Chocolate Mousse Verrines
Here is the recipe for the world’s most expensive chocolate mousse. Believe me, I tried to keep the costs down with the GFC and all but unfortunately, the bill for this mousse topped 800 dollars!
I set out to make a triple layer chocolate mousse which was made up of a layer of dark chocolate mousse, a layer of white chocolate and cream and finally a topping of dark chocolate sauce. By the time I finished the first two layers I realized that I did not have the dark chocolate sauce and decided to substitute with nutella instead.
Chocolate Mousse and Macarons
I finished the layers and left the nutella on the kitchen counter.
Early the next morning I heard some banging coming from the kitchen. I went out to investigate. What did I see, my dog Baci, lying on the ground licking an open jar of nutella! My other dog Bizou, was standing right beside her, as if to say “leave some for me!”
Now, any dog owner will know that chocolate is toxic to dogs, as chocolates contain theobromine which a dog’s system cannot break down properly. If eaten in sufficient quantities this can be fatal to dogs… So at 4:30 am we took both dogs (as we weren’t sure if Bizou had also eaten the nutella) to the 24 hour vet hospital.
Now again, any dog owner will know that treating a dog in a 24 hour hospital will cost more than your regular vet. But faced between the choice of living with a huge vet bill or risk my dog having a heart attack…
The morning was spent at the vet’s office – first they induced vomitting and then they decided to keep the dogs for the day on a drip to make sure they did not suffer from dehydration.
The culprits looking so innocent!
Recipe (adapted from Meals & Memories – El Comedor Cookbook)
Dark Chocolate Mousse
- 340 grams dark/bittersweet chocolate, cut into bits
- 115 grams butter, cut into bits
- 2 teaspoons instand coffee dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium bowl placed in a pan of barely simmering water. Or melt in a microwave oven on medium heat for about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir from time to time to hasten melting. When melted and smooth, whick in the dissolved coffee powder and egg yolks. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a clean and dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar, beating at high spead until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold the remaining egg whites into the mixture until completely incorporated. Pipe the mousse into serving cups and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
We didn't do it!
White Chocolate Mousse (adapted from Verrines by Jose Marechal)
- 1 gelatine leaf
- 175 grams white chocolate, chopped
- 250 ml heavy cream
- Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft, then drain and squeeze out excess water.
- Pour 125 ml of the cream into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add the gelatine and stir until smooth. Place the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl and pour the cream over this. Stand for 30 seconds and slowly stir until amalgamated. Allow to cool.
- In another bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the cooled white chocolate mixture. Remove the glass from the refrigerator and top with the white chocolate and allow to set.
To assemble:
Top with store bought chocolate sauce
Really, we were sleeping at that time!
Let’s run through the total cost:
Dark Chocolate A$5.00
White Chocolate A$5.00
Cream A$4.50
Sugar A$0.75
Eggs A$2.00
Vet bill A$792
Look on my husband’s face when he paid the bill… priceless!
Trissalicious 