The Better Chocolate Pudding: Chocolate Mousse

Given the fact that The Better Dad is a doctor, I have been advised not to eat some foods (raw egg and fish) at sub par restaurants more times than I can count. All of his warnings have made me very bourgie careful about where certain types of foods are consumed. Understandably when a family trip was taken to the east coast, and The Better Dad said he'd be picking up the astronomical dinner tab, I took the liberty of ordering a $20 dollar serving of mousse just for myself. 

It was so divine that only the eyes of nearby patrons kept me from licking my cup. Perfection like that couldn't be replicated, so I didn't bother trying. Plus, the idea of working with raw eggs terrified me; I didn't even make an attempt until a random bought of bravery spurred me to try. I’m not keeling over, and it’s been a full 72 hours so I am confident in my execution. The best way to describe this decadent dessert is as a creamier, fluffier, more sophisticated chocolate pudding. I am SO glad I did not double the recipe. Had I done so, I assure you I would be spending the next few days eating straight from the serving bowl while watching a NCIS marathon. 

I know that many of you will be a bit hesitant to try this recipe because it calls for raw eggs, and I understand that. You can make this without them, though there won't be the same fluff without it, and you won't be able to call it an authentic French mousse. If you decide to take the leap and make the recipe without deviations, I advise you to use the freshest pasteurized eggs possible. Not only because they whip better, but also for your safety. 

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS 

8 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped

¾ stick butter cut into large pieces

3 large eggs, separated, 

⅛ cup very strong coffee

1 cup very cold whipping cream 

⅛ teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Set large heatproof bowl over a lightly simmering pot of water. Melt chocolate and butter and stir gently until smooth. 
2. In another bowl beat egg yolks with stand or hand mixer until the form smooth ribbons that dissolve in a few seconds (this takes approximately five minutes)
3. In another clean bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks are formed
4. In another clean bowl, beat egg whites and salt until the form soft peaks (fresh eggs yield best results)
5. Slowly fold in cream, egg whites and coffee into chocolate mixture 
6. Place in serving bowls, glasses or one large bowl and chill in fridge for three hours until firm

Additional tips: When folding in eggs and whipped cream into chocolate mixture it's best to use a silicone spatula. This way as small lumps arise you can push them between the side of the bowl and the spatula as a way to get most of them out. After mixing ingredients together, I also ran the mousse through a fine sieve. This part is not a must, but it makes for a silkier dessert.

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