World Chocolate Day Dessert: Chocolate Mousse Tart with a Crunchy Base and Silky Centre

Written by Deepali Verma | June 30, 2025

Does one piece ever feel like quite enough when chocolate is on the table? For all of us, chocolate is more than a sweet. It's associated with mood, moments, memoriesÑand on days such as World Chocolate Day on 7 July, it receives the honor it deserves. But rather than reaching for another square from a wrapper or crunching into the predictable cake, there's a dessert that seems to have been designed for this dayÑthe chocolate mousse tart. It's got contrasts that are working in your favor. The crust provides you with a crunchy foundation to crack into. The mousse in the middle is dark, and rich without being dense. And it's not difficult to prepare, even though it appears to be so.

This dessert exists in the middle ground between elegance and simplicity. The type you serve after the meal when you need the table to grow quiet for a moment. One slice becomes two, and the guests will ask youÑ"Did you actually make this?" Yes. Yes, you did.

And it's high time someone placed a dessert like this on the Indian plate. No syrups, no piping bags, no drama. Just good ingredients and a bit of patience.

Chocolate Mousse Tart Recipe

Ingredients:

For the base:

• 1_ cups digestive biscuits (crushed very fine)
• _ cup almonds or walnuts (toasted and ground)
• 5 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• A pinch of salt

For the mousse filling:

• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa, chopped)
• _ cup cream (fresh cream, not whipped)
• _ cup milk
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of instant coffee powder (optional, but boosts the richness)
• 1_ tsp gelatin or 2 sheets of gelatine (optional for a firmer mousse)

For topping:

• Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder (optional)
• Crushed nuts (optional)
• Fresh berries or orange zest (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175¡C. In a bowl, combine crushed biscuits, ground nuts, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Press firmly into a tart tin (with removable base), ensuring sides are equal. Bake for 8Ð10 minutes until firm. Cool completely.
2. For the mousse, warm cream and milk in a pan to the point of almost boiling. Remove from heat. Add in chopped chocolate, stand for a minute, then whisk until smooth. Add vanilla, coffee powder, and powdered sugar.
3. If using gelatin, soak in cold water (if sheets) or bloom powder in 1 tbsp water. Gently warm until dissolved, then stir into the chocolate mixture.
4. Fill the cooled tart case with the mousse. Tap on the work surface to remove air bubbles. Chill for 3Ð4 hours or until firm. Garnish to serve.

7 Secrets to an Ideal Chocolate Mousse Tart

Choice of Biscuit

Digestive biscuits provide texture and a touch of salt. Sprinkle in toasted almonds or walnuts to introduce body and bite. Process them fine, but not into dust. The base requires crunch. Press the crust firmly into your tart tin using a flat-bottomed glass to prevent a crumbly disaster later.

Make the Chocolate Count

Use high-quality dark chocolateÑat least 60Ð70% cocoa. The mousse doesn't rely on cream or sugar to do all the work, so the chocolate takes center stage. Don't use compound or sweet cooking chocolateÑthey disturb the balance and richness. Chop it very finely to enable it to melt smoothly without lumps.

Heat the Cream

Don't boil the cream. Warm until tiny bubbles appear on the edge and remove it. If too hot, it will break the chocolate. Allow the chopped chocolate to steep in the warm cream for a minute before mixing. That momentary pause allows it to melt evenly and allows you to have a mousse with a silky finish.

Use Gelatin If Required

If you prefer a mousse that remains slightly soft and light, omit the gelatin. But for clean edges and a slice that holds its shape on a plate, a little gelatin makes a difference. Don't overdo itÑit shouldn't be rubbery. Enough to keep the center firm when chilled. Use high-quality gelatin and dissolve it thoroughly before adding.

Chill the Base

Pouring chocolate filling into a warm crust will mess up the layers. The butter in the base will melt again, and the mousse wonÕt settle evenly. Give it timeÑ20 minutes on the counter or a quick trip to the fridge. YouÕll get a better contrast between the snap of the base and the softness above.

DonÕt rush the chill time

A mousse tart isn't a quick solution. After filling, it must have at least 3Ð4 hours of chill time to set hard. Better still, let it chill overnight. Avoid using the freezer unless it's an extreme time to squeezeÑit can destabilize the structure of the mousse and form ice crystals. Loosely cover the tart while it's chilling so it won't pick up fridge smells.

Top with Simple Toppings

Skip glazes or syrups that add sugar. Top with shaved dark chocolate, a dusting of cocoa powder, or chopped pistachios or hazelnuts. Some slices of strawberries or a bit of orange zest will give brightness without overpowering.