Seducing Mr. Winter: SHF #28
By esther on Sunday, February 18 2007, 17:36 - Something sweet - Permalink
This past week I flew into New York to spend a few weeks visiting my parents. I had decided to wait to do my Sugar High Friday entry with my mom since I figured that it would be a great first project for the two of us. Plus, for some reason, things always seem to taste better when they come out of your childhood kitchen.
We very quickly decided on one of my mom's best "For dinner parties-To impress" recipes: Mocha chocolate mousse with raspberry liqueur compote in chocolate shells. Everyone who has ever tasted this dessert, even those non-chocolate lovers, has succombed to its chocolatey wiles. Not only are you knocked out by the double duo of chocolate and raspberry, but the presentation itself is pure seduction.
Huddled over the stovetop we listened as the weather channel reported on the biggest snow storm of the century (well, sort of). We were hoping that the seductive smell of warm molten chocolate would ward of winter's angry ways or that ruby red berries would at least conjure up distant memories of long forgotten summer afternooons. It seemed that the more we stirred, the more the snow came tumbling down. The end result was enough chocolate mousse to feed Emperor Qin's army and snowbanks as long and as high as The Great Wall of China.
Snowbound and hungry, we lavished our plates with this decadent dessert and seduced ourselves sick.
Mocha chocolate mousse with raspberry liqueur compote
Mousse:
1 lb. special dark chocolate
1/4 cup salted butter
2 tsp. espresso powder
1/3 cup water
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup Kahlua
4 egg whites
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup heavy cream
In a double boiler, melt together the first four ingredients, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Mix together egg yolks and Kahlua.
Whisk together egg mixture and melted chocolate mixture. Cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add in sugar and continue beating until firm moist peaks form. Spoon over cooled chocolate but do not mix in.
In the same bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold chocolate and egg whites into cream.
Pour into bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. When scooping mousse dip the scoop in hot water.
Ruby red raspberry compote:
20 oz thawed raspberries
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. Chambord
Strain raspberries over a saucepan to remove seeds. Add jam and juice, and then bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Dissolve cornstarch in liqueur and whisk into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened.
Chocolate shells:
8 oz. special dark chocolate
aluminum foil
assortment of seashells
Line the outside of shell with foil; smooth out the wrinkles wth a tea towel. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. With a pastry brush, paint on a thin layer of chocolate leaving a 1/4 in. edge. Refrigerate and repeat.
Gently remove the seashell from the chocolate shell and then peel away aluminum foil. Keep shells refrigerated until ready to serve.
Assembly:
Nestle one small shell in a larger shell and then scoop on a dollop of mousse. Drizzle with raspberry sauce and then finish with a generous helping of fresh raspberries.
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