Chocolate Mousse Cups With Candied Bacon Recipes

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CUPS

Steps:

• Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray and put a cookie in the bottom of each cup. Whisk the eggs, sugar, salt and water in a large heatproof bowl. Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan and set the bowl on top (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking, until pale, fluffy and very thick (like a thick pudding), 25 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of your bowl. Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate; let cool.
• Beat 1 1/4 cups heavy cream with the sour cream in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the cooled chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain, then divide evenly among the muffin cups. Cover and refrigerate until set, 12 hours or overnight.
• Run an offset spatula around each mousse cup to loosen and slide the spatula under the cookie; remove the mousse cups. (If they're too soft to remove, freeze briefly.) Beat the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream in a large bowl with a mixer until soft peaks form, then dollop onto the mousse cups and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

DARK CHOCOLATE BACON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk and oil. Stir just until blended. Mix in 3/4 of the bacon, reserving the rest for garnish. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting and sprinkle reserved bacon crumbles on top. Dust with additional cocoa powder.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CUPS

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt semisweet chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Using a narrow pastry brush, evenly coat the inside of six paper or foil muffin cup liners with chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 25 minutes. Repeat once to add a second coat., For mousse, in a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup cream and white baking chocolate; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Cool completely., Carefully remove chocolate cups from liners. In a small bowl, beat remaining cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon into chocolate cups. Refrigerate until cold., If desired, in a microwave, warm raspberry jam; transfer to a resealable plastic bag. Cut a small hole in a corner of bag; pipe designs onto plates. Top with mousse cups. If desired, decorate with raspberries and mint.

CHOCOLATE CUPS WITH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• For cups:
• Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon melted chocolate into each paper liner. Using pastry brush, brush chocolate over bottom and up sides of liners to coat evenly. Freeze until chocolate firms, about 30 minutes
• Remelt chocolate; add 1 tablespoon to each cup and brush over bottom and up sides, forming second coat. Freeze until completely set, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)
• For mousse:
• Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool briefly.
• Meanwhile, combine water, yolks and powdered sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over simmering water in base of double boiler and whisk until mixture is frothy and candy thermometer registers 160°F, about 6 minutes. Remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat until thick and cool, about 3 minutes. Fold cooled chocolate, then ground hazelnuts and Frangelico into yolk mixture. Beat cream in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture in 3 additions.
• Peel paper liner from each chocolate cup. Arrange cups on platter. Pipe mousse into cups, dividing equally. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over. Serve immediately or chill up to 1 day.

CREAMIEST CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until mostly melted, then remove from heat, and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to medium stiff peaks, but do not allow it to become grainy. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the sugar, and continue whipping to medium stiff peaks. Fold in egg yolks and kirshwasser.
• Fold in the melted chocolate until completely incorporated, then fold in whipped cream until evenly blended. Spoon into dessert cups, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CUPS WITH CANDIED BACON

Steps:

• In a large, heavy skillet, fry bacon over medium-low heat, turning once, until partially cooked (should still be limp). Remove bacon to paper towels and drain all fat from pan. Return bacon to pan and sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar. Cook over low heat, turning frequently, about 10 minutes, until bacon is well coated with sugar and very firm. Remove to a rack to cool. (Do not cool on paper towels). If any melted sugar remains in the pan, spoon it over the bacon.
• Meanwhile, place shells in preheated 350ºF oven for 4 minutes to crisp. Remove and cool.
• In a small bowl, with an electric mixer, beat mascarpone, remaining sugar, chocolate and coffee. In another bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture.
• Spoon/Pipe about two teaspoons of chocolate mixture into each shell. Chop bacon into small pieces and sprinkle over chocolate. Serve immediately. Note: If not serving immediately, refrigerate filling and bacon so that shells stay crispy and crunchy once they're filled.