Chocolate Lasagna Recipe

Well, there’s one thing I’d like to mention – I never really thought that chocolate lasagna was
something I’d enjoy. For a long time I believed it was the kind of dish you see at luxury parties or in
the windows of bakeries, a dish that looks fantastic in a photograph but one which probably would
take all day to prepare. Yet when I prepared it at home, I have to admit it took less time than it would
to order a pizza.
I am continually making it, especially on nights when I tell myself that I’ve managed to prepare
something special, even though all I actually do is mix up the ingredients and place them in the fridge.
The dish has several layers of chocolate mousse on a base of cookie crust, with a shiny ganache
atop it, and when you cut into it you get the impression that you’ve bought it from a high-end bakery.
Nothing needs to be baked, there are no difficult techniques involved, and none of the ingredients will
be ones that you buy and then end up forgetting about in the back of the fridge.
You needn’t be a great fan of chocolate since there are some alternatives listed at the end, such as
one that contains peanut butter and also a vegan choice.

Why This Recipe Is So Good

In fact the whole recipe works because it’s so simple: you don’t need an oven, there’s no timing to
worry about and there’s absolutely no stress. The crust is made by combining crushed cookies with
melted butter and then pressing the mixture into a pan—that’s all there is to it. The mousse ends up
being light and fluffy because whipped egg whites have been incorporated into melted chocolate and
cream, and it sets in the refrigerator so that every slice is perfect.

As to the ganache on top?

It’s just chocolate and cream that are warmed together until they become shiny and pourable—when you
pour it on it naturally runs down the sides in a beautiful way.
If you sprinkle it with a little whipped cream or add some berries, the result is a dessert which is
enough to feed a large number of people and at the same time remains a kind of special treat; in fact,
it gets better the next day—truly better. During the night the flavours mix together and it changes from
‘a decent dessert’ to ‘I can’t stop eating it.’ That’s why I always recommend making it the day before
you plan to serve it.

“Make this easy chocolate lasagna recipe at home — a no-bake dessert with cookie crust, creamy chocolate mousse, and glossy ganache. Perfect for any occasion.”

Chocolate Lasagna Recipe

This recipe for chocolate lasagna is a rich, no-bake dessert consisting of three simple layers: a crushed cookie crust, a light and airy chocolate mousse prepared with whipped egg whites, and a glossy chocolate ganache on top. It is decorated with berries, chocolate shavings, and a dusting of cocoa, so that it appears to be a store-bought pastry yet requires only a short amount of hands-on time. After it has been chilled overnight, the flavours become more intense and the layers set properly, enabling neat slices — thus making it a simple and popular choice for parties, potlucks, or any other occasion.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Chill/Freeze Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

What You Need

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs or crushed Oreos
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 4 egg whites
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 ounces chocolate chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• You could also incorporate half a cup of peanut butter or Nutella and swirl it in; try adding some
• crushed freeze-dried strawberries for colour a few mini chocolate chips, or salted caramel to drizzle
• over the top.
• You probably already have all of those items at home if you cook even a little bit. In that case you’ll
• have no need to go to the store specially.

Method

 

How to Make It

1. Begin by putting the crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt into a bowl and mixing them together until the
2. mixture has the texture of damp sand. Press this mixture firmly into a 9 by 13 inch baking dish—even
3. though it might be tempting just to pour it in and move on with the recipe, you have to press it down
4. since otherwise it will fall apart when you try to cut it. After that, put it in the refrigerator for thirty
5. minutes while you get on with preparing the other ingredients.
6. Start by melting the chocolate by putting it over a pot of water which is just beginning to simmer until
7. the chocolate has become smooth, after which allow it to cool a bit. In a separate bowl, beat one cup
8. of cream until soft peaks appear. In another bowl, mix the egg whites with a small amount of salt until
9. a foamy texture is obtained, then gradually add the six tablespoons of sugar while still beating the egg
10. whites. Continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks are achieved. Mix the melted chocolate into the
11. whipped cream and then gently fold in the egg whites—do not rush this step since you would then
12. lose the light and fluffy texture. Lastly, add the vanilla.
13. Cover the crust with half of the mousse. If you want to add some peanut butter or Nutella, put a small
14. amount on top and gently swirl it in, making sure that the little pockets of flavour are still
15. visible—those are wonderful. Then spread the rest of the mousse over the top and smooth it down.
16. In order to prepare the ganache, put the chopped chocolate into a bowl. Heat the cream and butter in
17. a saucepan until they just start to simmer, and then pour them over the chocolate. Leave it for two
18. minutes and stir from the centre outwards until it has become smooth and shiny. Let it cool for about
19. ten minutes so that it thickens a little but remains pourable. Pour the ganache on top and allow it to
20. flow naturally down the sides.
21. Cover it with plastic wrap and chill it for a minimum of four hours, ideally overnight; the longer it
22. remains in this state, the better the flavours will taste together.
23. If you would like to eat it, take it out and leave it there for about fifteen minutes. For each cut, place
24. your knife into some hot water in order to get clean slices. Then add some whipped cream, chocolate
25. shavings, berries, or caramel on top.

Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me

1. Buy good chocolate because it is the primary ingredient and if you use the cheap chocolate chips the
2. flavour will be affected; for that reason it’s worth spending a little more and purchasing a good bar to
3. notice the difference.
4. Don’t rush the chilling process. Even if you think, “It’s already been two hours and it appears to have
5. set, so I’ll proceed,” don’t do it. Rather, let it chill for at least four hours altogether. It is only after it has
6. been left overnight that the true effect takes place.
7. When you are using egg whites—since it is they that give the mousse its lightness—you should make
8. sure that both your bowl and your beaters are completely clean and free from any grease, as even a
9. small amount of fat will stop them whipping properly and will result in something that looks like sad
10. foam rather than the nice stiff peaks. It is worth washing the bowl and drying it thoroughly before you
11. start.
12. You must remember to press down on the crust since that actually does make a difference when
13. you’re cutting clean slices.

Ways to Mix It Up

1. The recipe is both tolerant and easy to modify. For instance, if a person is unable to eat gluten, all you
2. need to do is substitute gluten-free cookie crumbs and you’ll be fine. If you want to make it vegan, use
3. coconut cream and dairy-free chocolate together with aquafaba (that is, the liquid remaining from
4. canned chickpeas) in place of the egg whites. The final product turns out surprisingly like the original.
5. You can also add two tablespoons of instant espresso to the melted chocolate since it has no coffee
6. flavour but rather makes the chocolate taste more intense and richer. Although this may seem odd it
7. actually does work.

Storing and Leftovers

1. So long as it is tightly covered with plastic wrap, the dish will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five
2. days; since the dessert is already served cold there is no requirement to reheat it, all you need to do
3. is take it out about fifteen minutes before eating so that it has time to soften.

Wrapping It Up

1. I have now made it so many times that I almost don’t need the recipe any more, and that is precisely
2. what a good recipe ought to do: it should be simple enough to remember and good enough to prepare
3. repeatedly. It is able to serve a large number of people without causing you the slightest stress and at
4. the same time manage to impress people without in the least being complicated. Even though
5. chocolate lasagna looks as if it has taken a long time to prepare, I can assure you it hasn’t.
6. Should you try it once, you will probably end up back in the kitchen once more, posing to yourself the
7. very question that I always ask, namely “What if I add something else next time?” And to be honest,
8. that is in fact the real problem with this recipe — and in reality that isn’t a problem at all

Notes

It is best to make this chocolate lasagna a day in advance since the flavours and texture really do improve after it has been left to rest in the fridge overnight. The most frequent error people commit is to rush the chilling process, as the mousse needs several hours to set properly in order to achieve neat, bakery-style slices. Moreover, you should use good-quality chocolate not cheap chocolate chips; since chocolate is the main ingredient in this recipe, the difference in taste can be felt. This dessert is perfect if you’re serving a large number of people or preparing for a party because it was designed to be left to rest — there’s no need for last-minute hurry.