Chocolate Mousse Three Ways

Recipe Ingredients

12 oz	340g	Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate - chopped
		= (do not substitute unsweetened)
3/4 cup	177ml	Whipping cream
3 tablespoons	45ml	Unsalted butter - room temperature,
		Cut in tablespoon-size pieces
6		Eggs - room temperature,
		Separated
1 tablespoon	15ml	Sugar

Recipe Instructions

Choose a bowl that can sit snugly above a saucepan. Add enough water to the saucepan so it doesn't touch the bowl and heat it to nearly simmering. Combine the chocolate and the cream in the bowl. Set the bowl above the saucepan over low heat. Leave the chocolate just until melted, stirring occasionally with a dry wooden spoon. Remove the bowl; stir the chocolate until smooth. (Gentle heat is essential when you're melting chocolate -- if overheated it may take on a burnt taste or a gritty texture). Note: You can also melt chocolate on medium power in the microwave, but check it frequently. Microwaved chocolate cubes don't appear melted to the eye, but as soon as you stir them, they liquefy.

Whisk in the butter. Add the egg yolks, one by one, whisking vigorously after each addition.

In a dry bowl, whip the egg whites with dry beaters at medium speed until soft peaks form. Beat in the sugar and whip at high speed until the whites are just stiff and shiny but not dry.

Quickly fold about a fourth of the whites into the chocolate mixture. Spoon this mixture over the remaining whites and fold them gently until blended in.

Divide the mixture among 6 small wine glasses, ramekins or small deep dessert dishes. Refrigerate the mousses for 2 hours or until they set. Serve cold.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Each serving: 454 calories; 74 mg sodium; 243 mg cholesterol; 33 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 3.34 grams fiber.

Variations: To turn this dark chocolate mousse into milk or white chocolate mousse, follow the variations below. Milk and white chocolate set less firmly than dark chocolate when chilled, so I add more butter. You can make the mousses up to 2 days ahead. For special occasions I layer all three mousses in a wine glass, beginning with the white mousse (the thinnest), followed by the milk chocolate, then the dark. I chill each layer about 1 1/2 hours and only then I prepare and add the next mousse.

Milk Chocolate Mousse: Melt 12 ounces milk chocolate with the cream as above, leaving it above the hot water only until partially melted. Off the heat, whisk it until smooth. Whisk in 6 tablespoons butter. When beating the egg whites, add only 2 teaspoons sugar. Refrigerate until set before serving.

White Chocolate Mousse: Melt 12 ounces white chocolate with the cream as above, leaving it above the hot water only until partially melted. Off the heat, whisk it until smooth. Whisk in 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) butter. When beating the egg whites, add only 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Refrigerate until set before serving.

Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 06-12-2002

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