FROM THE JANUARY COVER
The History of Chocolate Mousse
A brief history of chocolate mousse, along
with a simple, but delectable, recipe.
The origins of chocolate mousse are relatively unknown. After being introduced to
chocolate by the Spanish, French chefs have
been cooking with chocolate since the early
17th century. Mousse, which means “foam,”
originated in France in the 18th centur y. It
was only a matter of time until cooking with chocolate and making dishes with
foamy textures came together for “mousse au chocolat.”
The first written record of chocolate mousse in the United States comes from
a Food Exposition held at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1892. A
“Housekeeper’s Column” in the Boston Daily Globe of 1897 published one of
the first recipes for chocolate mousse. The recipe yielded a chocolate puddingtype dish, instead of today’s stiff, but fluffy, mousse.
Mousse became as we know it with the introduction of egg whites, separated
from the yolks. The introduction of electric mixers made the foaming process
much, much easier. Whipping egg whites by hand is not as effective or efficient.
Everybody seems to have their own ideas when it comes to adding flavorings
and even toppings, but the main ingredients in a chocolate mousse rarely change:
chocolate, egg whites, and sugar. Some recipes also call for cream, butter and/or
egg yolks. While some extreme-chocolatiers prefer the taste of the chocolate
shining through the mousse, the addition of some liqueurs is also absolutely
divine.
As with any recipe that calls for chocolate, the secret is using the very best
chocolate you can. Your mousse is only as good as your chocolate. We
have listed a basic French chocolate mousse recipe which is delectable in
its simplicity.
FRENCH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Ingredients:
• 11 ounces of dark chocolate
• 6 eggs
• Just over 2 ounces butter (half salted, half unsalted)
• 1.7 ounces of sugar
• A pinch of salt
......................................................................
Preparation:
Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler. Whip the egg whites
with salt until stiff. Add the sugar and the egg yolks one by one to the
chocolate and butter. Delicately mix the whites with the chocolate. Put in
the fridge for at least six hours.
And there you have it. A brief history and recipe for chocolate mousse.
Of course you can add raspberries and fresh mint on top and around the
dessert for an artistic appeal.