15 Jan Chocolate Mousse

Let me just begin by saying chocolate mousse is my absolute favourite dessert. Nothing is quite as satisfying as a rich, creamy, melt-in-the-mouth chocolate mousse to end a meal.

There are various ways of making a mousse and I have experimented with a few recipes. There are those that use egg whites and cream, then those that use egg whites and egg yolks but no cream, and then my personal favourite which makes use of all three! Cream is essential to give a nice smooth texture, and egg whites give the light, airy feel to the mousse. The egg yolks add a richness, so for a lighter version you could omit them. Play around and see what you like!

As for the chocolate, I enjoy quite a dark chocolate flavor, so I use half milk and half dark chocolate. If you tend to prefer a sweeter mousse, give the dark chocolate a skip and use 400g of milk chocolate.

When it comes to chocolate desserts, I really feel it’s worth buying the best chocolate you can afford – it makes a big difference to the flavour of the final dish. Let’s be honest, this is not really something you make every day so it’s worth spending that little bit extra for a really special dessert!

This recipe makes one large bowlful or 8-10 individual servings. It’s quite rich so a small serving is enough (except for chocolate mousse addicts like me!).
P.S. This chocolate mousse makes a delicious filling for meringue nests.

Ingredients:

200g milk chocolate
200g dark chocolate
2 tbsp butter
6 large eggs, separated
2 tbsp sugar
A pinch of salt
350ml cream, plus extra for decorating
2 tbsp of Amarula, Cape Velvet, Frangelico, Grand Marnier (optional)

Directions:

• Melt the chocolate and butter carefully in a heatproof bowl, over a pot of simmering water. Allow to cool at room temperature.
• Meanwhile beat the egg yolks until creamy.
• Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and keep cold.
• Lastly beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff peaks form, but be careful not to over mix as it will become dry and separate.
• Fold the cooled chocolate into the whipped cream, then fold in the egg yolk mixture and liqueur. Gently stir in 1 spoonful of the egg whites to lighten the mixture, then fold in the rest until uniformly combined.
• Spoon into your serving dish or individual glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Serve with thin, crispy biscuits and fresh strawberries.
• If you are weird and don’t eat it up immediately, it will keep in the fridge for around 3 days.