Chocolate Mousse

Have you noticed that suddenly all the chocolate in the baking section at the supermarket is emblazoned with the percentage level of chocolate in the bar (60%, 72%, 80% etc.) as well as the old descriptive terms semi-sweet, bittersweet, etc? This is actually a very helpful trend when making desserts and frosting and so on as the higher chocolate content bars are definitely worth the purchase price in the appropriate recipe.

This is my new absolutely favorite chocolate mousse; simple, quick and stunningly deep. It comes from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard, which is in itself a drool-a-page volume; this however is possibly the easiest recipe in the entire book.

I like Green & Black's Organic 70% Bittersweet Dark Chocolate mixed with a couple of ounces of Ghiradelli semi-sweet 60%, but use your own favorite- as long as it is at least 70% rated.

1 3/4 cups heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
10 ounces 70-72% chocolate, melted
Note: this doubles and quadruples very well for larger quantities

Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk until it holds soft peaks (I have two electric mixer bowls so I use one for the cream, with the whisk attachment, and the other for the next stage). Set the whipped cream aside.
Place the eggs and egg yolk into the (second) bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until fluffy.
Put the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. After the syrup has boiled for 1 minute, pour it into the eggs in a slow stream, with the mixer running, down the inside of the bowl. Continue whipping the eggs until they have doubled in volume and are cold (feel the bottom of the bowl to check). They will will be pale yellow.
Melt the chocolate in glass bowl in the microwave; chop or break the chocolate into medium-size pieces, microwave on high for 30 seconds or so and then stir with a dry spatula; repeat in 15 second intervals with a stir at each stage, until the chocolate is smooth. Let it cool slightly. With a silicone spatula, fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, then fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate the mousse until ready for use, for up to 1 hour.

Note: if you leave the mousse longer in the refrigerator it will set and become denser. I prefer it like this as you can then spoon it into ramekin and mold it (see serving suggestions). It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Frozen mousse (which will keep for up to a week) will become very heavy and handles like ice cream.

Serving suggestion: scoop mousse into small ramekins, smooth level with the top using a spatula; pipe or spoon whipped cream on top and decorate with fresh raspberries. Accompany with a sugar cookie or hazelnut biscotti and coffee. Then go and lie down for an hour.