Chocolate Mousse
This recipe yields a rich, airy chocolate mousse, featuring a delicate balance of semi-sweet chocolate, espresso, and rum. The process involves gently melting chocolate, blooming gelatin, and carefully folding whipped cream to achieve its signature light texture. Requires chilling for at least an hour for optimal setting and flavor development, making it an elegant and impressive dessert for any occasion.
Equipment
- 1 Double Boiler Or heatproof bowl over a saucepan
- 1 Metal Mixing Bowl For whipping cream
- 1 Electric Mixer Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Metal Measuring Cup For blooming and heating gelatin
- 6 Serving Bowls or Martini Glasses
Ingredients
Main
- 1 3/4 cups whipping cream
- 12 ounces quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 ounces espresso or strong coffee
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon flavorless granulated gelatin
Instructions
- Chill 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in refrigerator. Chill metal mixing bowl and mixer beaters in freezer.
- In top of a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, coffee, rum and butter. Melt over barely simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove from heat while a couple of chunks are still visible. Cool, stirring occasionally to just above body temperature.
- Pour remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream into a metal measuring cup and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow gelatin to "bloom" for 10 minutes. Then carefully heat by swirling the measuring cup over a low gas flame or candle. Do not boil or gelatin will be damaged. Stir mixture into the cooled chocolate and set aside.
- In the chilled mixing bowl, beat cream to medium peaks. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two doses. There may be streaks of whipped cream in the chocolate and that is fine. Do not over work the mousse.
- Spoon into bowls or martini glasses and chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with fruit and serve.
- (If mousses are to be refrigerated overnight, chill for one hour and then cover each with plastic wrap)
Notes
Achieving the perfect chocolate mousse relies on temperature control and gentle handling. Ensure your whipping cream, mixing bowl, and beaters are thoroughly chilled for maximum volume and stability when whipping. When melting the chocolate, use a double boiler over barely simmering water; chocolate is delicate and can seize or scorch if overheated. Remove from heat just before fully melted, allowing residual heat to finish the process. For the gelatin, bloom it fully and then gently warm – never boil – to ensure it dissolves properly without losing its setting power. Finally, the folding process is critical; incorporate the whipped cream gently to retain the airy texture. Overworking will deflate the mousse, resulting in a dense product. Use high-quality semi-sweet chocolate for the best flavor depth.