The Trick To Making Easy And Impressive Chocolate Mousse

Making mousse is much easier than it seems…just toss, blend, and chill. Most people assume mousse is difficult to make since it is often associated with fancy restaurants and sophisticated fare. While it’s an impressive and decadent dessert, it’s also a simple one to make. With dark smooth chocolate and a silky texture, it makes a satisfying dessert that is not overly sweet. For those of you trying to justify your chocolate addictions, we’re happy to note that dark chocolate is a great source of flavonoid anti-oxidants.

Our first mousse recipe is a classic version that borrows the flavor of tiramisu for a show stopping dessert. It’s a creamy mousse version of the famous dessert, with a texture and taste to be savored. For those that avoid dairy or are counting calories, read on below for a dairy-free and lower-fat mousse recipe that will amaze your guests.

Tiramimousse

7 oz dark bittersweet chocolate, such as 2 bars of Valrhona 71% Cacao
4 oz. mascarpone cheese
1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream or whipping cream
2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 4 Tbsp hot water
2 Tbsp Marsala wine

1. Microwave method to melt chocolate: Break up chocolate bars into squares (8 squares for each bar) and place in a small Pyrex bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. Repeat using 30-second intervals, stirring after every interval until fully melted and waiting a minute between intervals to let the heat of the bowl dissipate. Melting 2 chocolate bars should take about a total of 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.

2. Add mascarpone, cream, coffee, and wine to a blender, adding melted chocolate last. Blend only until mixture thickens (around 10-20 seconds). If you continue blending, the cream will curdle and your guests will cry.

3. Spoon into individual cups and chill in the fridge. If leaving for longer than a couple of hours or making the day before, cover each serving with plastic wrap.

Prep time: 10 minutes. Make at least 2 hours ahead of time.
Serves 6

Our next mousse recipe is dairy-free but no less decadent. It’s made with coconut milk and a touch of rum, tropical flavors that beckon the pirate in all of us. A few bites and you’ll notice your guests starting off sentences with “Arrr,” “Ahoy me hearty,” and “T’mousse be good.” The coconut milk used in this recipe is subtle and the texture is just as creamy as mousse made with heavy cream. But since light coconut milk has about one sixth of the calories of heavy cream, you won’t be adding inches to your pirate booty. Sweet mangoes counterbalance the bittersweet richness of the dark chocolate and add a little bit of color and flair.

South Seas Chocolate Mousse

Mousse:
7 oz dark bittersweet chocolate such as 2 bars of Valrhona 71% Cacao
1 (14-oz) can light coconut milk
2 Tbsp Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

Topping:
2 cups fresh mango, chilled or frozen mango, thawed

1. Microwave method to melt chocolate: Break up chocolate bars into squares (8 squares for each bar) and place in a small Pyrex bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. Repeat with 30-second intervals, stirring after every interval until fully melted and waiting a minute between intervals to let the heat of the bowl dissipate. Melting 2 chocolate bars should take about a total of 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.
2. Add coconut milk, rum, and mascarpone cheese to your blender. Pour melted chocolate into the blender and blend right away for about 30 seconds. Pour or spoon mousse into individual cups and place in the fridge for at least one hour. If you will be leaving them in the fridge longer than a couple of hours or making it the day before, cover mousse cups with plastic wrap
3. Top each mousse cup generously with chopped mango chunks right before serving (about ¼ cup per serving)

Prep time: 5-10 minutes. Make at least 2 hours ahead of time.
Makes 8 mousse cups (1/2 cup each)

(Excerpt from Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's by Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati and reprinted with permission from the authors).

(Originally published at GoArticles and reprinted with permission from the authors, Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati).