Cooking Idea: mousse

Showing posts with label mousse. Show all posts

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Place eggs and sugar in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters for 5 minutes, or until mixture is pale, thick and doubled in volume. Fold in cooled chocolate and cocoa powder until combined.
In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened (be careful not to over-beat). Use a large metal spoon to carefully fold the cream into the chocolate mixture, trying to keep the mixture as light as possible. Spoon into 6 serving glasses and chill in fridge for at least 1 hour. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving, then top with extra whipped cream and grated chocolate to serve.

Add your favourite spirit. To keep it French, go for Cognac (or another quality brandy) or Grand Marnier, adding 1 tablespoon to the melting chocolate.
For a flavour twist, add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the chocolate as it melts.
Chocolate and coffee make a great pairing, so try adding two tablespoons of prepared strong black coffee to the chocolate when melting.
For a cool treat, serve the mousse as a semifreddo - freeze for about 3 hours (but don't freeze solid).

Make this relaxing, flavour-filled dessert a part of your Christmas banquet.

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure bowl doesn't touch water. Heat, stirring occasionally with a metal spoon, for 3 to 4 minutes or until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Add egg yolks. Stir until smooth.
Using an electric mixture, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold half the cream into chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in remaining cream.
Wash and dry beaters and bowl. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until just firm.
Place coffee and boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Stir to dissolve coffee. Cool.
Dip top half of biscuits into coffee mixture. Sandwich biscuits with chocolate mixture on a plate to form a log shape. Spread log with remaining chocolate mixture, swirling chocolate to give a rough texture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight (see note).
Top with strawberries. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

Refrigerating log overnight lets the biscuits soften and become cake-like.

End your meal on Christmas eve with these festive cups of chocolate comfort.

15 - 375 minutes

5 minutes

Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. Stir in the egg yolks.
Use an electric beater to beat the cream in a bowl until firm peaks form. Use a metal spoon to fold half the cream into the chocolate mixture. Repeat with remaining cream.
Use a clean electric beater to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the mixture is thick and glossy.
Fold the egg white mixture into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into four 250ml (1-cup) capacity serving cups. Cover and place in the fridge for 6 hours or until set.
Dust with icing sugar and serve with candy canes.