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Community Corner

Chocolate Mousse Recipe Can Top Off Perfect Family Night

This quick and easy recipe makes a light and fluffy delicious dessert.

Well, I hope you’re all in the mood for a little chocolate! I’ve made this delicious chocolate mousse recipe several times over the past 15 years (courtesy of The Martha Stewart Cookbook Collected Recipes for Every Day). It never lets me down. It’s a fun recipe to serve (OK, it’s a fun recipe to serve and you can show off a little without much fuss or time) when company is coming or as a great weeknight after-dinner special surprise for the family.

Sometimes going out to dinner and a movie at the end of a busy week sounds great. My husband Mike and I both work full-time and part-time jobs, so getting a little time to escape is great and much needed, but it doesn’t always happen. So, instead of heading out for dinner, dessert or drinks, while Mike’s still at work (until 9:00 p.m. some weekend nights) I’ll cook up a quick dinner, a fun dessert, and then we’ll hit the recliners and watch a great movie and have dinner. Often, this dessert has been on the menu! It’s light, chocolaty, smooth and delicious!

I recommend using a good semi-sweet chocolate. I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips today. Also, the name of the game today is “folding”. You don’t want to mix or stir when the recipe says to “fold”. Folding is repeatedly turning over the food (from the bottom of the bowl to the top) without mixing, stirring or beating it. If you mix or beat, you’re going to let all the air out and you won’t have a light, fluffy mousse. It takes a little patience, but you will be rewarded in the end.

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The recipe below is not doubled (I doubled it and it is easy to convert to a double batch)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE II

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6 oz. semisweet chocolate

1 stick unsalted butter

3 eggs, separated

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool. When the chocolate mixture reaches room temperature, add the egg yolks and stir well. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then, beating continuously, add the sugar until stiff peaks form. Wisk in a small portion of the egg white into the chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in the remaining egg white. Whip the cream with the vanilla until stiff then fold it into the chocolate mixture carefully, but thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into individual wine glasses or parfait dishes and chill.

I topped some with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Makes 4 generous servings (I doubled mine and made 12 individual servings)

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