MOTHER'S DAY: DAIRY & YOLK FREE DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, Low-fat

Perfect for women everywhere, at any time: Deeply, darkly chocolate but low-fat & dairy free

(first posted 2016)

 Dark Chcocolate Mousse (adapted from Hotel Chocolat)

'Gorgeous!  Beautiful!  Tasted better for lack of cream and egg yolks.  There was no way I was sharing this with anyone else!' 

This light, lovely chocolate mousse is a boon on Mother's Day - extremely delicious and healthier than most.  It is also one of the few vegetarian desserts that 67 carnivores adore.

The recipe comes from Hotel Chocolate, a British chocolatier and cocoa grower; it  has no diary or egg yolks and only a small amount of added sugar.   

That doesn't mean it's healthy -- there's too much chocolate for that -- but it does mean you get great taste and texture for fewer than usual of the bad things.  If you're used to mousses with the richness of double cream and egg yolks, a couple of tablespoons of liqueur, expresso or concentrated frozen orange juice peps it up no end.

67's budget allowed for Lindt's 70% dark chocolate; the cost conscious can use Bourneville. 

Cost: around £2.50; more if using artisan chocolate  
Feeds: 4-5

Ingred:
   
    150gm 70% (preferred) dark chocolate
     
     6 egg whites (keep yolks for another recipe; they will freeze)
     pinch of salt
     1/4 tsp lemon juice

     35g caster sugar
     1 tsp vanilla extract
      
      Flavouring: 1-2 tbsp brandy, orange liqueur, expresso or concentrated frozen orange juice

      Garnish:  shaved chocolate (about 30 gms)

Method

1. Melt chocolate in a large bowl over simmering water; stir.  Take off heat; if adding flavour, do it here; keep chocolate warm. 
2. In another large bowl, beat egg whites, salt & lemon juice with hand or stand electric beaters until the whites form soft peaks - maybe 5 mins?.  Add vanilla, then - a tablespoon at a time - sugar, beating after each addition until the whites form moderately stiff peaks (ie they hold their shape and won't fall out of the bowl if the bowl tips) 
3. Chocolate should be warm but not hot; add one third of  egg whites to the chocolate; gently hand whisk until blended.
4. Add the rest of the egg whites to the chocolate and fold, (cutting down the centre with a spatula and up the sides, turning the bowl continually to the right as you go.) You are aiming to keep the air in while making sure there are no white streaks.
5. Fold in shaved chocolate (opt) or use it to decorate the edges as in photo
6. If dairy isn't a problem, serve with whipped cream with a half teaspoon vanilla stirred through

                                              
Hotel Chocolat chocolate is considered one of the top UK chocolate producers and has its own plantation on St Lucia.