Serves
Serves 4
Take a simple chocolate mousse to the next level with John Torode’s impressive recipe.
For this recipe you will need a silicone mat, a food processor and an electric hand whisk or a freestanding mixer.
Ingredients
For the chocolate mousse
- 3 medium free-range egg yolks
- 20g/¾oz icing sugar
- 250g/9oz dark chocolate, melted
- 2g gelatine
- 5 tbsp brandy
- 400ml/14fl oz whipping cream
- 3 medium free-range egg whites
- 90g/3¼oz caster sugar
For the crumble
- 220g/8oz soft flour
- 150g/5½oz butter
- 75g/2½oz demerara sugar
- 30g/1oz oats
- 1 tbsp full-fat milk
- 75g/2½oz plain flour
For the praline biscuits
- 200g/7oz hard toffee
- 30g/1oz crushed hazelnuts
For the chocolate sauce
- 100g/3½oz dark chocolate
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- 50ml/2fl oz milk
- 10g butter
Method
For the chocolate mousse, in a large bowl beat the egg yolks and icing sugar until very pale using an electric whisk.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Once melted, stir the gelatine and brandy into the chocolate. Set aside until the gelatine is dissolved.
Meanwhile, whip the cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
Add the chocolate mixture to the egg yolks and then fold in whipped cream.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and sugar until firm peaks form when the whisk is removed. Fold into the chocolate and cream mixture using a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out the air. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or until set.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
For the crumble, in a mixing bowl, rub all the ingredients together until they resemble breadcrumbs. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread the crumble mixture in an even layer and bake 15 minutes. Break up and set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
For the praline biscuits, in a food processor break up the toffee until it forms a coarse powder. Sprinkle onto a silicone mat in eight round discs and bake for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and leave to cool.
For the chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Warm the cream, milk and butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Stir in the melted chocolate and keep warm.
To serve, scatter the crumble over four serving plates. Put two quenelles of mousse down the centre of each plate. Stick a praline biscuit into each quenelle of mousse then pour over the hot chocolate sauce.