Friday, May 6, 2011

ROBIN'S VERSION OF CHOCOLATE MOUSSE



WILL YOU HAVE YOURS WITH OR WITHOUT?


I first discovered chocolate mousse at Edward’s Mansion Restaurant located (once upon a time) in Redlands, California. You couldn’t miss it. It was an old Victorian style three story complete with a Widow’s Walk. It sat about 500 yards off the I-10 out in the middle of nowhere. The menu, with no surprise, was as detailed and quaint as the old house. I wasn’t that hungry, so I decided on dessert. Chocolate Mousse . . . Need I say more? Yes. I do. I need to say more . . . It was the most perfect chocolate I had ever tasted. It was dark with a bit of a bite and velvet creamy. The chocolate was rich and full flavored. Yep, I heard Heaven.
I realized the following day that the perfect mousse in the world lay in wait for me almost four torturous hours away, and being a frugal sort at the time, more trips up the road was not a solution to my problem, so into the kitchen I went . . . for days . . . and weeks, until . . . Violá!
Robin C’s Dark-Dark Chocolate Mousse (Without)
Ingredients for Six 4-6oz. serving sizes:
2 cups chilled heavy whipping crème
1 pasteurized egg white
1/2 cup (or to taste) Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
3 Tbsp raw sugar (or to taste – some will need more sweet)
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Tbsp. butter
Heat butter in microwave until it is melted (usually no more that 35 seconds)
Use a whisk or blend electrically (very low speed) heavy whipping crème, and  pasteurized egg white, until fluffy. Using a rubber spatula, fold in vanilla, sugar, and melted butter into fluffy mixture. Add cocoa until the batter is moist and blended.
Portion mousse into glass serving dishes.
Garnish with mint leaf or shaved white chocolate pieces
Chill (refrigerator is fine) until ready to serve.

Robin C’s Dark-Dark Chocolate Mousse (With)
Follow the above directions; however, increase cocoa to ¾ cup
Flavor with your choice (or use in combination) Amaretto or Grand Marnier.








No comments: