Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (47 page)

Meanwhile, in the small bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks at high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until they are pale lemon-colored. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the slightly warm chocolate, and beat, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat only until smooth. Remove from the mixer.

Add the salt to the egg whites and beat with clean beaters only until they hold a definite shape but not until they are stiff or dry (see Notes).

Without being too thorough, gently fold about one-quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in a second quarter, and finally fold the chocolate into the remaining whites, folding only until no whites show.

Gently transfer the mousse to a wide pitcher and pour it into six large wine glasses, each with about a 9-ounce capacity. Do not fill the glasses too full; leave generous headroom on each. (I always prepared this mousse in individual glasses and thought it had to be best that way. But it has been served to me many times at other people’s homes from one large serving bowl, and it was fine.)

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours. (The mousse may stand longer—12 to 24 hours if you wish. The texture will become more spongy and less creamy. Delicious both ways.)

MOCHA CREAM

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee

In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, beat the above ingredients only until the cream thickens to the consistency of a heavy custard sauce—not stiff.

Pour or spoon the cream onto the mousse to completely cover the top of each portion.

Refrigerate until serving time.

OPTIONAL:
Top with a light sprinkling of shaved or coarsely grated semisweet chocolate. Or place a few large Chocolate Slabs (see page 263) standing upright into the cream. Refrigerate until serving time.

NOTES:
1. I beat the egg whites with the salt in the large bowl of the mixer, beating at high speed only until the whites thicken or hold a very soft shape. Then I finish the beating with a large wire whisk so that there is less chance of overbeating.

2. This recipe may easily be doubled if you wish.

Mint Chocolate Mousse

The taste of this will remind you of creamy white mints covered with dark bittersweet chocolate.

This recipe is the same as the above mousse with the following changes:

Do not use the instant coffee—use just plain water. And, while beating the chocolate into the egg yolks, add a generous ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.

Instead of the mocha cream topping, use plain whipped cream, made with 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup confectioners sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.

Another Chocolate Mousse

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ORTIONS

Chocolate Mousse Heatter (see page 195) depends almost completely on the chocolate you use for its flavor—it has no sugar and no vanilla.

Here is a delicious, rich, dense mousse made with unsweetened chocolate. This is a traditional French recipe.

It must be made 24 hours before serving.

4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate

1 teaspoon dry instant espresso or other dry instant coffee

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water

¾ cup granulated sugar

5 eggs (graded large or extra-large), separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 tablespoon rum, brandy, bourbon, kirsch, or Grand Marnier

Pinch of salt

Chop the chocolate coarsely and set it aside.

In a heavy saucepan with a 1- to 2-quart capacity, add the coffee to the water and stir to dissolve. Add ½ cup (reserve ¼ cup) of the sugar and place over moderate heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture barely begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, add the chocolate, and stir constantly until melted. Remove from the heat and set aside for a few moments.

In a large mixing bowl stir the egg yolks with a wire whisk just to mix. Gradually stir in about half of the warm chocolate, and then stir the yolks into the remaining chocolate. Stir in the vanilla or liquor, return to the large mixing bowl, and set aside.

In the small bowl of an electric mixer add the salt to the egg whites and beat until they barely hold a soft shape. Reduce the speed to moderate and gradually add the reserved ¼ cup of sugar. Increase the speed to high again and beat briefly only until the whites hold a shape but not until they are stiff or dry.

One at a time, stir two or three tablespoonfuls of the whites into the chocolate, fold about half of the whites into the chocolate—do not be too thorough—and finally fold in the remaining whites.

The mousse may be poured into one large serving dish (it must have at least a 6-cup capacity but it may be larger), or gently pour it into a wide-mouthed pitcher and then pour into six to eight glasses with a 6- to 8-ounce capacity, or eight individual soufflé dishes. (Do not fill them all the way to the top.) Cover the serving dish or individual portions airtight with aluminum foil.

Refrigerate for about 24 hours.

WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract, or 2 to 3 teaspoons of whichever alcohol you used in the mousse

If you love whipped cream, double the above ingredients.

In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the above ingredients only until the cream holds a soft shape—not stiff. If you whip the cream ahead of time, refrigerate it. If so, it will probably separate while standing. Just stir/beat it a bit with a wire whisk before using.

Pour or spoon it over the mousse or pass it separately as a sauce.

OPTIONAL:
Chocolate Shavings (see page 263) may be sprinkled over the mousse whether the whipped cream is on it or not. Or the mousse may be served without any decoration.

NOTE:
If the mousse is served at the table from one large bowl, it should be spooned onto chilled flat dessert plates.

P.S. As with all chocolate desserts, the flavor of the chocolate itself is quite important and is frequently a matter of your own taste. I like this mousse flavored with vanilla, rather than with liquor; it will have a more unadulterated, undiluted, pure chocolate taste. And if you don’t use either vanilla or liquor, the chocolate flavor will be even stronger.

Pots de Chocolat (mousse)

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PORTIONS

This recipe comes from Oxford University in England where it was taught in a “Cordon Bleu” cooking course. I was told that this was a special favorite of Prince Rainier of Monaco.

It is a very dense mousse (more chocolate per egg than the usual) so the portions should be small. Prepare it in pots de crème cups, demitasse cups, or small wine glasses. The cups or glasses should have about ½-cup capacity and should not be filled all the way to the top.

Make this early in the day for that night, or the day before. The recipe may be divided to make only 2 portions or it may be multiplied by any number.

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons light rum or prepared coffee

2 eggs (graded large or extra-large), separated

Pinch of salt

Break up the chocolate and place it with the butter and rum or coffee in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Cover until partially melted. Then uncover and stir until completely melted and smooth. If necessary, stir briskly with a small wire whisk to make the mixture smooth. Remove from the hot water. Let stand for 2 or 3 minutes to cool slightly.

Add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring until smooth after each addition.

In a small bowl add the salt to the egg whites and beat until they hold a firm shape or are stiff but not dry. The whites must be folded into the chocolate gradually; it is all right if the chocolate is still warm. First fold in one rounded tablespoonful, then another, and then a third. Now fold in all the remaining whites—do not handle any more than necessary. Gently transfer to a small, wide-mouthed pitcher and gently pour into four small cups or glasses, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. It will be soft and creamy after 6 to 8 hours and will become more firm after standing overnight. (Good both ways, but if you do let these stand overnight be sure to cover them securely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil—or with the covers of the pots de crème cups—otherwise the tops dry out too much.)

These are traditionally served as is, that is to say with no topping or decoration. However, if you would like a small rosette of whipped cream, and maybe a candied rose or violet petal, or a bit of grated or shaved chocolate, use it.

It is best to eat these with demitasse or other small spoons.

Baked Chocolate Custard

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UPS

A beautiful custard is not only for invalids or children—it is an exquisite dessert for anyone at any time. But making a perfect, plain, baked chocolate custard is an accomplishment—it takes care and attention, although it can be put together in just a few minutes. If you are not careful, the eggs in a custard can become scrambled or tough or watery. Success depends on the heat that the eggs are exposed to—the hot milk must be added to the eggs slowly, and the custard must be baked at a low temperature. And it must not be overbaked.

It is best if this does not stand overnight. Make it during the day to serve that night. The recipe may be divided in half or it may be multiplied by any number.

1½ cups milk

2 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate

½ cup water or prepared coffee

2 eggs plus 2 yolks (graded large, extra-large, or jumbo)

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Generous pinch of salt

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat the milk uncovered in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat (high heat will scorch it) until a slightly wrinkled skin forms on the top.

Meanwhile, place both chocolates and the water or coffee (which may be hot or cold) in the top of a large double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

While the chocolate is melting, place the eggs and yolks in a medium-size mixing bowl and stir with a wire whisk just to mix thoroughly (do not beat until airy), and then stir in the sugar. Set aside.

When the milk and the chocolate are both ready, pour the hot milk all at once into the chocolate and stir until smooth.

Then, very gradually, add the hot chocolate/milk to the eggs, stirring constantly and adding the milk only a little at a time at the beginning.

Return the mixture to the top of the double boiler over warm water on low heat and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and the sides, for 5 minutes (see Note).