Tasty Thursday #12

Hosted by Trista at The Pumkin Patch.

Dessert Edition

As promised, I'm sharing my recipe for Chocolate Mousse. AND....with pictures!!! I always drool over the recipes that include pictures, so I thought I'd have some fun and do the same. Some pictures were impossible to capture since I only have 2 hands. The one picture where both of my hands are in it, was taken by my son as he was passing through. OK, so now on to the good stuff....

Chocolate Mousse
source: BettyCrocker.com

4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream (whipping)
1 package (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (whipping)


Beat egg yolks in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar.






Heat 1 cup whipping cream in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until hot. *Gradually stir at least half of the hot whipping cream into the egg yolk mixture; stir back into hot cream in saucepan. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not boil).


Stir in chocolate chips until melted.















Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, just until chilled.

Meanwhile:
This is optional - you can simply serve the mousse in any serving dish. But I wanted to make mine extra special and made chocolate cups to serve it in. To do this, you will need 9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate. I used chocolate chips.

Melt chocolate in microwave or on stove over very low heat.

Spread chocolate over the inside of aluminum foil baking cups or double-layered paper baking cups, using a spoon or brush to completely coat all surfaces with a layer of chocolate.





Set cups in muffin pans. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Make sure you coated all areas well - if there are thin spots, they will break! (Don't ask me how I know!) If you notice some thin spots after they harden, just brush another layer of chocolate where needed.

Remove cups from refrigerator and carefully peel off paper or aluminum foil. Refrigerate until ready to use.

I was only making 6 cups, so I had some leftover. I decided to make some little shapes to use for decoration. I used a disposable pastry bag, but you could even use a ziplock bag. Just add the melted chocolate, close the bag and snip a small corner from the bag and squeeze. I lined my cookie sheet with wax paper and just started piping swirls and stuff. Stick the cookie sheet into the fridge until they harden, and peel off the wax paper.

Now - finish the mousse!

Beat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream. Pipe or spoon mixture into serving bowls. Immediately refrigerate any remaining dessert after serving.



Voila!
I like to serve my mousse very cold, so I make as far in advance as possible. I served this on Saturday, so I made it on Friday. The little chocolate pieces wouldn't stand up in the mousse until I had chilled it for a bit.


Makes a very impressive dessert - and oh so yummy!!


*Stirring half of the whipping cream into the egg yolk mixture prevents the egg yolks from being cooked in the hot whipping cream.