Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: 20 minutes, plus time to chill
There’s a reason this is a staple of good French bistro: It sounds (and tastes) fancy, but this ultra-rich chocolate pudding is blazing quick to make and surprisingly easy to adapt to different diets—see the variations for a vegan version. Play around with the flavor: Add espresso for a rich mocha mousse or spike it with a liqueur. Top with Whipped Cream and shaved chocolate if you like.
1. Use a microwave or double boiler to melt the chocolate, butter, and liqueur if you’re using it; check and stir it frequently, then remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Set aside until the bowl is cool enough to hold, then whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of the sugar until they hold stiff peaks. In a separate bowl using clean beaters, beat the cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until it holds soft peaks.
3. Stir a couple of spoonfuls of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, using thorough but gentle strokes (see illustrations, page 56). Fold in the cream until just combined, so that there are no streaks of white, then refrigerate until chilled. If you’re in a hurry, divide the mousse among 4 to 6 cups; it will chill much faster. Serve within a day.
MOCHA MOUSSE Add 2 tablespoons very strong brewed coffee (espresso is best) to the chocolate mixture in Step 1 and reduce the cream in Step 3 to 6 tablespoons. Or add 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder to the chocolate mixture in Step 1 and use the full amount of cream.
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE Use white chocolate instead of dark. Garnish with fresh berries and white chocolate shavings. If you like, swap the vanilla for 1 teaspoon almond extract.
EGGLESS CHOCOLATE MOUSSE Increase the chocolate to 6 ounces and the cream to 1 cup. Melt the chocolate and butter together with 3 tablespoons water, then remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Let cool completely before gradually folding in the whipped cream.
Or: Increase the chocolate to 6 ounces and the cream to ¾ cup. Bring ¼ cup of the cream to room temperature and keep the rest chilled. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin over the room-temperature cream and let sit for 10 minutes, then combine it with the chocolate and butter; cook until the chocolate melts and the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Whip the remaining ½ cup cream with the sugar and fold it into the cooled chocolate mixture.
VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE Avocado adds silkiness, while doubling the amount of chocolate ensures that the flavor isn’t compromised: Use 8 ounces chocolate. Substitute 2 tablespoons coconut oil for the butter. Omit the eggs and cream. In a food processor, combine the cooled chocolate mixture with 2 ripe avocados, ¼ cup nondairy milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and the vanilla; process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until completely smooth.