The Best Chocolate Mousse (Without Cooking)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

200 grams (7 oz) Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate

8 eggs, separated

100 grams sugar

To Prepare the Mousse:

Place a 1-quart saucepan half filled with water over high heat, bring it to simmer. Make a double boiler ( bain marie) by setting another saucepan over the simmering water. Place the chocolate cut previously in small pieces in the top saucepan and heat until completely melted, stirring occasionally. Make sure no water or steam comes in contact with the chocolate, it could cause the chocolate to harden. As soon as the chocolate is melted remove it from the heat, set aside add the sugar. Mix well. Then add the 8 egg yolks which you have first beaten. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.

Put the egg whites into a metal mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer set first on medium then on high until they thickened and become fluffy, usually about 5 to 6 minutes.

Carefully fold the chocolate into the stiff egg whites, using a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix well. Put mousse into a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours before serving or the night before. Voila.

To Serve:

A simple way: In a large glass or crystal bowl

More sophisticated: In an individual small little pot. In a stem glass or crystal glass with a decoration on the top such as:

Fresh mint and a raspberry

A strawberry

A mint leave and candied roses or violets

A chocolate dipped papaya

A chocolate dipped ginger

A edible flower

little bit of whipped cream

E-mail Florence de Dampierre at fdedampierre@aol.com