I know what some of you are going to say: "Why on earth would one need another bloody chocolate mousse recipe on the blogs?" (well YOU are well out of order sir).
Well for one, I don't know that there is such a thing as too many chocolate mousse recipes out there. Next, this is not your usual run-of-the-mill chocolate mousse (ce n'est pas votre recette pépère de mousse au chocolat). This is fast and furious chocolate mousse. The thrill is unmatched to that day. Bungee jumping above porpoise infested waters does not even get close. The whole thing was wrapped up in less than 30 minutes (c'était plié en 30 minutes), and the result quite spectacular, my friends.
(Then again, has anybody ever gone wrong with cream, eggs, chocolate and sugar. - That's purely rhetorical, of course.)
An uncanny urge to put my sugar thermometre to good use pushed me in the smooth arms of that great recipe. Yes, it does lead to quite a bit of washing up, but…totally worth it! It is easier if you have a mixer. Otherwise, try positive thinking: the whisking will burn off all those lovely calories.
Pop 1/4l of whipping cream in your freezer when you start, along with the bowl which you are going to whisk it in, and if possible, the whisk attachment. The cooler the better, although it is easier if it doesn't turn into a cream popsicle.
JodieDog thinks it would be pretty silly to let all that good cream go to waste.
Prepare a syrup with 70g of sugar and a bit of water. You may need to add more water as the syrup heats up if it's too thick- mine was the consistency of glucose, it wasn't optimal. Monitor the temperature with your sugar thermometer. When it reaches 110°C, start beating the eggs on low speed (thanks to a helpful younger brother, I didn't actually have to check and beat at the same time - cheers man). At 121°C, you're good to go: pour the hot syrup on the eggs, incorporating it first at low speed, then going full speed to cool it down. At a certain point, it starts foaming up and getting bigger. Keep whisking until it's nice and cooled (room or body temperature). You now have what cooks (and epicurian terrorists) call une pâte à bombe.
Melt 190g of really good "couverture" chocolate (mine was a 70%, St Domingue), don't let it burn, try to stay close to the melting point. Bain marie or careful microwaving will do the trick.
Get the cream & whisking paraphernalia out of the freezer, and whisk away to soft peaks.
How fast is that picture, seriously? Doesn't it look just like a pulsar wind nebula?
Now everything is ready, it starts getting fast and furious. Adrenaline shoots up. Make sure the dog is out of the way (it's highly unlikely that you succeed if it's JodieDog). Pour the melted chocolate onto the pâte à bombe, and fold in gently but effectively with a rubber spatula. Think wide, encompassing motions.
Feeling the groove.
The pâte à bombe is going to come down a little, but no need to have a fit at that stage (restons calme). When incorporated, add the whipped cream and fold in again. Magic is starting to operate right here, right now. Be fast, but don't squeeze all the air out of this precious chocolate heaven.
Ah, sweet delight. I am speechless.
Spoon in one or several dishes and keep it in the fridge until you serve it. Be warned, you will eat it as fast as you make it. It's bloody easy, and bloody good, if you'll pardon my French.
It should be said that we started off lunch with an amazing poulet à la crème, along with a fantastic smokey, nutty 2000 Arbois blanc, cuvée Béthanie. We believe excessive consumption of cream to be beneficial to your arteries, when combined with Arbois, that is.
