The world is divided into two groups: mint chocolate lovers and people who make faces at us. Normally I would say no problem, more for me! But I really feel like mint chocolate deserves a second chance. Maybe you had a bad experience with toothpaste ice cream, but when done right, mint chocolate is one of the all-time best combinations in dessert history.
With this mousse recipe, baker Lucie Franc de Ferriere makes mint chocolate so very good. Lucie now runs an East Village bakeryspecialized in impressive flower covered cakes. But when she was a child, her favorite dessert was dark chocolate mousse. “Even back then, I loved richer, darker chocolate,” she writes in her new cookbook. Lucie’s Cake (available this week!) “I daydreamed about eating it. In my own recipe, I added mint to give it a light digestive quality, much like after-dinner mint, my father’s favorite snack.”
The secret to an excellent mousse, says Lucie, is in the details: very dark chocolate, eggs no older than a week and cool mint. “That’s a must. Peppermint extracts have that toothpaste flavor and you’ll miss the true essence of the herb.” However, if you’re staunchly anti-mint, Lucie is much calmer about it than I would be. “You can experiment with other herbs, like rosemary or thyme. Put your own spin on it!” I have to admit, they both sound amazing. Mousse is never a quick dessert, but it is worth taking the time and separating the egg. So, everyone pick a herb and let’s make mousse!
Chocolate and mint mousse
of Lucie’s Cakeby Lucie Franc de Ferriere
Serves about 10
1 stick, plus 1 tablespoon (128 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 sprigs fresh mint, leaves coarsely chopped and stems discarded
7 ounces (200 g) dark chocolate*, chopped
distilled white vinegar
8 large eggs, separated (“Let them sit for an hour to come to room temperature”)
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling
*Note: Lucie recommends using chocolate that is at least 72% cocoa. “That’s what gives the mousse its rich, velvety flavor.”
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and then add mint. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl, pressing down on the mint to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the mint leaves.
Fill a medium saucepan with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the mint-infused butter and chocolate, then place the bowl over the pot of boiling water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and completely combined with the butter. Remove the bowl from the saucepan (be careful, it will be hot!) and use a clean tea towel to wipe away any condensation from the bottom.
Meanwhile, use a paper towel to wipe the bowl of your mixer with about 1/4 teaspoon of white vinegar. Wipe the entire surface of the bowl, making sure there are no traces of liquid or grease. Attach the mixer with the whisk attachment and add the egg whites. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form (3-5 minutes). In a separate large bowl, vigorously beat the egg yolks and 4 teaspoons sugar until pale and airy (2-3 minutes). Pour the chocolate and butter mixture over the egg yolk mixture and beat until completely combined. Add the salt and beat to incorporate.
Once the whites are stiff, add the remaining sugar and beat on high speed until stiff. rigid Peaks form (7-8 minutes). (If you are not sure if the meringue has a stiff peak, remove the whisk attachment from the mixer and turn it over so that it is with the whisk facing up. The peaks should point up and be very stiff.) Add about a third of the beaten egg whites to the chocolate and egg yolk mixture, and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining egg whites and mix gently with a rubber spatula until completely combined and uniform in color.
Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least four hours, or preferably overnight. (Will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.) When ready, sprinkle each serving with Maldon sea salt and serve.
Thank you so much, lucia! And congratulations on your beautiful new cookbook.
PS: More favorite recipes, including Natasha Pickowicz’s spectacular tater-tot cake, and if you’re still craving chocolate, here’s my Parisian style. hot chocolate (it only takes 10 minutes!).
(Photographs copyright © 2026 by Lucia Bell-Epstein. Illustrations copyright 2026 © maya netzer. Extracted from Lucie’s CakeOn sale now from Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group. Copyright © 2026 by Lucie Franc de Ferriere.)
