Moira Hodgsons Chocolate Mousse Recipes

MILK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Set aside to cool a little.
• Whip the cream with an electric mixer on high for about a minute. Turn the mixer to low while adding the sugar, then turn back to high and whip to stiff peaks.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a pitcher and add the vanilla.
• Next, temper the eggs by adding a little of the melted chocolate. Then pour the eggs back into the bowl of melted chocolate and stir to combine. Fold in three-quarters of the whipped cream (refrigerate the remaining whipped cream for serving). Spoon the mousse into serving glasses or bowls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Serve the mousse with dollops of whipped cream and garnish with grated chocolate and gummy worms.

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.

MOROCCAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Stir together the heavy cream, agave, cinnamon, cumin and salt in a large bowl.
• Place the chopped chocolate in the bowl of a double boiler. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and stir until the chocolate is fully melted, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot and set on a dish towel to dry the bottom of the bowl.
• Using a hand-held mixer, whip the spiced cream just until it forms soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes; be careful not to over-whip. Now, using a rubber spatula, quickly and gently fold the melted chocolate into the whipped cream. Serve immediately, or divide the mousse among serving bowls and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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.

EASY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Prepare the pudding in a large bowl using 1 1/2 cups milk instead of the suggested 2 cups.
• Fold in the whipped topping until blended. Refrigerate until chilled and serve.

CHOCOLATE TERRINE (CHOCOLATE MOUSSE IN CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour two 10 inch-by-15-inch jelly-roll pans.
• To make the mousse, melt chocolate and butter over hot water, beat egg yolks into chocolate and butter, and add cognac.
• Beat egg whites to soft peaks and add sugar slowly. Continue to beat till stiff but not dry. Add stiffly beaten whites to chocolate mixture and beat together with a whisk.
• Whip cream almost to stiff peaks and fold into chocolate mixture. Chill for at least one hour.
• To make the sponge cake, sift flour and cocoa twice. Whisk together eggs and sugar over simmering water until sugar begins to dissolve and mixture is warm. Add vanilla.
• Whip at high speed until thick and light, and mixture forms a ribbon when poured from a spoon.
• Sift one-third of the dry ingredients over the eggs and sugar, and fold in with a rubber spatula until combined. Repeat with remaining flour and cocoa, one third at a time.
• Divide the batter equally between the two pans and bake until cake tester is clean in the center, or about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• When cake has cooled, cut the sponge cake to line completely a pate mold or a straight-sided bread pan, about three inches by four inches by 10 inches. Cut each piece slightly larger than the pan. Simply press the fresh cake against the bottom and sides of the pan, making sure the corners and seams are sealed with cake. Chill until ready for filling. Save the scraps for later use; you should have two pieces large enough to use as layers inside the terrine.
• To make the ganache, chop chocolate into coinsize pieces. Bring one cup of the cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate is completely dissolved and ganache is smooth and shiny.
• To assemble, fill chocolate terrine with alternating layers of chocolate mousse, ganache and a sheet of chocolate sponge cake, ending with chocolate sponge cake to form a cover and seal the terrine, reserving enough chocolate ganache to cover the outside. This will come later. Rap the pan sharply several times while assembling and again afterwards. Allow the terrine to chill overnight.
• To make chocolate curls, melt the semisweet chocolate slowly over hot water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. When completely melted, spread the chocolate about one-eighthinch thick on a baking sheet with a metal spatula. Chill completely.
• When chilled, remove from refrigerator and let chocolate begin to warm. Holding the metal spatula at a 45-degree angle to the baking sheet, begin to move the spatula across the sheet, loosening the chocolate. If the chocolate has reached the proper temperature, it will slide up the spatula as you move along the sheet, curling as you go. If it cracks, it is too cold. Let it warm up and try again. If it sticks to the spatula, it is too warm. Regrigerate for a moment or two. Refrigerate the curls.
• When the terrine has chilled thoroughly, turn it out by placing an appropriate-size platter (a rectangular bread board will do) upside down on top of the terrine. Then turn it over. The terrine should drop right out. If it does not, let it sit on the platter, and tap the top and sides with the heel of your hand.
• Remelt the remaining ganache over hot water, stirring occasionally until smooth and shiny again. If it seems too thick to pour, add several tablespoons of cream.
• Starting at one end and moving toward the other, pour the ganache over the terrine, letting it run down the sides. Smooth the sides and top with a narrow frosting spatula and let the terrine set in the refrigerator for several minutes.
• Garnish the entire terrine with curls in any way you like. The curls will stick to the ganache. Refrigerate until one-half hour to one hour before serving.

MOIRA HODGSON'S CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Heat the cream until small bubbles form around the edge.
• Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the upper container of a double boiler set over very hot water. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, then whisk in the butter.
• Gradually add the hot cream, whisking constantly. Turn up the heat so that the water in the bottom of the double boiler starts to simmer gently. Cook for four minutes, whisking constantly (the yolks are cooked at 160 degrees on a candy thermometer).
• Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Cool, stirring constantly for about five minutes.
• Beat the egg whites until they stand up in glossy peaks. With a large rubber spatula, stir one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then gradually fold in the rest.
• Scrape the mousse into a large bowl or individual dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (about two hours for individual bowls and about five hours for a large mousse).

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE: MOCHA MOUSSE

Steps:

• Prepare the Mocha Mousse. Heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium high heat. Place 14 ounces semisweet chocolate, 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, 1/2 cup water, 4 tablespoons of instant coffee, and 2 tablespoons cocoa in the top half of the double boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap. Heat for 6 to 7 minutes, remove the film wrap, and stir the mixture until smooth. Keep at room temperature until needed.
• Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Whisk on high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Continue to whisk while gradually adding 2 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk until stiff, about 30 seconds.
• Whip 3/4 cup heavy cream in a well-chilled stainless-steel bowl until stiff. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in the whipped cream now fold in the remaining egg whites. Hold the mocha mousse at room temperature.

WICKED HOT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Whisk the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of sugar, butter, 1/4 cup of water, coffee liqueur, and chili oil in a large metal bowl to blend. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water); whisk constantly until the mixture is very thick and frothy, about 3 minutes. Add the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in another large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, beating until stiff and glossy peaks form. Remove the chocolate from over the water. Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the warm chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in the remaining meringue.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours or overnight. Spoon the mousse into 6-ounce bowls. Top with spicy whipped cream and serve.
• Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a 4-ounce bottle. Seal the lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month.
• With an electric mixer, whip cream gradually adding the sugar until soft peaks form. Top with a dusting of cocoa powder and a pinch of cayenne. Serve immediately.

FROZEN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Break the chocolate into pieces and process in a food processor until very fine.
• Heat the creme fraiche to boiling point and with the processor's motor running, pour it through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process a few seconds until smooth.
• Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the hot chocolate mixture. Process for a few seconds to incorporate. Then transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool until it has thickened to spreading consistency.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Stir about one-fourth of the whites into the chocolate mixture and then carefully fold in the remaining whites until uniform. Pour the mixture into a prepared six-cup souffle dish with a foil collar and freeze for at least three hours. Store up to three days.
• When ready to serve, carefully remove the foil collar and serve at once.

DRIED APRICOT MOUSSE

Steps:

• Simmer the apricots in the wine with the apples, lemon juice and sugar, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until soft. Cool and puree in a food processor.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until they are in stiff peaks. Using a whisk, fold them into the apricot puree.
• Spoon the mousse into eight wine glasses or individual bowls. Chill for one to two hours. Just before serving, sprinkle with almonds.

FROZEN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Break the chocolate into pieces and process in a food processor until very fine.
• Heat the creme fraiche to boiling point and with the processor's motor running, pour it through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process a few seconds until smooth.
• Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the hot chocolate mixture. Process for a few seconds to incorporate. Then transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool until it has thickened to spreading consistency.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Stir about one-fourth of the whites into the chocolate mixture and then carefully fold in the remaining whites until uniform. Pour the mixture into a prepared six-cup souffle dish with a foil collar and freeze for at least three hours. Store up to three days.
• When ready to serve, carefully remove the foil collar and serve at once.
• YIELD 6 servings
• NOTE : To make the foil collar, fasten a band of aluminum foil around the souffle dish with string or paper clips. The band should be four inches higher than the sides of the dish to create the illusion of a risen mousse.

EVERYONE LOVES IT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Melt semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips in heavy saucepan over very low heat while stirring. Stir coffee into the melted chocolate, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature.
• Beat egg yolks, one at a time, into the chocolate mixture.
• Beat heavy cream with an electric hand mixer in a large mixing bowl until thickened. Gradually beat sugar into the cream until the mixture is stiff.
• Beat egg whites with the salt in a separate glass or metal bowl until stiff peaks form; fold into the cream mixture. Take about 1/3 of the resulting mixture and stir into the chocolate mixture. Scrape remaining cream-and-egg mixture over lightened chocolate base and fold together gently; pour into a serving bowl or individual dessert cups.
• Chill in refrigerator until set, about 2 hours.