Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars: a nearly flourless chocolate torte layered with an airy strawberry mousse and garnished with white chocolate glaze. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any other time you’re craving something light, sweet, and pretty in pink!

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bar: a layered dessert with chocolate on the bottom, and a pale pink strawberry mousse drizzled with white chocolate glaze.  Topped with whipped cream and a Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARE, plated and sitting on a pink napkin with gold forks and candy wrappers in the background.

This is a sponsored post, written by me and created in partnership with Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. All opinions expressed herein are straight from my heart.

I’m so glad that Valentine’s Day is almost here!

Winter is just so long, and there always seems to be this huge stretch of nothingness after New Years.

But then along comes Valentine’s Day, and now we have something fun to look forward to. I love shopping for funny/cute cards and candy for my kiddos, and planning a special meal for my husband. The best part is all the pretty pink and red! It’s like a breath of fresh air after a long, gray, and dreary month.

Every year I try to share at least one romantic, pink (or red!) dessert. You can check out all my past Valentine’s Day recipes here. Lots of cute and delicious ideas!

This year I was inspired to create these Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars when I saw Ghirardelli’s latest treat: their new Strawberry Bark SQUARES!

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars: layers of nearly-flourless chocolate torte and airy strawberry mousse, topped with a white chocolate glaze.  Whisper-light and so pretty!  #food #desserts #chocolate #strawberry #valentinesday #pink #mousse

I’m sure you probably already know what a fan I am of Ghirardelli chocolate. Their products have inspired so many delicious recipes on this site over the last year. Let’s take a little walk down memory lane…

White Chocolate Funfetti Bark: this was so simple to make and came out so pretty! Perfect as a homemade Easter or Passover gift. food desserts chocolate #Ghirardelli #ad

We kicked off Spring with an easy tutorial on How to Make Chocolate Bark. With three different bark recipes!

Chocolate Caramel Chip Cheesecake: Omg this was to-die-for! So rich and chocolate-y. Will definitely make again- it's a perfect make-ahead dessert. food desserts chocolate

Then things got decadent, when we made this Chocolate Caramel Chip Cheesecake

Chocolate Cream Pie with chocolate crust, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. A slice is taken out of the pie so the fluffy chocolate mousse filling is visible.

A nearly no-bake Chocolate Cream Pie came along, just in time for Thanksgiving!

Chocolate Peppermint Swig Cookies with chocolate sour cream frosting and chopped peppermint bark on top, on a round wire cooling rack over a pale pink checked cloth.

And we ended 2017 on a high note, with these amazing soft Chocolate Peppermint Swig Cookies.

And now we have these pretty layered Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars.

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars: layers of nearly-flourless chocolate torte and airy strawberry mousse, topped with a white chocolate glaze.  Whisper-light and so pretty!  #food #desserts #chocolate #strawberry #valentinesday #pink #mousse

When I saw Ghirardelli’s Strawberry Bark SQUARES, I fell in love. They’re the Ghirardelli SQUARES you already know and love, with a new flavor combination that’s perfect for the upcoming holiday. I just loved the combination of rich milk chocolate, creamy white chocolate, and bright strawberry. It’s the perfect treat for Valentine’s!

Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARES spilling out of a bag, with some candies unwrapped and broken, with fresh strawberries and pink rosebuds.

They’d make such a nice last-minute gift. Aren’t they so pretty, with the layered milk and white chocolate, and all those little pink strawberry flecks?

A stack of Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARES with roses, strawberries, and candy wrappers in the background.

I was inspired to create a layered dessert, with the same creamy chocolate and sweet strawberry flavors.

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars were the answer!

With a melt-in-your-mouth, nearly flourless chocolate torte as the base, and a whisper light layer of strawberry mousse, these bars are a perfect ending to your special Valentine’s Day meal.
The strawberry flavor really shines, and it’s like a ray of sunshine to taste sweet summer berries on a cold February day!

Top them with a creamy white chocolate glaze, and garnish with Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARES. It will be a Valentine’s Day you’ll never forget!

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bar: a layered dessert with chocolate on the bottom, and a pale pink strawberry mousse drizzled with white chocolate glaze.  Topped with whipped cream and a Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARE, plated and sitting on a pink napkin with gold forks and candy wrappers in the background.

More great Valentine’s Day recipes on my “Holiday” Pinterest board!


Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bar: a layered dessert with chocolate on the bottom, and a pale pink strawberry mousse drizzled with white chocolate glaze. Topped with whipped cream and a Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARE, plated and sitting on a pink napkin with gold forks and candy wrappers in the background.
4.34 stars (6 ratings)

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars

Servings: 9 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time:: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Bars: a nearly flourless chocolate torte layered with an airy strawberry mousse and garnished with white chocolate glaze. Perfect for Valentine's Day, or any other time you're craving something light, sweet, and pretty in pink!

Ingredients

For the chocolate base layer:

For the strawberry mousse layer:

  • 3 tablespoons water
  • .25 ounces (7.09 g) unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 1 cup (244 g) milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup (66.67 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 ounces (113.4 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and finely chopped or pureed, (approx. 5 or 6 large berries)
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, (from 1/2 lemon)
  • 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) kosher salt
  • 1 cup (238 g) heavy whipping cream
  • Drop of pink food coloring, (optional)

For the garnishes:

  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 ounces (56.7 g) Ghirardelli White Chocolate Baking Bar,, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 cup (238 g) heavy whipping cream,, whipped softly with 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 9 Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARES

Instructions
 

To make the chocolate base layer:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, mist a 9x9-inch square baking pan with non-stick spray, and line it with parchment.
  • Place the Ghirardelli Bittersweet 60% Cacao Baking Chips and butter in a small bowl, and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring, until melted and smooth.
  • Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, and whip until pale and doubled in volume.
  • Fold the chocolate mixture into the yolks, along with the almond meal, flour, extracts, and salt.
  • Place the egg whites in a medium bowl and whip until they can hold stiff peaks.
  • Fold the whipped whites into the chocolate mixture, a little at a time.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cool completely, then top with strawberry mousse.

To make the strawberry mousse:

  • Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top.
  • Heat the milk in a small pot over low heat.
  • Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl, until pale and doubled in volume.
  • When the milk is steaming, pour it into the yolk mixture in a slow, thin stream, while whisking.
  • When all the milk has been added, transfer the mixture back to the pot and cook over low heat, whisking, until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes).
  • Stir in the gelatin mixture, the fresh strawberries, strawberry preserves, lemon juice, and salt.
  • Cool the mixture to room temperature.
  • Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks, then fold into the strawberry mixture. Tint with food coloring, if using.
  • Pour the mousse over the chocolate base, and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

To garnish:

  • Place the cream, white chocolate, and corn syrup in a heat-safe measuring cup, and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until melted and smooth.
  • Pour the glaze over the mousse.
  • Allow the glaze to set, then cut into bars.
  • Top each bar with whipped cream and a Ghirardelli Strawberry Bark SQUARE.
Calories: 660kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 48g, Saturated Fat: 29g, Cholesterol: 252mg, Sodium: 192mg, Potassium: 281mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 1405IU, Vitamin C: 8.9mg, Calcium: 184mg, Iron: 1.2mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.