Chocolate Mousse for Two

Matt told me he had a craving for chocolate mousse or pudding with fresh strawberries. Never having made either I was happy to oblige & try making something new at the same time. I started reading homemade pudding recipes on blog only to get the sense that taste of homemade pudding wasn't necessarily worth the work compared to pudding in a box. So, I asked him if he'd prefer pudding or mousse. Luckily he said mousse because that seems to be a little simpler venture with better results.

I didn't want mousse around the house for days & I didn't want a huge serving size. (I know a huge serving of rich chocolaty goodness doesn't sound like a bad thing but trying to be healthier & all...) This recipe to make just two, approximately 1/3 - 1/2 cup, servings. It come together pretty quickly, especially since I use a microwave instead of a double boiler to do my melting.

Serve it in a pretty glass with fresh fruit & whipped cream and you have a cool, sexy treat to share with your special someone on a warm summer night.

Chocolate Mousse for Two

1 1/4 oz bittersweet or darker chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 T unsalted butter
1/2 T espresso (I buy instant espresso & just dissolve it in a little hot water)
1/4 c heavy cream
1 egg, separated
1/4 T sugar

Combine the chocolate, butter & espresso in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave until almost melted (this took about 40 seconds on high for me) then stir until completely melted. Let cool until it still feels warm to the touch but not hot. Do not let it get cold. (If you don't have a microwave use a double boiler for this step.)

Mix the egg yolk into the warm chocolate mixture.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Keep cold until ready to use.

In another small bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy & then add the sugar. Continue whipping until soft peaks form.

Gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Once incorporated add 1/2 of the egg whites, incorporate them then add the second half. Finally add the remaining whipped cream & fold until there are no more streaks of white.

Spoon into serving bowls, cover & refrigerate for at least 8 hours up to 1 day.

Serves 2

I put a layer of sliced strawberries in the bottom of the glass then added the mousse. When it was time to serve I added more sliced strawberries & freshly whipped cream.