5-Minute Chocolate Mousse
Serves 8
Adapted for the home kitchen from a recipe Chef Stephen Durfee teaches in the Baking and Pastry Certificate Program at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.
Chef Durfee uses an immersion blender throughout this recipe, but you could use a hand mixer if you do not have an immersion blender. The final product comes out more dense than if I whipped the cream with a whisk, making this version more of a cross between a mousse and a custard.
Note: You'll need an instant-read thermometer to make this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup half & half
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 6 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
- 6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons honey or liqueur
1. Combine half & half, sugar and egg yolks in a one-quart microwave-safe pitcher or a medium microwave-safe bowl. Use an immersion blender to combine the ingredients until the mixture is pale yellow in color, about 5-10 seconds. Put the mixture into a microwave and cook to 185°. The time this takes will vary depending on the microwave, so it's best to cook the mixture for 1 minute, check the temperature, then continue cooking and checking at 15-second intervals until mixture reaches 185°
2. Remove bowl from microwave and sprinkle chocolate into warm mixture. Blend with immersion blender until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add honey and blend until incorporated, about 15 seconds. If using a quart pitcher, pour chocolate mixture into a medium bowl and cool to 105°.
3. While chocolate mixture is cooling, place cream in a large bowl and whip to soft peaks, using immersion blender for about 1 minute. Gently fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture with a spatula. Pour mousse into serving dishes and place in refrigerator to set, at least 1 hour before serving. When you're ready to serve, top each serving with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or fresh berries.
For more information on the Culinary Institute of America's Baking and Pastry Program, visit: www.ciachef.edu/california/baking
About Stephen Durfee, Baking & Pastry Chef Instructor at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
Most recently serving as pastry chef at Charles Nob Hill in San Francisco, Chef Durfee worked for over five years at The French Laundry in Yountville, CA. He won the 1998 James Beard Award for "Outstanding Pastry Chef" and was named one of the "10 Best Pastry Chefs in America" in 1999 by Pastry Art & Design. In 2005, Chef Durfee represented the CIA at the National Pastry Team Championships, where his team placed fourth.
