Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au Chocolat)

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 2 pkg 6-oz size semisweet chocolate pieces
• 10 tbsp sweet or very lightly salted butter
• ¼ cup Cognac or brandy
• 1 bar 4 oz milk chocolate
• ¾ cup heavy cream

Method

1. Make the mousse a day or two ahead. Separate the eggs, putting the whites into a large bowl, yolks in a small one. Let the whites warm to room temperature (1 hour). In the top of a double boiler, over hot, not boiling, water, melt the semisweet chocolate with the butter, stirring constantly.
2. Remove the top of the double boiler from the water. With a wooden spoon, beat in the yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Let cool 10 minutes; stir in the Cognac. With a portable mixer, beat the whites until stiff, moist peaks form when the beater is slowly raised.
3. With a wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an under-and-over motion, gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites just enough to combine thoroughly; there should be no white streaks. Turn into an attractive 1-quart serving dish. Refrigerate.
4. Several hours before serving, decorate the mousse. To make chocolate curls, warm the chocolate bar, still wrapped. Place in a warm spot just until soft, not melting. Then, with a vegetable peeler pressing lightly, pare along the bar in a long, thin stroke, to form a curl. Make 8 curls. Lift with a toothpick to a plate; refrigerate.
5. In a small bowl, whip the cream stiff. Turn into a pastry bag with a number-6 star tip, pushing the cream to the end of the bag. With the tube held upright, squeeze whipped cream out in a 1-inch circle, twisting to form a rosette. Form about 8 whipped-cream rosettes around the mousse, 1 inch from the edge of the bowl, with one large rosette in the center. Using a toothpick, carefully place the chocolate curls between the rosettes. Refrigerate until serving time.

Notes

Makes 8 to 10 servings. Note: the chocolate mousse may be made through Step 3, wrapped in foil and frozen for a week or two. To serve: let thaw in the refrigerator 4 to 5 hours; then decorate the mousse, starting with Step 4.

Original card

The recipe above was transcribed from this scan of Vera’s original card.

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