CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Chocolate is one of those versatile ingredients that needs little added to it to make something amazing.  My Chocolate Mousse recipe is one of those easy simple recipes where Chocolate is the star and it looks like you've spent all day preparing it.  The truth is this can be made in the morning before you go to work and waiting for you when you come home in the refrigerator.  This is not a classic French Mousse recipe but when you taste the richness of the Chocolate and the creamy Whipped Cream you would never know it is the Americanized version of lusciousness done in just minutes.  This can be served in chilled glasses with a dollop of Perfect Whipped Cream and shaved Chocolate or a dust of Cocoa Powder on top or use it between layers of rich and moist Chocolate Cake with a Ganache Icing.
My Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe will be my next post bringing it all together in one recipe. This is a great entertaining dessert because it frees you up to enjoy your guests when it is premade.  There are just three easy steps in turning Chocolate into amazing Mousse when you are Cooking The Amazing.

 Here is the recipe.






For Ganache: 
12 oz   Chocolate, chopped or chips (see below)
1 c  Heavy Whipping Cream 
1 t  Vanilla Extract 
1 pinch Sea Salt, fine grain (very small pinch)

For Whipped Cream:
4 c  Heavy Whipping Cream
4 t  Vanilla Extract
8 T  Powdered Sugar

For Decoration (Optional):
2 t  Cocoa Powder to dust tops
Shaved Dark or White Chocolate
Candied Nuts like Sugared Pecans
Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans




1.  PLAN AHEAD:  Have prepared ahead what you will serve your Mousse in.  Several glasses or a large bowl.  Make sure you have room in your refrigerator and freezer to fit the glasses or bowl ahead of time for chilling later.  Learn from my mistake by not going to the refrigerator, hands full of Chocolate Mousse glasses, opening the doors to see a Watermelon and Big 2 Litters of Coke taking up any room!  Have your beaters and bowl and 4 c of Whipping Cream in freezer while you make the Ganache.


2.  In a large mixing bowl place 12 oz of very good Chocolate, chopped or in Chips.  If your wallet is bursting then buy the best Chocolate like Valrhona, Callebaut or Lindt.  There are amazing American Chocolates like Dove dark candy squares, which is my favorite to use and very reasonable, that you can chop into small chip sized pieces using a sharp serrated knife.

 

or use Ghirardelli  60% Cacao Chocolate Chips.

3.  Over medium high heat, bring 1 cup of Heavy Cream (Cream you buy to make Whipped Cream) to a gentle boil and poor the hot Cream over the Chocolate making sure all Chocolate is submerged.  Use a rubber spatula to push the Chocolate below the hot Cream surface.  This is the beginnings of Ganache.  A fancy French cooking term for one of best things you will ever eat!

4.  Do not stir and allow to sit on the counter for 5 minutes undisturbed.

5.  After 5 minutes, using a large spoon, whisk or rubber spatula, stir the Chocolate gently so that air is not incorporated into the Ganache.  It will look grainy at first then become glossy and smooth very quickly.  Be patient and keep stirring and all of a sudden you will see Chocolate bliss.  

6.  Once the Cream and Chocolate have come together add 1 t of Vanilla Extract and the tiniest pinch of fine grain Sea Salt and incorporate gently until well mixed.
Place in the refrigerator to cool for 20 mins.

7.  Towards the end of the Ganache chilling time, remove your chilled bowl and beaters and 4 c Heaving Whipping Cream from freezer.  Using a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid whisk attachment, whip the Heavy Cream with the 4 t of Vanilla Extract and 8 T Powdered Sugar into stiff peaks.  Set aside.

8.  Remove the chilled Ganache and spoon out 2 c into a large bowl.

9.  Spoon 1/3 of the Whipped Cream into the bowl of Ganache and mix well with the mixer until completely incorporated.  This will lighten it up.

10.  Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the rest of the Whipped Cream until well incorporated being careful not to deflate the Whipped Cream too much.

11.  Spoon the Mousse into glasses or a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hr (4-8 hrs is best) before serving or you can serve immediately for a softer Mousse.  Either way is delicious.  The Mousse will darken as it chills and thicken.


12.  To serve place a dollop of Whipped Cream on top and shaved Chocolate (White and/or Dark) or dust with Cocoa Powder.  Or Candied Nuts like Sugared Pecans or Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans.

TIP:  Add  layers of Raspberry puree blended with Whipped Cream between layers of Chocolate Mousse and Pound Cake in a glass.

TIP:  Pipe Chocolate Mousse in the center of Cupcakes for an amazing cream filling!  Fill a pastry bag with the Chocolate Mousse and using a long tip on  the end push the tip into the top of the cupcake deep to almost the bottom and fill as you remove back out.  Cover the hole it makes with Icing.

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