This is what I would like to call a ‘healthy grown-up dessert’. Not a ‘healthy, grown-up dessert’, but a ‘healthy grown-up dessert’. See the difference there? And see the chocolate mousse in the photo? There is nothing healthy about it. In fact, there is no such thing as healthy chocolate mousse.
It’s the grown-up that has to be healthy! Although I have to say that this is not strictly a grown-up dessert. There’s no alcohol in it or anything. In fact, you could also serve this to healthy kids, but they can’t be under the age of five. And really grown up grown-ups can’t have this fluffy chocolate mousse either. So don’t serve this to the elderly. Or kids under the age of five that have yet to be born. Or grown-ups with a compromised immune system…
I guess what I’m trying to say here is this: if you’re older than five, not pregnant, not old and not sick, this is your kind of mousse! You see, there are raw eggs in these gorgeous, delicious little mousses.
Personally, I don’t mind eating anything that has raw eggs in it. That wasn’t always the case. I was brought up with the idea that raw eggs are disgusting and dangerous. In fact, I don’t think I ever ate anything with raw eggs in it as a kid! Not even cake batter! Which is weird, because these days, I can’t live without cake batter! I mean, it’s better than the cake itself! Remember those coconut brownies I made the other day? I ate about six spoonfuls of batter. And I only stopped there because I needed some batter for the brownies…
And it was delicious!
So, what changed me after years and years of living in fear of salmonella?
Well, Nigella Lawson throwing empty egg shells over her shoulders and never washing her hands after splitting an egg in her hands was one thing, but I also found out that the risk of actually ‘encountering’ an egg that has been contaminated with the salmonella bacteria is insanely small! Only about 0.005% of eggs contain the salmonella bacteria! Ever since I first heard that, I haven’t worried about salmonella…
Sure, holding a raw egg in my hand is still not my favorite thing in the world and, yes, a little disgusting because it’s so slimy, but used in a dessert like this, raw eggs are delicious!
However, while I’m no longer afraid of those scary raw eggs, I do believe that everyone should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to eat raw eggs or not. Some people just can’t get over their fear of raw eggs. And hey, I wouldn’t want to be thrown into a pool with great white sharks, even if someone was already swimming with them, telling me that they were cute and cuddly and absolutely not dangerous…
Yes, I’m afraid of sharks…
So this is not really a dessert I would serve at a dinner party. This is not the kind of mousse I would use in a birthday cake. No, this is the kind of dessert I make for the Rocking Rebel and myself, when we want something ridiculously delicious and indulgent that can be whipped up right before dinner so we can enjoy it with tea and an episode of ‘Breaking Bad’ later at night!
I’m over ‘Sherlock’…
So, if you are…
- older than five
- not pregnant
- not old
- not sick
- not terribly afraid of raw eggs
… give this fluffy, magical three ingredient chocolate mousse a go! It’s the best! Plus, you only need eggs, chocolate and sugar!
Enjoy!
- 120g (or 4 ounces) dark chocolate
- 4½ teaspoons of granulated sugar
- 3 egg whites
- 2 egg yolks
- 250ml whipping cream
- 4 teaspoons of granulated sugar
- fresh raspberries
- Melt the chocolate in the bowl of a double boiler (or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water). Transfer the melted chocolate to a cool bowl and set aside to cool slightly. If you dip your finger in it after it has cooled a little, the mixture should be slightly warmer than your finger.
- In the meantime, combine the sugar and egg whites in another, medium-sized bowl. Mix together until the meringue is glossy and thick and can hold soft peaks. Set aside.
- Using an ordinary metal tablespoon, stir the yolks into the cooled, melted chocolate. The mixture will become very thick and practically unmanageable, but keep stirring until the yolks are fully incorporated.
- Using the same metal spoon, scoop a spoonful of meringue in the bowl of the chocolate mixture. Stir vigorously to incorporate, then repeat two times. By stirring a few tablespoons of the meringue into the mixture like this, you’re lightning up the chocolate mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold one third of the remaining meringue into the chocolate mixture, being careful not to knock the air out of the meringue this time. Repeat with the remaining two thirds of meringue.
- Spoon the mousse into pretty glasses, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least two hours (or up to 2 days) to set.
- Just before serving, whip up the cream with the sugar, spoon or pipe it onto the mousse and top with a fresh raspberry.
New favorite food quote:
