Alices Luscious Chocolate Mousse Recipes

Steps:

• Place chocolate and 1/4 cup of water (or liquid of your choice) in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
• Melt chocolate in the microwave for 30 sec on HIGH, stir.
• Repeat the zapping and stirring until chocolate mixture is smooth and completely melted.
• Stir in brandy (or other liquor), if using and set aside.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk eggs with the 3 TB water and sugar until well-blended.
• Set bowl in a skillet of barely simmering water, stirring constantly, cook egg mixture until it registers 160°F on instant-read thermometer (remove bowl from the skillet to check temp).
• Once the temp has been reached, remove bowl from skillet and beat with an electric mixer at high speed for at least 3-4mins, until eggs have a texture similar to softly whipped cream.
• Fold about 1/4 of the egg mixture into the melted chocolate.
• Scrape the lightened chocolate mixture into the remaining beaten eggs and fold gently, until evenly incorporated.
• If egg safety is not an issue, omit the heating step- whip the eggs with the sugar (omit the water, as it's added just to prevent eggs from scrambling) and proceed accordingly.
• Now you may divide mousse into individual ramekins or glasses, chill for at least 1 hour until set; cover with plastic wrap if you're not serving within a few hours.
• You may also use the mousse as a cake filling- I've done this with success, using a cake ring (or a springform pan).
• If you're using very high percentage chocolate (70% and above), you may want to increase sugar to 4 1/2 TB.

Steps:

• For the chocolate and amaretto mousse: Heat the cream in a small pot over medium heat. Once it starts to steam, remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until melted. Let cool. Carefully add the cooled chocolate cream, 2 tablespoons at a time, into a bowl with the egg yolks, mixing continuously. Stir in the amaretto. Beat the egg whites and sugar in a bowl to form a meringue, and then fold into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. For the almond lace bowls: Combine the butter, corn syrup and sugar in a pot over medium heat until simmering. Whisk together the flour and almonds, and then stir into the butter mixture, 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate covered, 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Scoop tablespoons of batter and roll into balls. Place 3 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (only 4 balls per row), and bake until golden, 10 minutes. Let cool until they can be touched, but are still warm enough to be pliable. Place on top of a small inverted bowl to shape, and then let cool until hardened completely, 2 minutes.
• Transfer the chocolate mousse to a piping bag and pipe into the almond lace bowls. Garnish with toasted almonds.

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 325. Combine chocolate crumbs and butter. Press into a 9" springform pan. Sprinkle nuts over the crust. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Chocolate Mousse: Melt chocolate chips and set aside to cool. Blend cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat egg yolks, add the to cream cheese and stir well. Mix in cooled chocolate.
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar slowly and beat until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture.
• Whip cream and fold into the chocolate mousse.
• Pour into the springform pan. Cover and freeze overnight.
• To Serve: Remove from the freezer and chill for 5 hours before serving.
• Optional Garnishes: chocolate curls/sprinkles. whipping cream, raspberry coulis.