Chocolate Mousse

Makes: Approximately one cup of mousse

Ingredients

GROUP A: CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• 1 medium egg white

• 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup roughly chopped up dark or bittersweet chocolate chunks

• 1 tbsp salted butter

GROUP B: WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 tsp confectioner’s sugar

• 1 tsp Grand Marnier

• 1/4 tsp angostura bitters

Method

• Make the mousse: Lay out 3 medium sized bowls. To the first, add the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. To the second, add the egg white and granulated sugar, and to the third, add the chocolate and butter.

• Fill a medium-sized cook pot with 2 inches of water and place the third bowl in it. Simmer the water till the chocolate and butter are completely melted and make a smooth uniform mixture. Remove the pot from heat and carefully take out the bowl.

• Whisk the heavy cream mixture to stiff peaks and set aside. Whisk the egg white mixture to stiff peaks and set aside. Fold the melted chocolate into the egg white mixture until mostly incorporated. Fold the whipped cream into this mixture till fully combined.

• Make the whipped cream topping: Add all Group B ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to soft-to-slightly stiff peaks.

• Assembly: Add a dollop or more of the whipped cream over the mousse, sprinkle some cocoa powder if desired, and dig in! Alternatively, refrigerate the mousse in a mold of your choice for at least 2 hours, and then pipe the whipped cream over it prior to serving.

Please the seul: Add some pizzazz with some easy tempered chocolate shapes. On a sheet of wax paper, pour melted chocolate into any shape (use plain baking chocolate), and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Carefully remove from the sheet and gently tuck it in the mousse just before serving. I wish I was more skilled at this, but as the image proves, that’s not yet the case.