Cheater Chocolate “Mousse”
Serves 4 - 6
One of the hardest jobs I ever did was waiting tables. It’s the only job I’ve ever dreamed about regularly, always with anxiety (the doors are about to open and a hundred guests will walk in ready to eat, but the chairs are still up on the tables and the menu hasn’t been printed yet…). That said, I had some GREAT times waiting tables, too. And some very memorable moments. One of them revolved around this fabulously simple recipe.
It was a busy summer at our small family restaurant. In addition to busting my butt in the dining room, I also made desserts and my (cheater) chocolate mousse was highly prized. Dressed in the emperors new clothing, this “mousse” is NOT actually a mousse at all. But it is darn tasty and, at the end of the day, that is all that matters. A couple sitting at one of my tables, just finishing their dinner, asked me, “how’s your chocolate mousse?” “It’s excellent," I told him, honestly. “Well, I’m a connoisseur of chocolate mousse. Is it real chocolate mousse? I’ll try it, but I’m warning you, I KNOW MY MOUSSE.” I love a good challenge, so I gave him a wink and returned moments later with his dessert. I hightailed it back to the kitchen to covertly watch his response. He looked pleased, but I couldn’t help thinking, “he’s gonna know!”
I returned to his table and the empty mousse glass. “Now THAT was a great mousse,” he told me. Win!
I hope you enjoy this uber simple recipe. Real or not, it just goes to show that yummy is yummy. Choose good ingredients and you’re more than half way there.
INGREDIENTS
Mousse
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/3 cups well-chilled whipping cream
Topping
2 tsp. confectioners' sugar
1/4 Cup whipping cream
Fresh raspberries
DIRECTIONS
Mousse
Sift together 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar and all the cocoa.
Combine in a large mixing bowl with 1 1/3 cups whipping cream
Beat until the mixture forms soft peaks (do not whip too stiff!)
Pipe or spoon into bowls
Topping
Combine the 2 tsp. sugar and the remaining whipping cream in a small bowl and whisk until the cream forms peaks and holds them.
Add a rosette or dollop of the plain cream to the top of the mousse.
Chill for an hour before serving.
Top with a few raspberries and serve.