As far back as I can remember, my mum has had this old brown cookbook, surely straight out of the 1970s. When I was growing up and learning to bake, I used to thumb through the pages looking for something to make. One of the recipes was for chocolate mousse, and the photograph showed it in a wine glass, layered with whipped cream—I thought it was the fanciest thing I had ever seen. It inspired the version here. It’s so easy, but I still think it’s one of the most elegant desserts you can make.
Makes 6 servings
1 Put the chocolate and milk in a large heatproof bowl and gently melt in the microwave or over a bain-marie. Set aside to cool slightly.
2 Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a handheld electric mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
3 Fold a spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until fully incorporated, taking care not to overmix.
4 Divide the mousse evenly among six individual serving dishes. (If not serving immediately, keep refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.) When ready to serve, top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and some chocolate shavings (see Ingredients).
Note
For this recipe, I recommend using the freshest eggs available or pasteurized eggs.