This Chocolate Mousse is a great recipe for the whole family to make together. It’s a good introduction to cooking for kids because it teaches them that a little precision and a little patience can produce something that looks and tastes like magic.
(Waiting for the mousse to set before you can eat it also shows kids the importance of the adult virtue of delayed gratification, but that’s another story.)
Everyone can be involved in this recipe. An adult can chop the chocolate, the kids can take turns separating the eggs and whisking the egg yolks and then egg whites (though an adult with some dessert experience should keep a careful eye on the egg whites-if they’re over-beaten, the mousse will be grainy).
Ingredients
- Chocolate Mousse (makes about 6 individual portions)
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, diced
- 4 large eggs, room temperature, separated
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon good- quality vanilla extract
Instructions
Place the chocolate and the butter in a metal bowl. Cover snugly with plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a pot of simmering water. The water should not reach the bottom of the bowl. When the chocolate and butter are melted, remove from heat. Whisk the chocolate and butter together until smooth along with the vanilla extract. Set aside.
Separate the eggs into two other metal bowls. Whisk the half cup of sugar into the egg yolks. Set the egg yolk mixture over the simmering water. With a whisk or an electric hand mixer, whisk the egg yolk mixture until it is thick and slightly warm, about 3- 4 minutes.
Remove the egg yolk mixture and set over a bowl of ice water. Whisk until cool.
Fold the chocolate mixture (it should still be at room temperature) into the egg yolk mixture. Set aside.
In another metal bowl, whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they are broken up. Add the tablespoon of sugar and whisk the whites to soft peaks.
Whisk 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Delicately fold in the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Divide the mousse into 6 small glasses or cups. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before eating.