This is my favourite recipe for chocolate mousse, the simplest I’ve ever come across ~ if I can do it, you can too, and it is delicious
Ingredients
100g dark chocolate, plus a little extra for shaving to decorate the top
30g butter
4 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
4 egg whites
Method
1. In a bowl, melt the dark chocolate and butter in a microwave on ‘defrost’ (approx a minute), stir well to combine the two then leave the bowl to one side and allow the chocolate to cool.
2. Whisk the egg yolks and 40g of the sugar for around 2-3 minutes until the mixture is considerably thicker, appearing to become fluffy. Pour in the cooling chocolate and mix gently together.
3. Get the egg whites and whisk well together in a large bowl until they have stiffened, but are not dry. Add the rest of the sugar and continue beat together until the mixture becomes glossy in texture.
4. Spoon around a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and mix well together with a spoon. Fold in the remaining whites then pour the contents into a serving bowl. Chill overnight in the fridge to allow the mousse to set. Just before serving add chocolate shavings on the top for decoration.
Serves: 6-8
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
… at least from me, on my blog. Maybe you’d like to try out some of my favourite recipes? To test the water, as it were, I’m blogging one of our family favourites today. Tartiflette is great with a green salad and chunky slices of crusty bread to soak up the juices! Depending on comments – or lack of – I’ll put other favourite recipes on from time to time
Recipe: Tartiflette
I’ve chosen this pic as it’s the closest in appearance to the way my tartiflette looks, but if you add pancetta as per my recipe, the extra fried ham shown here really would be a bit much IMHO (!)
Tartiflette is the perfect dish for almost anytime. Here’s a great recipe adapted from Sarah Woodward’s The Food of France.
For authenticity’s sake, try to get hold of a whole Reblochon cheese. Reminiscent of Camembert or Brie in flavour, texture and shape, Reblochon has the perfect melting quality for Tartiflette – it’s available from all good delicatessens in the UK and from larger supermarkets.
Tartiflette
An indulgent dish – it’s important to use a ripe Reblochon cheese.
Serves 4
5 or 6 medium-sized potatoes
2 large white onions, peeled and diced
2 thick rashers of streaky bacon, sliced (I add a 150g pack of pancetta cubes too!)
25g butter
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe Reblochon cheese
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 5.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the potatoes whole, in their skins, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the onions and bacon in the butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat; they should sweat but not brown.
Drain the potatoes and as soon as they are cool enough to handle peel them — the quicker the better. Slice thickly across.
Choose an ovenproof earthenware dish and rub it well with the cut halves of garlic. Layer half the sliced potatoes across the base, season, then scatter over the onion and bacon mixture. Add the remaining potatoes and more seasoning.
Place the whole Reblochon on top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for a further 20—25 minutes. The Reblochon should melt within its skin and the fat drip down while the potatoes crisp.
A filling, scrumptious dish, perfect for lunch or dinner. I’m told it’s the French equivalent of bubble and squeak!
