R E C I P E S

Chocolate Mousse

By Edward Behr

A mousse is not one of the most chocolatey desserts, because of the foam. That can come from whipped sweet cream, whipped crème fraîche, beaten egg white, or beaten egg yolk. This recipe uses the egg-yolk foam of a pâte à bombe — meaning the base for that classic ice cream dessert — which makes the most velvety mousse of all. If you’re concerned about the safety of eating raw eggs, make a chocolate soufflé instead and cook it until it is fully set.

The old gentle way to melt chocolate is in a container over hot water, though chocolatiers now use a microwave oven. But I like easily understood cause and effect, and I still prefer the stove. Beware of driving off fine aromas by heating the chocolate too long or at too high a temperature — it isn’t necessary to heat it much, since it normally melts at 86° F (30° C), unless it has to be combined perfectly with something else, when a higher temperature helps. For a perfectly smooth texture, don’t let the cream get warm in whipping and be sure to incorporate the melted chocolate fully with the initial cream.

For a perfectly smooth texture, make sure the cream is very cold before whipping and whip it in a cold bowl with a cold whisk, and be sure to incorporate the melted chocolate fully with the initial cream.

 

½ cup (100 gr) sugar

¼ cup (50 ml) water

6 egg yolks

9 ounces (250 gr) dark chocolate (around 70 percent cocoa), chopped

1 2/3 cups (400 ml) heavy cream

 

Cook the sugar and water to the “soft ball” stage (about 240° F or 115° C, when a little of the syrup, dropped into cold water, comes together between the fingers as a pliable ball). Immediately beat the egg yolks by hand or machine, and, while continuing to beat, slowly pour in the sugar syrup. Beat until the mixture is pale and foamy, at least 10 minutes.

Melt the chocolate in a large bowl over hot water, heating it to 122° F (50° C) if you have a thermometer (on your skin that temperature feels uncomfortably close to burning). Whip the cream to soft peaks; then whisk a third of the cream into the bowl of chocolate — taken out of the hot water but still hot — carefully combining the two so as to leave no streaks. Fold in the rest of the cream by halves and then fold in the egg-yolk foam. Fill a serving bowl or 6 individual dishes, smoothing the top. Serve cool but not chilled. Serves 6.

From The Art of Eating Cookbook

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