will be slightly tangy in taste, so if you don’t like tanginess combined with chocolate and/or you wish to prepare a richer dessert, you might want to try the below quick eggless chocolate mousse version instead, prepared with cream (and without gelatin):

Quick Eggless Chocolate Mousse
Quick Eggless Chocolate Mousse

TIPS: The amounts of gelatin used depend sometimes on the brand. Leaves are sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller; powdered gelatin sometimes contains other products (for example sugar) and doesn’t set as well as pure gelatin in powder… In short, the aim here is to use the amount of gelatin which sets 500 ml/2 cups/about 17 oz liquid, so check the package instructions. (The whole mixture has more than 500 ml (+ cherries), so the mousse will be firm, but not hard as a standard jelly).

If you want to make this dessert quicker and in an easier way, you can omit the gelatin and you will obtain a cream rather than a firm mousse. The taste will be the same.

The colour of this mousse will depend on the chocolate’s quality. The darker it is and the higher its cocoa content is, the darker the mousse will be.

The mousses keep well (covered) in the fridge for several days.

Preparation: 20 minutes + several hours in the fridge

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

350 ml (about 12 fl oz) Greek yogurt (if you use low-fat yogurt, it might be too sour, so I cannot guarantee the same taste result)

200 g (about 7 oz) good quality dark chocolate (I use here organic, min. 72% cocoa chocolate) + some more for decoration (if you wish)

about 25 big pitted cherries + 20 for decoration

5 flat tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

(1 flat teaspoon instant coffee)

(several tablespoons kirsch)

1 tablespoon gelatin in powder or other amount necessary to set 500 ml liquid, see TIPS above (you can use leaves too, in amounts necessary to set 500 ml/2 cups liquid)

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a pan on a very low heat or in a water bath (stirring and watching it constantly so that it doesn’t burn) or in a microwave (if you microwave it, do it in two-three stages because once it’s “cooked”, it cannot be used).

Put aside and let it cool down.

When the chocolate is warm, but no longer hot, pour it into a food processor.

Add the yogurt, the sugar, the coffee and the kirsch if you use it.

Mix the yogurt and chocolate mixture until smooth.
Taste if it’s sweet enough for your taste and add more sugar if needed. Mix again.

Dissolve the gelatin in 4 tablespoons warm water or even hot water if it’s advised on your package. If using leaves, soften them in cold water, squeeze and dissolve also in 4 tablespoons warm water.

Mix well the dissolved gelatin with the yogurt mixture. 

Divide the pitted cherries into individual serving bowls.

Pour the mousse over them.

Put the mousse into the fridge for 2 -3 hours until it sets.

Decorate with shaved chocolate and cherries just before serving.

 

22 Replies to “Greek Yogurt and Chocolate Mousse with Cherries”

  1. As always, your mousse/gelatin dessert is beautiful in design, portion size and flavour combination though I think it qualifies as a mocha when you combine chocolate with coffee.

    And, I bet your 72% cocoa butter chocolate usage was a lot more satisfying than my own … that mud cake was such a disappointment texturally. Desserts with cherries are popping up everywhere. I made a cherry crumble to celebrate Canada Day and to go along with corn dogs.

    1. Thank you so much, A_Boleyn. I don’t really combine chocolate with coffee… I almost always add some coffee to enhance chocolate’s flavours and for most people the coffee taste is impossible to detect. This is why I have put coffee as an optional ingredient.
      After many experiments I stopped using cheap low-cocoa chocolate in cakes and sweets. It’s better to use dark cocoa instead… Bad chocolate contains often some strange fats (such as palm oil) and not only destroys the look but also the taste of the final result.

  2. I simply adore the combination of chocolate and tangy yogurt, Sissi. You’ve taken me right back to my childhood when my Mom made a delicious chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting — I loved it but my brother and Dad not so much. It’s definitely more of an adult taste. I’m going to keep this wonderful recipe for a nice light summer dessert — perhaps even next weekend when we’re hosting another foodie couple at the cottage.

    1. Thanks a lot, Eva. I’m really in awe of the variety of the dishes you are able to serve at your cottage!

  3. I’ve never thought of paring cherries with chocolate, but your black cherries look very agreeable to chocolate mousse. I wonder what types of cherries are usually available where you live. Can you get light-colored Japanese varieties?

    1. Thank you so much, Hiroyuki. Cherries and chocolate seem in Europe quite a popular combination. We get here roughly three types of cherries: sweet dark red, sweet light (yellow with light red “blushes”) and sour light red, which appear at the beginning of the cherry season, but in some other countries (Germany, Poland, Hungary) there are my favourite dark red sour cherries (the ones at the photo above). (Of course among these rough characteristics there are different varieties…). I don’t think the Japanese varieties are available…

  4. I could not agree more with A_Boleyn. I find your desserts push all of my sensory and taste buttons. They seem perfectly suited to my preferences – just the right size, not too sweet and so tempting looking! In short, I think you make them for me ;-). Such a beautiful photo too. Who doesn’t love the combination of cherries and chocolate … what a delight! p.s. I think I’ve been eating Greek yogurt too long… I no longer find it tangy!! :).

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly. I’m glad you are not put off by the lighter replacement of heavy cream here 😉 I am a big fan of light, refreshing desserts and I also love Greek yogurt. (I also love acid desserts, such as yogurt with fruits without any sweetener).

  5. I consider you as kanten and mousse expert as you make excellent recipes! Chocolate and cherries go well together but I don’t make it at home. This one is much easier dessert than chocolate / cherry cake or other kinds. What a nice summer dessert!

    1. Haha! You are much too kind. I’m not an expert, but I am a crazy kanten and gelatin user indeed 😉 Thank you so much for the compliments.

  6. Is there any better combination that cherries and chocolate? I don’t think so! WOW Sissi! You’ve outdone yourself with this one. All of your gelatin dessert are awesome, but the combination of the chocolate mousse with bits of cherries sounds and looks incredible! I love that picture! It’s food photography that makes the photo all about the food. Who on earth wouldn’t want to stick a spoon in that bowl and started eating! I’m in heaven here!

  7. W tym roku zdecydowanie mamy szczescie z czeresniami, ogolnie z owocami zreszta – oby tak dalej 😉
    Twoj mus bardzo apetycznie wyglada, polaczenie czekolady i czeresni zawsze do mnie przemawia 🙂
    Pozdrawiam serdecznie i milego tygodnia zycze! :*

    1. Dzieki serdeczne, Bea. To zdjecia to zeszloroczne wspomnienia cudownych wisni przywiezionych przez kolezanke z Wegier… ale czeresnie sa tez bardzo smaczne z czekolada oczywiscie!

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