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Baking Expert
Catherine Christiansen
Ooh la la… chocolat!
Mousse au Chocolate
Mexican Chocolate Pots de Crème
Possessing not only downright sexy flavor but also a healthy dose of antioxidants and feel-good chemicals, chocolate is magic. I’m talking dark chocolate here and really, is there any other kind?
The allure of dark chocolate’s heady aroma and sublimely addictive flavor creates dessert success. No restaurant menu is without at least one chocolate offering and the following recipes are French classics.
A Mexican take on pots de crème results in dark and spicy decadence. Hints of Kahlua and cayenne enhance deep bittersweet chocolate while rich splashes of cream round it all out. The recipe cuts out the usual slow baking in the oven and calls for cooking the pots de crème mixture entirely on the stove. The result? Creamy, dreamy (speeded up!) elegance. Serve in demitasses or small ramekins with a tiny spoon for seductively slow savoring. Note: If the Mexican spice is not up your alley, omit the Kahlua, cinnamon and cayenne and substitute your favorite liqueur—Grand Marnier, Brandy, Chambord, Whisky, Amaretto or even good vanilla extract.
Don’t be in the least intimidated by this recipe for chocolate mousse; I first used a version of it in my ninth grade French class. Okay, so on our first try we made it using actual coffee grounds when it called for strong coffee, but the added crunch barely diminished the mousse’s deliciousness. Top quality chocolate is essential here, so it might be worth it to sample a few different kinds. I return to Callebaut again and again, but an occasional foray into Valhrona or El Rey offers delicious variety. Serve this whipped indulgence piped into wine glasses or pretty bowls. A hollowed out and scalloped orange rind is another sweet vehicle. Use your imagination.
Go forth, eat chocolate and have a happy Valentine’s Day.
Catherine Christensen's
Valentine's Day
Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Mexican Chocolate Pots de Crème
Mousse au Chocolate
Read more about Catherine Christiansen.
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