Ok, I’ve mentioned in a couple of posts already that I’m not a great cook and only a mediocre baker. Yes, it’s a New Year’s resolution to improve this skill. When it comes to cooking, I have an innate ability to make the simple complex {which is somewhat ironic because my day job is doing the exact opposite – make the complex simple}. BUT on the bright side..if I can do it then you KNOW you CAN!
I came across this recipe on Pinterest. It said 2 ingredients and 5 minutes so I thought how hard can it be? Well it was more like 6 ingredients and an hour before I got it right but worth the frustration!! It was a rendition of Goldilocks and the three bears because first it was too runny, then it was too thick, then it was just right. I have a toddler – can you tell?
This is a simple chocolate mousse with a fancy name! You can serve it at a dinner party and really impress your family or friends and it doesn’t take much! I found out the hard way that it is KEY to properly prepare the ice bath. You’ll know what I mean when you read more.
INSTANT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (CHOCOLATE CHANTILLY)
Recipe by Herve This & Heston Blumenthal
Ingredients:
4- 4 ounce servings
- 9.35 ounces (265 grams) bittersweet (%70 cocoa solids) chocolate chopped (I rounded to 10 oz.)
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 4 tbsp sugar, optional (I opted not to use sugar)
Instructions:
- Create an ice bath by placing a large mixing bowl on top of another slightly smaller one, filled with ice and cold water (the top bowl should be touching the ice water to chill). Set aside.
- Put chocolate and water (also sugar if you’re using) in a medium-sized pan and melt the chocolate over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl sitting on top of ice and water, and start whisking with a wire whisk (or an electrical hand-held mixer) until thick. Keep an eye on the texture of the mixture as you’re whipping (do not over mix), if you whisk too much you run the risk of the mousse becoming grainy. If the mixture becomes grainy, transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and place back over the heat. Heat the mixture until half of the mixture has melted and then transfer back to bowl and whisk again briefly.
- Divide into four serving cups and serve immediately.
Click here, for a video of Heston preparing this dessert himself.
My errors, my first one never thickened. It remained a soupy chocolate mixture and I assume it was because the top bowl was not touching the ice so it wasn’t chilling properly. With the second batch, I became a little overzealous with the whisking (to the point my arm felt like it was going to fall off). I think I overwhipped it because it became to thick. It was still good but I wanted it perfect. My advice is to make sure the bowl is cold and to watch the consistency. Once the texture is a whipped cream or icing like consistency, I’d suggest transfering it to your serving dishes.
Enjoy!! And let me know how it turned out!
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