Simple Chocolate Mousse!


Okay, so this recipe was supposed to be very “easy”.  And for the most part it was….  So, I have a little something to confess.  I have not an ounce of patience in my body.  None.  Whatsoever. Just ask my 2 kids.  They know firsthand that their Mother is the most impatient person on the planet.  Thank goodness they love me anyway!  But, this mousse did not love me.  I loved it, don’t get me wrong.  Loved it.  I loved the richness and the chocolaty flavor just satisfied my sweet tooth.  In fact so much, I probably don’t need to eat chocolate for the next month.  Okay lets be honest.  I’ll probably pig out on chocolate tomorrow.  But it was good.  You’re wondering when I’m going to get to the point, right?  So, I have such a problem when a recipe says…”Cool until room temperature”.  Butter, egg whites, you name it.  I just sit there watching it.  For example, in this recipe you melt the chocolate over a double boiler, or in my case a glass bowl sitting on top a sauce pan filled with water..same thing.  Anyways, I melt the chocolate and set it aside hoping that it would cool to room temperature by the time I was done whipping the egg whites.  I was wrong.  I knew I was wrong.  But I added the egg whites to the warm melted chocolate anyways, knowing I was probably going to screw something up.  I did it anyways, remember…no patience?  So, if you decide to try this recipe, which I totally think that you should, just please, please remember to cool the melted chocolate all the way to room temperature.  Don’t make my mistake.  You will have a smooth, mouth watering mousse that you will want again and again.  You will want to make it for all of your friends so that they will call you a chocolate genius!  If you do as the recipe says, you will most likely have a much richer, darker mousse than I.  It was still delicious, we just had some bits of semi-sweet chocolate throughout the mousse that you are not supposed to have.  I just pretended like I put mini chocolate chips in the mousse, and so I still enjoyed the experience.  So, a pretty drawn out post…sorry.  I was just really mad at myself and my impatience!  Learn from me.  :)

Simple Chocolate Mousse
adapted from Sweet Melissa Baking Book
5 1/2 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 large egg whites at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 2/3 cups cold heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1. In a top of a double boiler set over simmering, not boiling water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the double boiler and set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer set over a pot of simmering, not boiling water, whisk the egg whites with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved (feel with your fingers for sugar grains at the bottom of your bowl).  Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, and whip until the peaks are stiff but not dry.  
3. Add one-quarter of this meringue to the cooled chocolate and whisk to blend.  Gently fold in the remainder of the meringue until mostly incorporated (it can be slightly streaky at this point).
4. In the clean bowl of the electric mixer, whip the cream, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar to medium-soft peaks.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate meringue mixture until just incorporated.  
5. Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl, or pipe it into individual bowls.  Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until set.
Serve chilled, garnished with fresh berries, if desired.  The mousse may be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 weeks.

Baked on June 26, 2008 | Recipe Card: Dessert | 8 Bites