Blanc et Noir

I can never resist a recipe suggestion, and this one was a request from someone whose tastebuds fondly remembered the classic French mousse, as made by Robert Carrier.  Robed in Crème Chantilly, the rich chocolate mousse is (thanks to lashings of butter) smooth and delicious, with all the richness one would associate with Croesus....  This was given its first outing at a Strictly Come Dancing evening with a Hollywood Movies theme - so what could be more appropriate than Black and White?   It disappeared pretty quickly, so is definitely one I will try again!   It's also effortlessly gluten free.

This is a pretty terrible photo!  I made it a second time in a ring mould and it looked far more glamorous.

Blanc et Noir 

Blanc et Noir 

8 ½ oz/250g dark chocolate

2 tablespoons strong coffee

6oz/175 g butter

4oz/110g icing sugar

5 eggs, separated

500ml/1 pint double cream

2oz/50g icing sugar

This is best made in a medium sized bowl, oiled and lined with cling film. 

Break the chocolate into small pieces, add the coffee and melt in the microwave (or a bain marie).  As always, chocolate doesn’t like being over-heated, so it is best to rescue it while there are a few lumps and allow the residual heat to melt them. 

Beat the butter in a bowl to make it light and easy to use, then beat it into the melted chocolate mixture (I used a hand whisk on a slow speed).   Add the icing sugar and the egg yolks and mix it all together until it is smooth.

Whisk the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks.   Fold into the mixture – add a tablespoon first and beat it in, as this breaks up the texture and makes it easier.  

Pour the mixture into the bowl and refrigerate.  You should ideally do this overnight, but if time is short, put it into the freezer for a couple of hours to bring the temperature down faster and make the mousse firm.

To serve:  Turn the mousse out onto a dish, whip the cream with the icing sugar until it is in soft peaks – stiff enough to hold its shape, but not so hard you cannot plaster it lovingly around the chocolate.     Dust the top with cocoa (I used Green and Black's hot chocolate as it had more definition).