Chocolate Mousse

Have you ever tried to prepare an elegant meal but were just not sure what to make for the dessert? Why not try making a chocolate mousse? When prepared correctly, a chocolate mousse is a sophisticated, simple, and tasty way to cap off a wonderful dinner.

 

To prepare a good chocolate mousse, it is essential to choose a highly rated recipe and quality ingredients.

 

It is possible to find recipes online from well-known chefs or alternatively, to ask a neighbor, but usually the best chocolate mousse recipes are those, which you yourself or those you are serving have tasted. If you are making the chocolate mousse for a special event or get together, it is best to give the recipe a trial run on a small scale. Make a few servings, and test the results!

 

When considering the ingredients, the first thing to evaluate is what type of chocolate taste this mousse should have. Do you want the flavor to be rich, sweet, or bittersweet? The strength of chocolate desired will influence your choice in type. Will this be a chocolate mousse made to be complimented by alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages? Depending on the beverage, the sweetness or bitterness of the chocolate should be complimentary. The chocolate will need to be melted in a double boiler over low heat. If this is unavailable, a pan containing water with a heat-safe bowl in which to melt the chocolate will work well.

 

The smoothness and body of a chocolate mousse are what helps make it desirable. Some chocolate mousse recipes use gelatin and whipped topping to provide the body of the mousse. Others opt for a more basic ingredients approach, where no gelatin is used. In either case, the essential ingredient is the cream. If you are using heavy cream, it should be whipped to stiff peaks by hand or with the low to medium setting on a mixer so as not to destroy the peaks. For those opting not to use gelatin, egg whites also provide much of the air and lightness, which makes a chocolate mousse perfect. These should be whipped to soft peaks, or to a slightly thicker consistency if a firmer mousse is desired, but without destroying the peaks. In this version of the recipe, the egg yolks are incorporated with the melted chocolate to assist with taste and firmness of the chocolate mousse. This mixture and the whipped cream and whites are then gently combined.

 

When the ingredients have come together to form a consistent mixture, it is necessary to refrigerate the chocolate mousse a few hours before serving. Usually it works best to prepare individual servings in parfait, margarita, or other small glasses and chill in these containers for 2 to 4 hours. Allow the glasses to come to a warmer temperature for about 5 minutes, carefully wiping off any condensation on the outside of the glass with a soft towel. Garnish the mousse with a cherry, mint leaf, whipped cream, or a light drizzle of melted chocolate or caramel to make the most elegant chocolate mousse for dessert!