WHITE & DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

My mother in law used to have her own catering company and knocks up a 3 course dinner for 30 people like it’s walk in the park (imagine her distress when finding out all those years ago that her daughter in law couldn’t cook!) She is famous for her Friday nights dinners, where even on the most casual of evenings with just us, there is a minimum of 4 desserts laid out on the table. And this one is my all time favourite – a white & dark chocolate mousse. I sometimes find dark mousse too rich, but combined with white mousse, it’s out of this world!

I asked her if I could share her recipe, she said ‘Sure, but it’s sort of made up!’ – exactly how all the best recipes come to be.
So here we go – ‘White & dark chocolate mousse, a la Geralyn’

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces dark Bourneville chocolate,

4 ounces good quality white chocolate

4 large eggs

Half a teaspoon instant coffee

1 tablespoon Brandy (optional), or water (- add to dark chocolate before melting.)

1 tablespoon of milk or single cream (- add to white chocolate before melting.)

METHOD

Separate yolks from whites of the eggs, then melt chocolates in two separate bowls.

The dark chocolate needs 2 1/2 minutes in the microwave. The white chocolate, possibly a little less- remove from the microwave after two minutes and have a stir with a wooden spoon and then return if it’s not fully melted for another 10 to 15 seconds. It is better to have a couple of pieces of un-melted choc & stir to fully melt than to overheat it – you can use a bowl over simmering water in a saucepan if nervous of using a microwave to melt!

Mix two egg yolks into each bowl of melted chocolate and beat the egg whites until soft peaks, but do not over beat! Combine them with a rubber spatula or metal tablespoon then half the egg whites into each chocolate mix. It might be easier to add a tablespoon or two of beaten egg whites to each before adding the remainder as it is easier to combine thoroughly, then put alternate large tablespoons of it into a serving bowl & swirl with a spatula to get a pretty effect – Chill for an hour and enjoy!