Julia Child's Chocolate Mousse
Classic French dessert
The classic chocolate mousse recipe. This is incredibly rich and a little goes a long way.
From The Way to Cook, by Julia Child
Ingredients
- 1 cup semisweet baking chocolate
- 4 tablespoons strong coffee
- 6 ounces soft unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 4 egg yolks
- 1⁄4 cup rum or 1/4 cup strong coffee (or 1/8 cup of each)
- 4 egg whites
- 3⁄4 cup instant superfine sugar
- 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chocolate and 4 Tbsp strong coffee in a small sauce pan and place in a pan of hot water. Stir for a minute or so until melting begins.
- Place egg yolks in a bowl and beat, adding the sugar in a thin stream. Continue beating until the mixture is thick, pale and forms a ribbon. Beat in the rum.
- Set over a pan of almost simmering water and beat for an additional 5 minutes. Test with your finger to make sure the mixture is warmed through.
- Allow to cool. It should again form a ribbon and have the consistency of thick creamy mayonnaise.
- Stir the chocolate until smooth and gradually add the softened butter. When totally incorporated stir the mixture into the yolks and sugar.
- In a clean dry bowl beat the room temperature egg whites. Begin slowly and increase the speed until soft peaks are formed.
- Sprinkle with 2 TBSP of sugar and a pinch of salt. Continue beating until stiff peaks are formed.
- Fold 1/4 of the stiff egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Scoop the remaining egg whites on top and delicately fold them inches.
- Place into a mold or serving dishes and chill for several hours or overnight.
- Serve with whipped cream if desired (it's recommended).
Notes
- Feel free to replace some (but not all) of the semisweet (bittersweet) chocolate with darker chocolate