Decadent Chocolate Mousse Recipes

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9 inch springform pan with 2 3/4 inch sides.
• In a medium bowl, mix together crushed cookies and softened butter or margarine. Press mixture evenly into greased pan. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then allow to cool.
• Combine 1 cup cream, chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt, in the top of a double boiler. Heat until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth. Alternatively, if you have a food processor, you can blend mixture by placing chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt, in processor bowl. Bring 1 cup cream to a boil on stovetop, then slowly pour cream into processor with blade running. Continue to process until mixture is smooth.
• Pour chocolate mixture into a bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• In a large bowl, beat 2 cups chilled cream with 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Pour mixture into cooled crust.
• Chill pie at least 6 hours before serving. Prior to serving, beat remaining 1 cup cream with 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until stiff, then pipe onto top of pie with a star tip, or place a spoonful on top of each slice.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 3/4 cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture coats back of spoon, 3 to 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat; whisk in melted chocolate and vanilla. Strain into a bowl; chill until cool.
• With an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of whipped cream into cooled custard mixture, then gently fold in the rest with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon into serving dishes; chill, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE BARS

Steps:

• To make crust:.
• Line a 9 x 13" cake pan with parchment paper.
• Melt milk chocolate in a double boiler.
• Stir peanut butter into melted chocolate. Place crushed corn flakes in a bowl and stir chocolate/peanut butter mixture over them, mixing well.
• Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and cool in refrigerator.
• To make Mousse:.
• Melt semisweet chocolate in a double boiler. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer fitted with a paddle, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add sifted cocoa powder and mix well. Scrape down bowl and add chocolate.
• Continue mixing and add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Fold in heavy cream that has been beaten to firm peak.
• Mix well to incorporate, leaving no white streaks in the chocolate.
• Spread mousse over crust.
• Chill about 2 hours, until set. Cut into desired size bars with a sharp knife dipped in hot water. (1 x 4-1/2 " cuts will yield about 2 dozen bars).
• Place bars on a cooling rack that has been placed over a clean baking sheet. (Bars may be completed at this time or coated with ganache).
• If bars are soft, place rack in freezer until ganache is ready.
• To make ganache:.
• Melt chocolate in double boiler.
• Mix sugar and heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring mixture to a slow boil over low heat(be careful not to scorch the cream).
• Pour cream over chocolate and stir with a whisk to incorporate, making sure all the chocolate is melted.
• Strain mixture to remove any pieces of unmelted chocolate.
• Let cool for about 1 hour.
• Pour ganache over firm bars to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm ganache.
• The bars should be stored in the refrigerator.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE

Steps:

• Crust: Mix chocolate wafers and butter. Press on bottom and sides of a 10" springform pan. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Filling: In a double boiler, melt the semisweet chocolate; let cool to lukewarm. Add a little of the chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs, then pour into the chocolate. Add 4 egg yolks and beat well.
• Whip 2 cups cream with 6 T icing sugar till soft peaks form.
• Beat 4 egg whites until stiff but not dry.
• Stir 1/4 each of the egg whites and the cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining whites and cream. Pour onto the crust and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Garnish: Whip 1 cup whipping cream with 1-1/2 T icing sugar until stiff. Loosen crust on all sides using sharp knife, remove springform.
• Spread some of the cream over top of the mousse. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles or curls -- strawberries or raspberries -- or a berry coulis.