Pastry chef and confectioner Carole Bloom’s new book, “Intensely Chocolate: 100 Scrumptious Recipes for True Chocolate Lovers,” boasts a quartet of mousse recipes. It’s also thick with tips on working with chocolate and closes with a glossary packed with “chocolate” terms, from amelonado (a type of cacao from the Amazon) to winnowing (a process that frees the inner nib from a cacao bean’s husks). You don’t need to be a chocolate expert, though, to enjoy her recipe for a bittersweet chocolate-caramel mousse. Adapted from Carole Bloom’s “Intensely Chocolate.” Makes 10 servings.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (66 to 72 percent cacao)
- 1/2 cup each: granulated sugar, light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1/2 stick ( 1/4cup) unsalted butter, softened
Directions
Melt bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on low power in 30 second bursts, stirring after each burst. Set aside, stirring occasionally.
Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, water, honey and vanilla paste in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Cook over high heat until mixture comes to a boil. To prevent crystallization, dip a pastry brush in water and run it around inside of pan where mixture meets the pan; repeat. Cook without stirring until it turns amber, 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 2/3 cup of the whipping cream to a boil over medium heat. Slowly add hot cream to caramel mixture, stirring constantly with a long-handled heat-safe silicone spatula. Be careful; mixture will bubble and foam. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in butter until completely melted; stir in melted chocolate thoroughly. Transfer mixture to a heat-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place on a rack; cool to room temperature.
Whip remaining 1 1/3 cups whipping cream to soft peaks. Reserve 1/2 cup of the whipped cream for garnish. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture in 3 stages, blending thoroughly. Divide mousse among dessert bowls or glasses, or pour into a 1 1/2-quart bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; chill until set, about 2 hours. Top with remaining whipped cream.
Nutrition information: Per serving: 346 calories, 67 percent of calories from fat, 27g fat, 16g saturated fat, 78mg cholesterol, 29g carbohydrates, 2g protein, 22mg sodium, 1g fiber
