Chocolate Mousse (Julia Child)
.Serves 8 to 10
· 4 large eggs
· 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in ¼ cup hot water in saucepan
· ¾ cup sugar
· ¼ cup dark rum, orange liqueur, coffee or orange juice
· 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
· 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut in 1-inch pieces
· Pinch salt
· ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Separate the eggs, dropping whites into a large metal bowl and yolks into another one.
2. Beat yolks with an electric hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes or until pale and lemon coloured.
3. Place pan with coffee on high heat, blend in sugar and bring to boil. Boil a minute or two until sugar is dissolved. Slowly add hot sugar syrup into egg yolks, beating all the time. Set aside.
4. Place rum into the empty sugar syrup pot and add chocolate. Place over a pan of simmering water (to make a double boiler) and stir until chocolate is melted. Reserve.
5. Place reserved egg yolk mixture over the same pan of simmering water. Beat with electric mixer until mixture doubles in bulk and is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and beat until cool, about 5 minutes longer. Reserve.
6. Beat butter into melted chocolate mixture one tablespoon at a time. Scrape chocolate mixture over egg yolk mixture and quickly fold in.
7. Beat egg whites for a moment, add salt and cream of tartar and continue beating until mixture is thick and glossy and holds peaks that bend slightly at the top.
8. Stir one quarter of the egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in remainder. Spoon into a pretty glass bowl and chill until set.