There is nothing I can describe such pleasure drinking a glass of merlot and licking a mousse au chocolate covered spoon on wet rainy evening here in Florida… while my mental state drags me back to Europe with its cold autumn days.

But the best pleasure is… it’s the first time I ever actually made mousse. For those who have been reading this blog for years, know that when I crave for something I thought complicated and I could not do there was the Swiss Cheese who would whip those delectable food.
So to actually satisfy my gustatory needs and wants I have to learn to experiment recipes.

When I was in Athens, for a very brief period of time I managed to spend time at Eleutherodakis. This is one of the largest bookstore in the city that stocks English books. I go there to check the latest books that have been translated to Greek to see the titles. Then get lost with my thoughts at the cookery section.

No I did not buy any cookbooks this time. I got instead “Don’t Try This At Home” Culinary Catastrophes from the World’s Greatest Cooks and Chefs and Plat du Jour by William Black. The first book kept me occupied during my Frankfurt _ Miami flight. Tales of mayhem in the kitchen.

The later is a slow book to read, but having lived in South of France for few months a year for around 6 years I understand somehow the French mind when it comes to food culture… a chapter is about Valrholna.
It’s French product after all and on this book a recipe of mousse au chocolat.

As I read through it I realized how easy a mousse is. If you have the basic understanding of whipping egg whites, folding, knows how to handle a spatula et voila, ” elementary, dear Watson.”
So I checked the cupboards, I still have some Valrholna….

As I worked on the chocolate I could already see the smoothness of the quality. My wee mistake perhaps was adding the whipped egg whites while the chocolate, egg yolk, sugar mix was still a bit warm. I could see globules of egg whites so I took the whip and made sure it incorporated well.
Next time though I might as well add an extra egg white to lighten the mousse but over all its a fantastic easy recipe.

Mousse Au Chocolat

    200 g best bitter sweet chocolate. Valrholna’s Le Noir Gastromie if possible
    4 eggs
    1 soupspoon full sugar
    50 g unsalted butter cut into dice

How to:

    Break the chocolates into pieces and melt in a bain maire, or a bowl over hot water.
    Separate the eggs, put the egg whites into a bowl, and the yolks and sugar into another and work them together.
    Add the butter to the melted chocolate and melt.
    Allow to cool.

    Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and incorporate delicately into the mixture, running a spatula from the outside of the bowl to the middle, until all is well mixed.

    Pour into individual glasses and cool in the fridge for 3 hours.

I used ramekins but I did wished if I were home I could place the mousse into the clear glasses I bought for this kind of dessert just like what I used here….

I topped mine with shaved almonds and some of them with strawberries. For chocolics and want to check some recipes using Valrholna check their site here.….. just be prepared to hum the Willy Wonka’s Oompa Loompa song.