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When Helen announced the theme for this month’s HHDD event, my ears perked up. Whilst I’ve tried my hand at most desserts, the humble mousse was completely unknown to me, and therefore it was a challenge that I was totally raring to go for! After all, what’s not to like about a nice, creamy, light-as-air dessert that melts in your mouth, hrm? This also gave me an opportunity to try a new cookbook that I’d received from my lovely coworkers as a goodbye present - ‘Bittersweet’ by Alice Medrich. Now, let me pause for a moment to gush about this book. You are not a true chocaholic unless you possess it. From the very first page, Alice shares memories and recipes and takes you through what chocolate is all about - from the distinction between different kinds of chocolate and how they should be used, to chocolate storage and even ‘chocolate notes’ that explain why certain chocolatey products give a particular outcome. For example, have you ever wondered why some brownie recipes give a product that has a crust? Alice has…and she explains why she’s found this is so

Alice covers a few different mousse recipes in the book, but I concentrated on two of the lighter ones because I knew that my family wouldn’t have a bar of them if they were too rich. The milk and white chocolate layers of my triple chocolate mousse were made with an egg-less and gelatin-free recipe which boggled my mind a bit, but the end result was still deliciously light and smooth. As for the dark chocolate layer…well, it’s the first mousse recipe that I’ve ever come across that has involved cooking the eggs, but I have to say that Alice knows exactly what she’s doing! These recipes are laid out in perfect detail and lay out what needs to be done step by ste, so as long as you know how to read, there’s very little chance of stuffing up

Besides the striking difference of colour between the layers, the difference in texture also makes the triple chocolate mousse more interesting to eat. The white (top) and milk (bottom) layers are both a lot less airy than the dark mousse, and as a result they’re smoother in texture, almost like whipped cream. The dark mousse is far richer, more aerated and heavier, so provides for a pleasant contrast. I think next time I make these (and trust me, there will definitely be a next time), I’ll try some of the variations that are offered…such as infusing fruits and herbs into the chocolate!

The little decorations were a spur of the moment thing - the mousses had set by about 6pm and the sun was setting quick which gave me very little time to shoot…and as soon as I started taking the photos, I realized that the tops looked a little bare! So, I quickly melted some sugar to make some sugar strands, and used the remaining chocolate to create a sheet of decorated chocolate that I snapped to insert into mousses. I guess my ma was right when she drummed into me that food presentation counts, as when I’d started cooking my sister had wrinkled her nose at the mention of mousse (”naaaaaah, I’m not gonna have any, I don’t like chocolate mousse!”) but by the time they were set and decorated, she nabbed the one with spun sugar without a moment’s hesitation!

The deadline for Hay Hay it’s Donna Day isn’t till the 20th April, so if you haven’t submitted an entry yet then there’s still time Make sure to head over to Tartlette for the round-up on the 24th, and place your vote for who you think should win this month’s mousse edition!

I’ve also realized that this blog’s one year blog-anniversary has come and gone! I’ve been so absolutely flat-out busy that it passed me by…but it’s interesting to look at the first few posts from the infancy of this blog to realize just how far I’ve come Let’s just hope that I don’t forget the anniversary next year

Albert’s Mousse (from “Bittersweet” by Alice Medrich)

Ingredients
170 grams bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup water, coffee or milk, or 1/2 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs at room temperature
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp caster sugar

1. Place chocolate and 1/4 cup of water (or coffee, milk or 1/2 cup cream) into a medium heatproof bowl and put over a wide skillet/saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently till the chocolate is nearly melted, then remove and stir till completely liquid (this is important - any unmelted chocolate will ruin the velvety smoothness of your mousse!)

2. In another medium heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs with 3 tbsp water and sugar till well blended (use a fork! You do not want it frothy at this stage!). Set this bowl over the skillet of water that is not even simmering (this is very important - if it is simmering it will start to solidify the egg proteins, and you do not want this to happen) and stir constantly over the heat till they reach 70 degrees C, then beat with an electric mixer till they have the texture of softly whipped cream (should be about 3-4 minutes on the highest setting).

3. Fold 1/4 of the eggs into the chocolate to lighten the mixture, then scrape the egg-chocolate mix into the remaining eggs and fold till just evenly incorporated. Divide into cups/ramekins and chill for at least 2 hrs before serving.

White or Milk Chocolate Mousse (from “Bittersweet” by Alice Medrich)

Ingredients
225 grams white or milk chocolate, finely chopped
6 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1. Place the chocolate and water into a medium heatproof bowl. Place about water in a saucepan till 5cm deep, the bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat, wait for a few seconds then set the bowl on the water and stir vigorously till the chocolate is melted and smooth.

2. Whip the cream till it is thickened and just beginning to hold shape (when you tilt the bowl, it should slowly flow to one side, fluffy but still pourable and not stiff). Check the temperature of the chocolate - it should be around 25 - 30 degrees C, if it’s any cooler then heat it slightly over some hot water. If the chocolate has the right temperature, then scrape the cream into the chocolate and quickly but carefully fold the two together. Don’t worry if it seems far too liquidy and soft - it will set and firm up later.

3. While the mix is still soft, spoon into glasses/ramekins and leave to set for at least 2 hrs before serving.

Technorati Tags: alice medrich, chocolate, mousse, HHDD, blog event, dessert, sweets

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Reply New @Ellie - <blockquote>Laura (Paris) - Glad you like the mousse :) I don't have the book on me at the moment, but from memory there really wasn't any explanation as to why the egg was cooked, my stab in the dark guess would be that the heat thickens the mixture which perhaps helps stabilize the foam? Dolores - Thank you sweetheart :D</blockquote>

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