Portuguese-Style Chocolate Mousse
This chocolate mousse follows the home-style formula most familiar in Portugal: chocolate and butter, yolks and whipped whites, with neither cream nor gelatine. The key is to cool the chocolate slightly and fold in the whites without losing their air.
- Yields
- 6 individual glasses
- Prep
- 25 min (+ 4 hrs chilling)
- Cook
- 5 min
Ingredients
- 200 g Dark cooking chocolate (50–70% cocoa)
- 80 g Unsalted butter
- 6 Medium eggs, preferably pasteurised
- 100 g Caster sugar
- 1 pinch Fine salt
Method
Break up the chocolate, add the butter and melt them gently over a bain-marie, keeping out all water. Stir until smooth and cool for 5 minutes.
Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with half the sugar for 3–4 minutes, until pale and thick.
Pour the warm chocolate slowly into the yolks, stirring constantly. It must not be hot enough to scramble the egg.
In a clean bowl, whisk the whites with the salt. Once foamy, gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk to glossy firm peaks.
Fold one third of the whites into the chocolate to lighten it. Fold in the remainder in two additions with a spatula and broad bottom-to-top strokes.
Divide between six glasses and refrigerate immediately for at least 4 hours. Serve well chilled.