Description
This is one of my all time favourite desserts, and one I always request my Mum makes me when I’m home for my birthday!
Ingredients
Scale
- 120g (4.25 oz) Plain (Bittersweet) Chocolate (I use Cadbury Bournville)
- 4 Large Eggs (though you should always use large eggs for baking)
- 25g (1 oz) Caster (Superfine) Sugar
Instructions
- Use a heatproof glass bowl that will sit on the top of a small saucepan so only half an inch of the bottom of the bowl is in the saucepan. Half fill the pan with boiling water making sure that the bottom of the bowl is nowhere near touching the water. Put the pan on a simmering heat. It will be the steam coming up from the pan and hitting the bowl which will melt the chocolate.
- Break the chocolate up into small chunks and allow to melt in the bowl, stirring occasionally until it has melted. Never let the water underneath boil, as this will get the chocolate too hot and it will go grainy.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and leave on a cool surface while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. You want it cool so it won’t cook the egg yolks when you add them, but you don’t want it to go completely cold as this will make it really hard to beat the yolks in later.
- Separate the eggs and set the yolks aside. Whisk the egg whites in an electric mixer or using a hand held electric whisk, gradually adding the sugar as you go along until the mixture has formed soft peaks.
- Once the chocolate is cooler to the touch, but still warm add the yolks one by one, beating in vigorously with a wooden spoon. Add half the egg whites to the chocolate mixture and fold the egg whites in until combined gently, trying your best not to knock the air out. I’ve described the best folding technique in my Pear Soufflé recipe. If you add the chocolate to the egg white and not the other way around, the weight of the chocolate will knock even more air out. Repeat with the second half of the egg whites, and divide the mousse among your glasses.
- Chill in the fridge for at least two hours, and enjoy.