Sometimes, at the Culinary Exchange, we get a little hankering for something sweet. And when we do, we go through our mental rolodex of recipes and find something that fits the bill. Tonight, that something sweet is chocolate mousse. For some reason, chocolate mousse conjures up the image of a sophisticated dessert, served in a champagne glass at a fancy dinner. But in reality, chocolate mousse is a great everyday dessert that requires very little work – and I mean very little. Like, three ingredients and a couple of hours worth of work (most of which is spent refrigerating the mousse). So if you’re ready to learn how to create a delicate dessert that will wow your guests and your family, here’s what you need to know.
How to Make Chocolate Mousse
If you’re a frequent baker, it’s pretty likely that you’ll have all of the ingredients that you need in order to make chocolate mousse already in your pantry and fridge. If not, you’re only a few bucks at your local grocer away from a class, simple dessert that will become a solid standby in your kitchen.
Round up the following ingredients: 3 large eggs (you’ll need the whites); 1 cup of heavy cream (refrigerated); and 5 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped into pieces. Take a saucepan and fill the bottom with 2 inches of water. Heat over medium heat on the stovetop until the water comes to a simmer. Place the chocolate and a quarter of the cream (1/4 cup) into a glass mixing bowl. Make sure it’s large enough to sit snugly on top of the saucepan without touching the water at the bottom.
Mix the heavy cream and chocolate over the simmering water until the chocolate melts and is completely mixed into the cream. Use a spatula to scrape off the melted mixture on the sides and mix thoroughly. Once it’s completely mixed, remove from the top of the saucepan and set the mixture aside.
Next, crack the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whip until peaks form (similar to how you would whisk them when making meringue). Once your egg whites form peaks, set the bowl aside and wash off your whisk (or grab a new one). Pour the remaining 3/4 cup of heavy cream into a separate bowl and whisk until peaks form on the cream (it should take a few minutes of whisking). Take half of the cream mixture and fold it into the chocolate mixture from earlier. Once it’s folded in, add the remaining cream and fold into the chocolate mixture. Be careful not to stir too much,as that can cause the cream to lose volume.
Finally, once the cream is mixed in, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Mix just enough that everything is mixed together, and avoid being too vigorous with your mixing, as that will make the whole thing deflate a bit.
Spoon into individual serving cups or bowls and refrigerate for 2 hours. Once it’s refrigerated, you can serve. Some people prefer to serve it plain – others like to add a dollop of whip cream and a mint leaf. It’s really up to you.
How do you like to serve your chocolate mousse?
