I love chocolate mousse. And I love this recipe because, a: if doesn't take long, b: you can make it somewhat healthy and c: it is goooo-oooood!
100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
300ml double cream (I used low fat single cream)
2 tbsp Amaretto or other liqueur (optional) (I used cassis)
1 large egg white
50g caster sugar
handful of amaretti biscuits, to garnish (yuck! I ommited these)
white or dark chocolate shavings, to garnish
Break the chocolate into small pieces and set
aside. Maybe sample a little, just to make sure it hasn't gone bad. In a small saucepan, heat half of the cream until it begins to
boil. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate pieces and stir until the
chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Again, just to be safe, it's best to make sure it tastes ok.
Pour the mixture into a bowl set over a
large bowl of iced water and add the rest of the cream and Amaretto, if
using - I reckon next time I'd give Frangelico a go - it tastes awesome in hot chocolate. Using a handheld electric whisk, beat the mixture to soft peaks - now this took a lot longer than expected, probably because of the low fat cream, so this 4-minute-mousse recipe became more of a 20-minutes-and-I'm-not-seein'-no-peaks kinda mousse recipe.
But when you do get those peaks, remove the bowl from the iced water.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg white with a
handheld electric beater until stiff peak. I'm not really sure what is meant by 'meanwhile' - I don't know about anyone else but I can't be whipping soft peaks and stiff peaks at the same time! Add the sugar, a tablespoon
at a time, and continue whisking to a soft meringue. Carefully fold the
meringue through the chocolate mixture, then spoon or pipe into chilled
serving glasses.
This recipe is meant to make 4 mousses, but I put them into smaller dishes, and I think I ended up with 7.
Place the amaretti into a bowl and lightly
crush with the tip of a rolling pin. Sprinkle over the chocolate mousse
and garnish with chocolate shavings, if you like - I just went for the chocolate shavings. I mean, who needs to go messing that up with almond?? Serve immediately or
chill for up to two days.
These set pretty quick - they just need about half an hour in the fridge. They are super good and I reckon, if you make them a bit smaller like I did, not more thatn 150 calories each - if anyone cares. They sure don't taste like that though!
I wish I could take credit for this recipe.....well I'm gonna take credit for some of it, but it was originally written by Mr F-Word himself, Gordon Brown. But he said it was ok for me to use it when we had dinner last week*
*The dinner may or may not have taken place in my head
