Chocolate mousse

Deb August 26, 2009

This recipe is originally from Lois Daish, writing for the NZ Listener. It’s been a favourite special occasion recipe of mine for several years. Serves 4-6.

  • 120g (4 oz) dark chocolate, preferably 70% cocoa, and sweetened with rapadura, maltitol, xylitol, or other OK sweeteners. (Note that some chocolate is labelled sugar free, but sweetened with Splenda, NutraSweet or other bad sweeteners)
  • 4 eggs
  • Optional – 1-2 Tbs of your favourite liqueur (orange is especially good, but also experiment with butterscotch, Irish cream, hazelnut or whatever you fancy really)

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or find a bowl that will fit neatly over a pot. Make sure the bowl is completely dry. If any steam or liquid gets into the chocolate once it has started to melt, it will seize up into hard chunks that can’t be melted*. Break the chocolate into squares and put it in the bowl. Bring water to the boil in the pot, then remove from the heat and place the bowl over the pot. Leave for a few minutes, stirring occasionally with a dry spoon, until the chocolate melts.

*Although, when a recipe includes a significant amount of liquid, for example when you make a chocolate sauce using equal quantities of cream and chocolate, you can put the chocolate and cream in the pot at the same time and heat them gently together without them seizing.

Mean­while, separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a cup and the whites in a medium bowl. When the chocolate is melted, lift the bowl off the pot of water and beat in the egg yolks until smooth. Add the alcohol. Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold in. Spoon the mousse into 4-6 small bowls or fancy glasses, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Serve with your choice of:

  • fresh berries or other fruit
  • whipped or runny cream
  • European style thick yoghurt

Variation – Creamy Mousse:

  • After adding the egg whites, gently fold in ¾ cup of softly whipped cream.