Here's Our Take on the Iconic Dark Chocolate Mousse

It's time for you to drown yourself in the sinful world of decadence and indulgence with this delectable Bournville dark chocolate mousse recipe, made especially for those quiet evenings with someone special. With its silky texture and intense chocolate flavor, this dessert is sure to sweep you off your feet.

After the cultivation of the first cacao plants (around 5000 years ago), various indigenous Americans started making cacao beverages. Though history does not record the first use and consumption of the non-alcoholic cacao beverage, it is widely accepted by academics that it could date back to 1650 BC.

Dark chocolate used to be extremely expensive right from the beginning because of its rich flavor and medicinal properties (it is widely known that the cacao beans that make dark chocolate have managed to be in the news for health benefits which include the good effects of antioxidants and mood-enhancing compounds). In today's time, dark chocolate is more widely available and is still considered one of the luxurious variants of chocolate that some people have acquired a taste for.

Ingredients:

• 501 gm Bournville dark chocolate
• 252 ml cream
• 123 ml milk
• 54 gm sugar
• 11 gm cocoa powder
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 252 ml cream
• 23 gm sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. In the beginning, you have to take a double boiler, and in it, melt the Bournville dark chocolate. You need to stir it occasionally so that the chocolate melts evenly.
2. Once it is melted, you have to leave the melted chocolate to cool down a little. After this stage, it is advised that you do not rely on instincts but rather use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the chocolate, and let it go until it is around 40-45°C (this is very important to ensure the mousse turns out smooth).
3. In another bowl, make sure to whisk the sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla extract together.
4. Then, you are going to add the sugar mixture gradually to the cooled melted chocolate in the bowl while continuously whisking its contents until they are all well blended.
5. For the creamy texture, you are going to whip some heavy cream until soft peaks form.
6. Then, you need to gradually add the whole milk while constantly whipping until you get stiff peaks again.
7. Next, you have to add the sugar and vanilla extract to the whipped cream and whisk until they are just combined.
8. Moving on to assembling the ingredients, you have to start by folding one-third of the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate mixture to lighten its texture.
9. After that, you have to fold in the remaining whipped cream mixture gently until no white streaks remain.
10. Then, you need to spoon the mousse into individual bowls or a big serving dish.
11. You will then have to let this chill in the refrigerator overnight.
12. The next morning, just before serving, you should top the dessert with additional whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

The versatile thing about this dessert is that you can mix and match different intensities of dark chocolates to achieve different flavors and tones. You can add a little salt to balance out the sweetness or even infuse the dish with espresso to give it a deeper flavor. While serving, you can also garnish the Bournville dark chocolate mousse with fresh berries or edible flowers that will give it an elegant, glamorous look. If you want to go vegan, you can experiment with nut milk or soy milk. Using fresh berries, citrus slices, or diced apples will offer contrasting texture and freshness to the dish.

It is important to keep in mind that the texture of a Bournville dark chocolate mousse is extremely crucial — the perfect ones are light, airy, and smooth. It's the careful folding of whipped cream into the chocolate mixture that gives it this particular texture. If overmixed, this mousse turns terribly dense; and, if undermixed, unwelcome streaks of whipped cream appear.

By any chance, if you end up with a grainy texture of the mousse, you must know that it is not cool enough, and refrigerate it for some more time. If it turns out exceedingly sweet, you could try to reduce the sugar content by adding a pinch of salt.