Dark Chocolate Mousse Recipe Cooks Illustrated

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a large bowl set over a bain marie or in a double boiler at a low simmer. Stir chocolate until melted. Turn off the heat and let stand.
• Beat the cream over ice until it forms soft peaks. Set aside and hold at room temperature. With a mixer, whip egg to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and continue whipping until firm.
• Remove the chocolate from the bain marie and using a whisk, fold in the egg whites all at once. When the whites are almost completely incorporated, fold in the whipped cream. Cover the mousse and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour or until set. Serve in goblets topped with more whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

CHEF JOHN'S DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer over low heat. Place chocolate, butter, 2 tablespoons water, ground chipotle pepper, and salt in a heatproof bowl; set bowl over the simmering water. When the butter melts, whisk the chocolate mixture gently until smooth and shiny. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks, 2 tablespoons water, and sugar in another heatproof bowl over the same pan of simmering water until egg yolk mixture is foamy and hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Pour hot egg mixture into warm chocolate mixture, whisk until smooth, and set over a bowl of ice to chill. Whisk constantly until mixture has cooled to room temperature or slightly cooler.
• Pour 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon cold cream into a chilled metal bowl; whisk until cream holds soft peaks. Place about half the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture; gently fold the cream into the chocolate. Repeat with remaining half of whipped cream, folding gently until nearly all the streaks have disappeared. Divide mousse into 4 6-ounce ramekins.
• Cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours (up to overnight) before serving.

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• 1. Melt chocolate, cocoa powder, espresso powder, water, and brandy in medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and cool for 3 - 4 minutes.
• 2. Whisk egg yolks, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and salt in medium bowl over the same saucepan filled with hot water, until mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly, for about 30 seconds. Pour melted chocolate into egg mixture and whisk until combined. Let cool until just warmer than room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes.
• 3. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute. Detach whisk and bowl from mixer and whisk last few strokes by hand, making sure to scrape any unbeaten whites from bottom of bowl. Using whisk, stir about one-quarter of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula until a few white streaks remain.
• 4. In now-empty bowl, whip heavy cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 15 seconds more. Using rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into mousse until no white streaks remain. Spoon into 6 to 8 individual serving dishes or goblets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set and firm, at least 2 hours.

EASY DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Beat 3/4 cup sugar and egg yolks together in a bowl.
• Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, 1 to 3 minutes. Add butter gradually and beat until smooth. Beat into the egg yolk mixture.
• Beat egg whites and salt together in another bowl until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over and beat for 2 minutes more. Stir egg whites slowly into chocolate bowl. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours; overnight is best.

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• For the mousse: Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a water bath, making sure the water is not boiling. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks.
• Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and set over the same water bath to slightly heat while beating them with a whisk. Add the sugar to the yolks and then transfer the mixture to a stand mixer set up with the whisk attachment. Beat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the yolks double in size, about 5 minutes. Carefully fold the chocolate into the yolks. Lastly, fold in the whipped cream. Divide the mixture among 4 serving bowls or glasses and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• For the toppings: Just before serving, top with some whipped cream and garnish with chocolate shavings.

DARK-CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Mousse:
• Heat chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stirring occasionally, until chocolate and butter are melted and well blended, about 5 minutes. Set chocolate mixture aside.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Using electric mixer with clean beaters, beat egg whites and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in another medium bowl until medium-stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently fold egg yolk mixture into chocolate mixture until no streaks remain. Starting in the center of the mixture and working your way toward the edges of the bowl, gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture (make sure to scrape up from the bottom), rotating bowl as you go, until no streaks remain (this will incorporate the egg whites without deflating them; you don't want to lose volume).
• Divide mousse among ramekins, smooth surface, and chill at least 4 hours.
• Do Ahead
• Mousse can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Topping and assembly Whip cream and sugar in a medium bowl until medium peaks form.