Velvety smooth, light and chocolatey, this mousse is divine. The truffle on the top gives an extra crunch – buy them if you would rather not make them! Use a whisky cream liqueur or any chocolate or coffee cream liqueur of your choice.
MAKES 6 pots
CHILLING TIME a minimum of 6 hours
FOR THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
100g (4oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces
50g (2oz) caster sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tbsp whisky cream liqueur, eg Baileys
300ml (10fl oz) double cream
FOR THE TRUFFLE BALLS
4 digestive biscuits
1-2 tbsp whisky cream liqueur, eg Baileys
100g (4oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces
cocoa powder, for dusting
1 You will need six small wine glasses, sundae glasses or ceramic pots.
2 Place the dark chocolate in a food processor and process for 1 minute or until just a few pieces remain in the otherwise powdery chocolate mixture. Alternatively, finely grate the chocolate.
3 Measure the sugar and 6 tablespoons of water into a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat and boil briskly for a few seconds until the liquid has become a thin syrup.
4 Set the food processor running and carefully pour in the hot syrup through the feed tube on to the chocolate so it melts and becomes liquid. Add just a little more boiling water if some unmelted chocolate remains. Add the egg yolks and process for a few seconds before adding the whisky cream liqueur. If you are not using a food processor, add the hot syrup to the chocolate to melt it before beating the ingredients together.
5 In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the chocolate mixture. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mousse in a medium bowl before spooning the rest into the glasses. Place in the fridge to set for 6 hours or overnight.
6 Meanwhile make the truffle balls. Place the biscuits in a freezer bag and finely crush with a rolling pin. Add the crushed biscuits to the reserved mousse, followed by the whisky cream liqueur. Mix well and shape into six balls, each about the size of a small walnut, then place in the fridge to set for 10-15 minutes.
7 Melt the white chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Insert a cocktail stick into each of the balls, then dip into the melted chocolate and swirl around until coated. Place on a piece of baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes until firm.
8 Remove the chocolate pots from the fridge just before serving (see tip), place a truffle ball on top of each one and dust with a little cocoa powder.
PREPARE AHEAD
♥ The mousse and truffle balls can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge.
FREEZE
♥ Both the mousse and the truffle balls freeze well.
MARY’S CLASSIC TIP
♥ It’s important to keep the chocolate pots in the fridge right up until serving as they become runny if left out at room temperature.