Velvety Chocolate Mouse

Chocolate Mousse is one of the very first desserts I ever made using a recipe from my Women’s Weekly Recipe Card Collection – OMG, am I really that old!

If you were born after the 1970’s, then you probably have no idea about what I am taking about, but let me tell you, back then, the Women’s Weekly Recipe Card Collection was the bees knees as far as recipes was concerned.

Back in those days, the only way to get these recipe cards was by subscribing for them by mail – you have to remember, there was no internet yet! I still remember how excited I was when my first batch, Light & Lovely Cool Desserts, arrived in the mail. After that, a new batch would arrive monthly in my letterbox and so my collection grew!

I really treasured my collection of recipe cards, because they taught me so much about cooking and, for years, I used them to cook many meals for family and friends. Now they are somewhere under my house collecting dust along with other things I couldn’t part with over the years. I did however keep my 2 favourite cards that I couldn’t part with, the Coffee Liquor Mousse and, my husbands all-time favourite dessert, Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding. I can’t tell you how many times I baked this pudding over the years, but it’s been quite a while since the last time and I’m sure he’ll want me to make it if he reads this post 🙂 To be honest, I also love this pudding, so I’ll share it with you soon so that you can give it a go for yourself.

Oops, I’ve side tracked! Let’s get back to the Velvety Chocolate Mousse… now, this is one dessert I have yet to come across ANYONE who doesn’t love it! This velvety, smooth, chocolate delight is all you could ask for in a chocolate dessert. It’s so light and deliciously moorish making it almost impossible to resist, even after a big meal!

Although it’s not the original Women’s Weekly recipe, this Chocolate Mousse recipe is easy to make. I tend to make it for Sunday family dinner when I am short on time or lacking energy to make something more complicated and, although I always make extra to have the next day, it NEVER lasts and, if you make it, you’ll understand why 🙂

I usually serve Chocolate Mousse on its own, but the last time I made it I grated raspberry chocolate on top, which was really nice – but that’s optional of course!

What you need

2 cups pure cream
200g good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa) – roughly chopped
4 large free range eggs
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Extra chocolate to grate on the top (optional)
Fresh raspberries to serve (optional)

Serves 6 – 8

What to do

Place cream in a bowl with an electric mixed and whip on medium speed until soft light peaks form – do not over beat. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (bottom of the bowl must not touch the water) – stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat.

In the meantime, beat the eggs, vanilla extract and the sugar in a seperate bowl at medium-high speed until it becomes fluffy and thick – approx 10 minutes.

Stir the egg mixture into the melted chocolate until combined, then gently fold in the whipped cream to combine.

Carefully, pour or spoon the mixture into serving glasses.

Refrigerate for about 2 hours to set.

Top with grated chocolate and/or raspberries to serve.