Chocolate Mousse By Laura Calder Recipes

MOELLEUX AU CHOCOLAT

Steps:

• For the cakes:
• Butter 6 ramekins and line with a disk of parchment paper, and then butter the parchment. In a double boiler, bowl or saucepan, very gently melt the butter and chocolate together over a water bath. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and ribbony. Beat in the flour, and finally the chocolate mixture. Pour the mixture into the ramekins and chill.
• Just before serving, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake until the top is set, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove. Let sit 5 minutes, before unmolding onto plates. Serve with caramel sauce, if using, or a scoop of ice cream.
• For the caramel sauce:
• Add a spoonful of water to the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and boil to caramel, about 5 minutes. Do not stir with a spoon. Swirl the saucepan over the heat until desired color is achieved. Cook's Note: Be careful not to let it get too dark. Stir in the butter to melt (careful it will splatter), then the cream. Add a squirt of lemon juice, to taste.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE BY LAURA CALDER

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie until smooth.
• Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, sprinkle the sugar, and continue beating to a stiff meringue, a minute or two longer.
• Beat the yolks with the orange zest in a bowl.
• Whisk the chocolate into the yolks.
• Fold in a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mixture.
• Pour the chocolate into the remaining whites and fold gently to combine evenly.
• Pour the mousse into 8 serving bowls. Wrap well with plastic, and refrigerate at least a few hours. Serve garnished with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a little orange zest.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• For the mousse: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Remove and allow to cool a little.
• Add the cream to a large bowl and start to whip using a hand mixer. Slowly add the sugar and continue to whip until you have stiff peaks, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Place the egg yolks in a pitcher, add the vanilla and whisk together by hand.
• Temper the egg yolks by adding a little of the melted chocolate to them and whisking together. Pour the yolks into the bowl of melted chocolate and stir in gently.
• Fold three-fourths of the whipped cream into the chocolate, reserving the rest.
• Divide between 4 serving glasses.
• Gently fold the raspberry preserves into the reserved whipped cream until you achieve a swirled appearance. Spoon some of the swirled whipped cream on top of the mousse in each glass.
• Place the glasses into the fridge and chill for 1 hour. Remove from the fridge and decorate with Marbled Chocolate Curls before serving.
• Add the semi-sweet and white chocolate to separate small microwave-safe bowls or pitchers. Add 2 teaspoons of the coconut oil to each. Pop in the microwave together for 1 minute. Stir each until smooth, microwaving for another 10 to 15 seconds, if needed, to fully melt the chocolate.
• Lay a sheet pan on the counter upside down. Start by pouring the white chocolate in a zig-zag pattern over the underside of the cookie sheet; do not get too close to the edges. Repeat with the semi-sweet chocolate, making sure to fill the holes where there is no white chocolate. Using an offset spatula or knife, spread the chocolates in a very thin layer, then stick the sheet pan in the freezer for 2 to 3 minutes. This step is key!
• After a few minutes, check the chocolate by pressing it with your finger; it should leave only the slightest mark, but not an actual depression.
• Using a somewhat sharp-edged spatula, scrap the chocolate from the bottom of the pan. If the chocolate is the correct temperature, it should begin to curl. If the chocolate is breaking, it is too cold so let it sit for a few seconds to warm, then try again. If it gets too soft, stick it back in the freezer for a minute.
• Pretty soon you will have some pretty marbled chocolate curls. Use as a garnish immediately on chilled desserts or immediately transfer to a cold plate and place back in the freezer to harden. Store in an airtight container in the freezer until you need them. The curls are perfect for topping your favorite pies, cakes or elevating a simple fruit platter.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan containing about 1-inch of barely simmering water (or use a double boiler). Stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool slightly. Then grab a whisk and beat the egg yolks into the chocolate, 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken up. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the vanilla and continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks.
• Now that you've got the elements prepared, put it all together. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, fold in the whipped cream. Take care not over work the mousse or it will be heavy. Divide the mousse between 4 individual glasses, preferably Moroccan glasses. Cover and chill for several hours. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Bring an inch of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Combine the cream and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. When the water boils, turn the heat to low so the water is barely simmering or just steaming. Set the bowl over the saucepan and melt the chocolate, gently stirring with a whisk now and then.
• While the chocolate melts, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer on medium speed. When the whites are foamy, add the sugar in a slow stream while whisking. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form. The whites should look glossy but not dry, and, when you lift the whisk from the mixture, a peak should form in the bowl and hold.
• Once the chocolate has melted completely, turn off the heat but leave the bowl over the saucepan. Holding the bowl with a kitchen towel, add the egg yolks one at a time, whisking after each addition. If the mixture looks broken, remove the bowl from the saucepan, cool for a minute, then add 1 tablespoon cream and whisk just until shiny and smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. (Don't worry if it still doesn't look completely smooth. It will come together in the next step.)
• Add a quarter of the beaten whites to the chocolate mixture and stir gently with a flexible rubber spatula until incorporated but still a little streaky. This will make it easier to fold in the remaining whites to create an airy mousse by gradually lowering the temperature of the chocolate (tempering) and making the mixture loose.
• Add the rest of the whites and fold them in by running the spatula from 12 o'clock on the bowl to 6 o'clock, then scooping up the chocolate on the bottom and gently folding it over the whites as you move toward 9 o'clock. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Continue folding just until the last streak of white disappears. It's OK if there are a few lumps of whites left. It's better to not deflate the batter by folding too much.
• Scoop into a pretty bowl or into individual cups or bowls for serving if you'd like. Otherwise, keep it in the mixing bowl. Refrigerate the mousse uncovered until cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 more hours and preferably 24. The covered mousse can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
• If you'd like to serve the mousse with whipped cream, whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form. A cup or two of heavy cream is plenty for this amount of mousse. Serve the mousse cold, straight from the refrigerator, with the whipped cream.