Guinness Chocolate Mousse is the perfect decadent dessert for St Patrick's Day, blending rich dark chocolate with the bold flavor of Guinness beer into a light and airy mousse. Quick, easy, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Guinness Chocolate Mousse is an easy dessert where the deep flavors of Guinness complement the richness of dark chocolate. It’s creamy, airy, smooth, and just a little unexpected with that very subtle tang from the stout.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Beer in dessert? Really?” But trust me, this isn’t just a novelty. The Guinness adds a layer of complexity that makes this mousse stand out from other chocolate desserts.
It’s perfect for when you want something a little different, but still comforting. You get the smooth, silky texture of a mousse, but with a St Patrick's Day themed flavour.
Making this mousse is pretty simple. You don’t need fancy equipment or difficult techniques.
The most time-consuming part is letting it chill in the fridge. But even that’s easy because you can prep it, set it aside, and forget about it until you’re ready to serve.
I love serving it in little glasses, topped with a layer of whipped cream to make it look like a freshly poured Guinness.
It’s one of those desserts that makes you look like a pro with minimal effort.
Looking for more Irish themed desserts for St Patricks Day? Be sure to try Irish Cream Baked Donuts or Barmbrack.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Unique Flavor Combination – The combination of Guinness beer and dark chocolate creates a rich, unexpected flavor that you won’t find in every dessert.
- Easy to Make – With just a few ingredients, it’s a simple recipe that doesn’t require a lot of fancy techniques.
- Impressive Presentation – It looks and tastes like something you'd get at a high-end restaurant, but it’s surprisingly easy to prepare. Top it with whipped cream to make it look like a little pint of Guinness.
- Make-Ahead – The mousse needs to chill for at least a couple of hours, so it’s a great dessert to prepare ahead of time for dinner parties or gatherings.
- Crowd-Pleaser – It’s one of those desserts that always gets compliments and is perfect for both casual and special occasions.
Ingredients
- Guinness – The star ingredient. It adds depth and a subtle tang to the mousse. Any stout beer will work, but Guinness is a classic choice. If you don’t want the beer flavor to be too pronounced, you could try a lighter stout or omit it for a more traditional chocolate mousse.
- Dark Chocolate – You want to use a high-quality dark chocolate for this recipe. It’s the base of the mousse, so the better the chocolate, the better the mousse. I recommend a 70% cocoa dark chocolate, but you can adjust to your taste.
- Heavy Cream – This is the key to the mousse’s smooth, airy texture. Don’t substitute with light cream or half-and-half; it won’t give you the same rich result.
- Butter – Used to help melt the chocolate smoothly and create a velvety texture in the mousse. If you need a substitution, you could use margarine, though butter will give the best richness.
- Powdered Sugar – Adds just the right amount of sweetness to balance the bitterness of the chocolate and the beer. If you prefer a less sweet mousse, you can reduce the sugar to taste.
- Vanilla Extract – This enhances the flavor profile and rounds out the mousse. You can swap it for a bit of espresso powder or a pinch of cinnamon for a different twist.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Guinness
Guinness is an iconic Irish stout, known for its deep, dark color and rich, malty flavor. While it’s mostly known for being sipped from a pint glass, its bold taste makes it an interesting and delicious ingredient in cooking and baking, adding depth to everything from stews to desserts like this mousse.
Try it in Guinness Brownies or Guinness Torte.
Instructions
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Chop the chocolate and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the Guinness beer and bring to a simmer.
Let it simmer for 5 minutes, reducing slightly.
Remove from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate.
Stir until completely melted and smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
In a separate mixing bowl, whip the chilled heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the cooled Guinness-chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until fully combined.
Spoon the mousse into small glasses, leaving a small gap at the top, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla, then spread in an even layer on top of the Guinness Chocolate Mousse, to look like a little glass of Guinness!
Variations
- Swap Guinness for another stout beer.
- Use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate for a sweeter mousse.
- Add a dash of cinnamon or chili powder for a bit of spice.
- Use espresso or coffee instead of Guinness for a different flavor base.
- Top with crushed nuts like hazelnuts or almonds.
- Incorporate a bit of orange zest for a citrusy kick.
Storage
You can store leftover Guinness chocolate mousse in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s best enjoyed within this time for the freshest texture.
I don’t recommend freezing this mousse, as it might affect the texture once thawed. But the good news is, it’s so easy to make that you won’t have leftovers for long!
Top tips
- Make sure the heavy cream is cold before whipping; this helps it hold its shape better.
- Don’t skip the cooling step for the Guinness-chocolate mixture—it needs to cool to room temperature before folding it into the whipped cream.
- Don’t overwhip the cream; you want soft peaks, not stiff peaks.
- Give it time to chill for at least two hours—this helps the flavors meld together and gives the mousse the perfect texture.
Irish Recipes for St Patricks Day
FAQs
Yes, you can omit the Guinness and use coffee, alcohol free Guinness or waterinstead for a non-alcoholic version.
It keeps well for 2-3 days in the fridge.
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📖 Recipe
Guinness Chocolate Mousse
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Electric mixer
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup Guinness beer 120ml
- 6 ounces dark chocolate 170g, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream 240ml, chilled
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the topping
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the Guinness beer and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, reducing slightly.
- Remove from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whip the chilled heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the cooled Guinness-chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until fully combined.
- Spoon the mousse into small glasses, leaving a gap at the top for cream, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
- To serve: Whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Spread onto the glasses of mousse to look like the foam on Guinness.
- Serve chilled.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
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