This recipe is adapted from Marielle Guiliano’s French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook – adapted I say because the recipe calls for double cream and I only had a lovely Creme Friache on hand from the Meander Valley in Tasmania, so I used that instead!

Simple to whip up and serving 4 (or two over a couple of days) this is one little decadent dessert that demonstrates that you only have to have a little bit of a good thing to feel treated, and we all know chocolate is good for your soul, don’t we?  It’s practically medicinal!

Ingredients

• 175g of good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or higher)
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of caster sugar
• 4 egg whites (medium eggs)
• 110ml of double cream (or Creme Fraiche)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Berries and additional cream to serve

How to do it?

Break up your chocolate into a small saucepan and melt over medium heat.  Mireille suggests doing this over a double boiler, but I favour the direct heat method.  Just keep an eye on it and dont let it catch.

When almost melted, turn off the heat and add the butter, stirring to ensure all the chocolate melts and butter is incorporated.  Then set this aside to call slightly.

 

Using a stand mixer or electric beater, whip your egg whites with the salt until thick, then add your sugar (I actually only used 1 tablespoon, preferring a sharper taste to my chocolate) and whip until stiff, shiny peaks form.

 

 

In another bowl whip the Creme Fraiche and vanilla together to form soft peaks – careful not to take this too far (it happens quickly!).  If it stiffens too much whisk in a little milk to loosen it off a bit.

 

 

 

With everything ready, the success of your mousse now lies in your ability to bring the three mixtures together with a light hand…

Firstly add a scoop of egg white into the chocolate mixture and gently fold it in to lighten the chocolate mixture.

 

Then, once that is incorporated add the chocolate mixture to the rest of the egg whites and gently fold the mixture until all the egg whites are incorporated.

 

 

 

Next, add half the creme fraiche in to the chocolate/egg white mixture and fold gently to incorporate.  Then add the remaining creme fraiche and gently incorporate.

 

 

 

Pour the mixture into 4 glasses (vintage champagne glasses just feel right for this!) and refrigerate for 2 hours (minimum) before serving with berries and a dash of extra creme if preferred.