Chocolate Mousse Extraordinaire

chocolate mousse

Last night I decided to have an impromptu dinner party. It was very small–just me, my boyfriend and my best gal pal. They are always delighted and eager to be my culinary guinea pigs, and last evening was no different. I’d made sushi for the main course (which I’ll have to write about at another time), but wasn’t sure what to do for dessert. I knew it needed to be delicious and easy, but look sophisticated and time intensive as well. Yes, I like to impress my guinea pigs too. After perusing the Internet and gathering ideas from various recipes, I eventually settled upon what I’m now calling Chocolate Mousse Extraordinaire! This recipe is super simple and easily adapted to make it for a larger crowd as well. This recipe will serve about 6 people.

Chocolate Mousse Extraordinaire

Ingredients

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons of brandy or a flavored liquor like Framboise or Gran Marnier
4 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter at room temperature
3 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons
1 cup of heavy whipping cream

In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons of brandy and water and simmer over low heat until it’s melted. Stir occasionally until the consistency is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time until they are completely combined. Let the mixture cool down for about 5 minutes.

While the mixture is cooling, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Sprinkle the cream of tartar and 1/4 cup of the sugar, little by little over the mixture as you continue to beat the eggs. Once they are well mixed, combine about 1/3 of the egg whites with the chocolate mixture to loosen it up a bit.

In another bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, and add half of it to the chocolate mixture alternately with the remaining egg whites. Be sure to fold the mixture gently but thoroughly until it is well blended. Use a rubber spatula for best results. To the remaining whipped cream, add the sugar and last tablespoon of brandy before giving it one last whip to combine.

I like to serve this dessert in individual portions. So, spoon the prepared mousse into your containers, cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them and the whip cream for at least 3 hours. Once you’re ready to serve, top each mousse with whip cream and serve to your adoring guests. This recipe is extremely rich and a small amount will be satisfying for sweetest tooth at the table!