Nutella Espresso Mousse Brownies

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends! If today’s holiday is something you normally celebrate, I’m guessing you already know exactly what you’re doing. However, if today is just another day to you, I encourage you to make it special with this dessert. Eric and I aren’t the types to go overboard for Valentine’s, but we’ll take any excuse to make a fancier meal than usual (we’re making these filets for dinner tonight). The same goes for desserts. Fancier doesn’t have to mean more difficult, though, and these brownies are a prime example of that. This recipe fits perfectly into what I like to call The Champion Factor – impressive outcome, minimal effort. Don’t get me wrong – I love spending time in the kitchen with a complicated recipe. It’s just that, sometimes, it’s nice to have something so simple that still turns out so stunning. Know what I mean? That being said – I’m not a fan of boxed mixes, especially when I know I can make from-scratch desserts that are as easy and crave-worthy as this one.

Someone was trying to sneak a bite!

These brownies are like a simple version of my favorite dessert ever, triple chocolate mousse cake. A rich brownie layer is topped with a light and fluffy Nutella espresso mousse, making for one seriously decadent dessert. To take it completely over the top, I covered the whole thing in homemade chocolate curls. Because it’s Valentine’s Day, and I’ll take any excuse to add more chocolate to an already chocolaty dessert. Case in point – this recipe originally called for an espresso mousse, but I couldn’t resist incorporating this Nutella mousse I made last Valentine’s Day. This indulgent dessert is sure to please whoever you’re making it for, but I won’t judge you if you decide to keep it all to yourself.