It’s a summer holiday weekend, and, in our house, anyway, there’s so much to celebrate!
We planned to meet friends for a movie, then a light dinner out, and then back home for dessert and champagne.
We were celebrating Don’s birthday, our new car, a host of other very good things; and I had a pretty decent bottle of my favorite champagne ready to chill.
Now. What to make for dessert?
Simple, really. For Don?
Chocolate mousse!
And this recipe involves no carefully tedious stirring or pot watching – it’s all done with a blender and the ‘wave. What could be simpler?
INGREDIENTS
•1/2 cup whole milk
•3 tbsp sugar
•Grated zest of 1/2 orange
•1/4 tsp instant espresso powder
•1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips*
•1 tbsp rum or brandy (optional)
•3 large egg whites
*I used two (4 oz) bars of Ghirardelli bittersweet 70% cacao, broken up.
Place a chopstick, bamboo skewer or other ‘wave safe tool in a container and add the milk, sugar, orange zest and espresso powder. The skewer breaks the surface and will prevent the milk from super-heating beyond 212º without boiling. This is a good thing since super-heated liquids can cause serious burns.
Stir to combine, then pop into the ‘wave on high for 3-4 minutes or just until the milk begins to boil. Use pot holders to carefully remove the hot bowl from the microwave and place it on a hotplate. The “scalded” milk is now ready for use.
Place the chocolate in your blender jar with the brandy or rum (if you’re using it) and pulse to chop roughly.
Pour the scalded milk over the chocolate and blend until the chocolate is melted and the mixture smooth.
With the blender running, pour in the egg whites through the hole in the lid and continue blending until the mixture is thick and creamy.
Pour into serving glasses or cups, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for a couple of hours or overnight before enjoying with whipped cream on top and champagne on the side.
Or, coffee, if you prefer.
Important Note: this recipe will make four servings of a very nice, rich mousse. If you need to make additional servings, do not simply double the recipe. It doesn’t seem to work, leaving you a soupy mousse that will not set up – but that will, if run through an ice cream machine or popped in the freezer, turn out a very nice chocolate ice cream. For additional servings, you’ll have to repeat the steps of chopping the chocolate in the blender, scalding the milk and espresso and sugar and orange peel in the ‘wave, etc.
Good thing it’s all so dead simple to do.
Go on, make a mousse today, there must be something to celebrate!