A Detailed Guide To Making A Quick Dessert Recipe – the Chocolate Mousse

One of the most satisfying and comforting desserts and also one of the most delicious chocolate dessert recipes out there is the chocolate mousse. It’s soft, fluffy, creamy, airy and dense with every bite, and rich in flavour. This chocolate mousse is a spectacular, creative creation that only requires 15 minutes to make, so, consider it a quick dessert recipe, and results in a dessert that’s going to impress everyone. Remember to make ahead, since it needs to be in the fridge for at least six hours to set. If you keep it for less time, it might be too runny or taste a bit like whipped cream, being too airy and not giving the satisfaction that one gets from the denseness of mousse. So be mindful of the time and impress your guests with this decadent dessert.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 125 gm dark cooking chocolate, bittersweet/70% cocoa
• 10 gm unsalted butter
• 125 ml cream, full fat
• 35 gm caster sugar (superfine white sugar)

Toppings:

• Whipped cream
• Chocolate shavings

Directions:

• Separate the egg yolks and whites into separate bowls. Set aside the whites.
• Whisk the yolks until they are fluffy and uniform. Set aside.
• Add the chocolate and butter to a bowl to melt. One option is to pop it in the microwave. Heat for 30 seconds, then stop, mix the ingredients, and then put it back in the microwave. Heat in this way with regular breaks to stir, so that it melts and mixes in evenly. Or, you can heat on a double boiler. Place a large bowl or pan on the stove on medium heat. Fill it with water. In a smaller bowl, add the chocolate and butter, and place this bowl in the water. Stir continuously as it melts, or it will stick to the bottom and burn. Once melted, turn off the heat. Set aside to cool.
• Beat the cream with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Keep whipping until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip. Set aside.
• Whip the whites, then add sugar and continue mixing. Whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• Transfer the yolks into the cream bowl and gently fold them in. Do not whip or use a heavy hand. Then add the melted chocolate into the cream yolk mixture. Fold it in too, with a soft and gentle hand. Now add the egg whites into this mixture and fold gently until fully incorporated. Get rid of any lumps that might have formed.
• Divide the mixture into your serving glasses or bowls. Refrigerate for six to eight hours, or overnight if possible.
• Once set, garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. You can also add berries like raspberry, blueberry or strawberry. With this, a small sprig of mint is a great addition. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Or dust with icing sugar, cocoa powder or cinnamon powder.
• Serve cold.
• Leftover mousse can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes, tips and tricks:

• Make sure you're using cooking chocolate. It melts more evenly and is lighter than eating chocolate. Your best options are bittersweet dark chocolate or 70% cocoa dark chocolate.
• For the cream, don't use pouring cream. It cannot be whipped. Go for either full fat cream, pure cream, thickened cream or heavy cream.
• Eggs are most easily separated when they are cold. So bring them out of the fridge and immediately separate. However, keep in mind that egg whites fluff up the best when they are at room temperature. So once separated, set them aside, let them reach room temperature, and then proceed with the recipe.
• Once the chocolate has melted, you can add any flavors of your choice. A wine or other liquor is a great option for a little kick. Or you can add dry fruits or chopped nuts, chocolate chips, brownie bits, cookie crumbs, or any other textural addition. You can also mix in finely chopped fruits.
• To create the chocolate shavings, scrape using a knife at a low angle. Or use a cheese grater.
• Since the recipe uses raw eggs, it's best to avoid feeding too much to babies. The fluffy and creamy texture is best achieved through raw eggs though, which is why that’s what is recommended here.