Chocolate Mousse a la Julia Child

This weeks Rider On Recipes request was Chocolate Mousse.   After watching the movie Julie and Julia, which is one of my all time favorites (in addition to It's Complicated - love that Alec Baldwin) I was inspired.   I have a 1968 edition of The French Chef Cookbook which was based off Julia's PBS Cooking Show The French Chef.   The book almost instinctively opened to page 24 and there was her recipe for Chocolate Mousse.   It was easy, with very simple steps spelled out and the end results are fabulous!

Chocolate Mousse

courtesy of Julia Child

from The French Chef Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 C semi sweet chocolate, broken into bits
• 4 T strong coffee
• 4 egg yolks
• 3/4 C superfine sugar
• 1/4 C orange liqueur
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, unsalted
• 4 egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 2 T granulated sugar

Directions:   Place chocolate and coffee in a small bowl and melt, slowly over over a pan of hot water.   Place egg yolks in a separate bowl and start beating with whip while gradually pouring in the sugar in a thin stream.   Continue beating for 2 to 3 minutes until mixture is thick, pale and forms a slowly dissolving ribbon when lifted.   Beat in the liqueur and set bowl on top of pan of almost simmering water.   Beat at moderate speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until foamy and warm when tested with your finger.   Remove the bowl and beat for a few minutes to cool.

Stir the chocolate again and continue until perfectly smooth.   Gradually beat in the butter then beat the chocolate and butter into the yolks and sugar.

In a large bowl beat the egg whites slowly until they begin to foam, then beat in the salt.   Increase the speed gradually to fast until soft peaks form.   Sprinkle on the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks are formed.   Stir one fourth of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it; scoop the rest of the egg whites on top and delicately fold them in.

Immediately turn the Mousse into individual cups.   Cover and chill for several hours or overnight.   You may garnish mousse with lightly whipped cream.

And as Julia would always say... "Bon appétit!"