Chocolate Rum Cream

If you want to bring a grown man to his knees, or make a woman sigh with delight, this is the recipe to use! Beryl's Chocolate Rum Cream is GUARANTEED to work...  It's a lovely recipe to use and is a long established Stour Festival favourite (singers aren't supposed to eat chocolate, so we have to pretend it isn't chocolate).   Beryl suggests that you use Bournville, or another not too posh chocolate.  Having been caught out on this, I have to admit she's right.  Don't go over 40% cocoa solids.  Chocolate should be silky smooth and rich, like an Italian lover, not stiff and grainy like an old English husband...

As I adore lashings of chocolate mousse, I'm giving the full quantity for 8 greedy people, but you don't have to make so much for successful seduction!  Chocolate doesn't photograph well, so I had to add drizzles of white chocolate to the top.  Whipped cream blobs work just as well.

Chocolate Rum Cream

Chocolate Rum Cream

6 large eggs, separated

1lb/454g good black chocolate with medium cocoa content

4 tbsps rum

½ pt double cream, softly whipped

To decorate:  cream, melted white chocolate or grated dark chocolate  

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Add a tablespoon of water (or cream) to the chocolate to stop it from going stiff.  Make sure that the mixture doesn’t get too hot, and if you are using the bowl over water method, don’t allow any water to get in.    It is important that all the chocolate is melted, otherwise you get little lumps in the mousse.    Add the alcohol and stir it in slowly until smooth.

Add the egg yolks one by one, stirring in, then the whipped cream.  Whisk the egg whites until they are standing in stiff peaks.  Using a metal spoon, first fold about 1/3 of the whites in to break up the texture, and then add the remaining two thirds. 

Pour the creamy mousse into 8 small bowls or ramekins, or into a single bowl, and leave to set.    Decorate to taste.