Lavender Pear Chocolate Mousse

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This simple mousse bridges winter and spring, pairing ripe pears and floral lavender with rich dark chocolate.

Serves 4–6

2 cups chopped good-quality dark semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
5 ripe pears, Comice or Bartlett
3 teaspoons dried lavender, finely ground, plus sprigs for serving
½ teaspoon flakey sea salt

Melt chocolate slowly in a double boiler, stirring until smooth.

Peel and chop pears and place in a saucepan with lavender and a splash of water and the salt. Simmer until pears are soft.

Remove from heat and add melted chocolate. Purée until silky smooth.

Divide into ramekins and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with lavender sprigs and a sprinkle of salt if desired.

This recipe appeared in the Spring 2026 issue as part of a larger story, Spring: Nature’s New Year.