Chocolate Mousse

From 1001 Foods To Die For

This dessert is simplicity itself to make and is thus a dinner party favorite. When served in individual ramekins or coffee cups, it is called petit pots de chocolat—little chocolate pots. Only the finest ingredients are used, such as a bittersweet chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa butter. In some recipes the chocolate is melted (try the defrost setting on a microwave oven), then mixed over gentle heat with sugar, vanilla extract, and egg yolks. The egg whites are whipped separately into stiff peaks with more sugar. The chocolate mixture is then folded into the beaten egg whites and the mixture transferred to a soufflé dish or individual ramekins and chilled for at least two hours. Since the eggs are barely cooked, chocolate mousse went out of fashion during the salmonella scare in the 1990s, but it is regaining popularity. In some newer recipes, the eggs are cooked sufficiently to avoid salmonella and whipped cream is used to give the mousse an airy texture.

Like similar dishes, it originated in the late 19th century when better kitchen equipment, such as metal whisks, made it possible to whip egg whites to stiff peaks.

A new variation is the chocolate mousse cake, often found on restaurant menus.

Chocolate Mousse

2 cups heavy cream, chilled
4 egg yolks
3 tbsp sugar
A pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
7 oz bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

Heat 3⁄4 cup of the cream in a heavy saucepan until hot. Remove from the heat. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, and salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add the hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160°F on a candy thermometer. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in the vanilla. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring frequently. Whisk the custard into the chocolate until smooth. Beat the remaining 1 1⁄4 cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just forms stiff peaks. Whisk a quarter of the cream into the cooled chocolate custard to lighten it, then fold in the remaining cream gently but thoroughly. Spoon the mousse into 8 ramekins and chill, covered, for at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 8