Simple Chocolate Mousse

I started this post a while back but for some reasons I forgot about it until now.

Another easy recipe from Pierre H. I think what's so great about his Chocolate Desserts book is that it includes recipes that are really easy to make at home. At the same time, it also has some very tedious and technically involved ones. I really really like the simple ones (well, I have not tried the complicated ones) because they are so so yummy and not at all time-consuming. The end results always make me feel like I've achieved something great. I hope they give you the same feeling too.

Mousse is A LOT less sinful than pots de creme, for obvious reasons. Yet, it sounds fancy and impressive to those who don't spend a lot of time in the kitchen (their loss IMO!). This recipe can also be made ahead so it's wonderful for when you have guests coming over and have a million things to worry about. I have left this mousse overnight before. It's a little denser than when it's consumed on the same day but it's still wonderful.

Just like P commented in his book, this is a base recipe. You could add other ingredients such as fruits, nuts, etc. to the final product, or infuse the milk with the zest of your favorite citrus.

Alrighty, here we go.

INGREDIENTS:
Make 6 servings

6oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg yolk
4 large egg whites*
2 Tsp sugar

*Since egg whites can be kept in the refrigerator for a week. This is the perfect recipe to go to if you make any custard-like desserts the week before.

METHODS:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water or in a microwave oven. Keep the chocolate on the counter until needed. It should still feel warm to the touch when you are ready to use it.

Bring the milk to a boil, then pour it over the chocolate. Use a small whisk to gently blend the milk into the chocolate. Add the egg yolk and whisk it gently into the chocolate until incorporated.

In a different bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the sugar. Continue to beat the whites until they are firm but still glossy. Scoop one-third of the whites out of the bowl onto the chocolate mixture. Use the whisk to beat the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Now, use the whisk or a flexible spatula to delicately fold in the remaining beaten whites.

Turn the mousse into a large serving bowl or individual cups, and refrigerate for 1 hour to rest. I think martini glasses are best to serve mousse in as they hold the perfect portion and are also picture-perfect. Unfortunately I don't own any of them so I served mine in wine glasses instead, so please bear with the less-than-perfect photo.

Bon appetit!

Chocolate and Lemon Madeleines

It's been a while, eh? I made these quite a long time ago but have not had time to sit down and write a post. This is another recipe from Pierre H.'s Chocolate Desserts. I'm hoping that at some point I will have replicated all of the recipes from this book but some are really really involved. Not this one though. These madeleines are airy and chocolaty with a hint of lemon. And they are so much better than the store-bought ones, unless you buy from really good patisseries. 

The downside is that you have to get yourself a madeleine mold if you don't already own one. In this case, I recommend getting the non-stick one by Chicago Metallic. It works beautifully, there's no need to grease and flour the mold and the madeleines still slide right off. Before we go on to the recipe, don't try making this when you don't have time to let the batter rest. Resting is essential in creating the domes. 

So let's get started. 

INGREDIENTS:

Make 12 cookies

1/2 cup and 1 Tsp (or 70g) all-purpose flour

3 1/2 Tsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 tsp double-acting baking powder

1/3 cup and 2 Tsp (or 90g) sugar

Pinch of fine salt

1 lemon

2 large eggs, at room temperature

6 1/2 Tsp (or 100g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

METHOD:

Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder and set aside. Put the sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Grate 1/4 of the lemon (1/2 if it's a small one) into the bowl and rub everything together until the sugar is moist, grainy, and very aromatic.

Using a whisk, beat the eggs into the lemon-sugar mixture until the mixture is blended. Squish the butter through your fingers or smear it under the heel of your hand to create a pomade and add it to the bowl. Still using the whisk, beat in the butter just to get it evenly distributed. Gently whisk in the sifted flour mixture, stirring only until the flour is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. 

Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and chill it overnight before baking. If you don't have enough time, give the batter at least an hour rest in the refrigerator. 

When you are ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425ºF (or 220ºC). If your mold is not a non-stick one, butter and flour the mold, tap out the excess flour. 

Divide the batter evenly among the madeleine molds. There's no need to flatten out the batter, the heat from the even will do that. Place the pan in the oven, insert a wooden spoon in the door to keep it slightly ajar, and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 350ºF (180ºC). Bake the cookies for about 13-15 minutes, until they are domed and spring back when press lightly. Unmold the cookies and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature. You will get a dozen of these cute little cookies

These cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks. I hope you have fun making them and even more fun devouring them!