CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Last night, at around midnight, I got my typical late night craving for something sweet. Unfortunately, we were all out of cookies (a rarity for the van K house). In fact we didn’t gave any of the other usual delicious dessert treats waiting to be devoured. I was presented with a blank canvas on which I had endless options–something I very much like. I was also quite tired as I had prepared a taco night with homemade salsa, queso and guacamole–an easy but time consuming task. All the simple things came to mind like more cookies, brownies, maybe even a cake, possibly a tart, but alas I was fairly bored with these go-to desserts. Besides, after said taco night, I was feeling something light was in order. Mousse!
I browsed the internet, focusing on my favorite food website, foodnetwork.com, to find a recipe I could emulate. I found this one by Tyler Florence and thought it would do the trick. It did. I tweaked just a couple things, and the result was a rich, delicious chocolate mousse that I’m sure I’ll be making time and time again.
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream (1/2 cup separated)
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 large egg yolks
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup plus six tablespoons sugar (3 tablespoons separated)
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Chocolate for shaving (garnish)
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Chocolate for shaving (garnish)
Instructions:
- Melt the butter and the 7 ounces of semisweet chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan with water at a slow boil (no more than an inch of water because it can destroy your delicious). Stir until completely melted and well mixed.
- Beat in the egg yolks 1 at a time with a whisk until well mixed. Set aside.
- In another bowl beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Using a chilled bowl, whip 1/2 cup of the heavy cream until it thickens. Add the 3 teaspoons of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks appear.
- Now gently fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate. After that is mostly folded in, gently fold in the whipped cream. Be sure not to over mix. Divide into 5 or six glasses (I use champagne glasses because I think they’re pretty for this application).
- Chill for at least an hour.
- Before serving make another batch of whipped cream (using the remaining 1/2 cup cream and 3 tablespoons separated sugar). Top each glass with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. This can be as easy as running chocolate over a fine/medium grater.
Enjoy! I know I am, as I am on my second now.
