Every chocolate book and pastry chef teaches us to
never let water get near melting chocolate: It will seize and crumble, and ruin
dessert.
But Hervé This—the French chemist who invented the study of (and the very phrase) molecular gastronomy—figured out how to mix the unmixable and turn them into chocolate mousse.
But Hervé This—the French chemist who invented the study of (and the very phrase) molecular gastronomy—figured out how to mix the unmixable and turn them into chocolate mousse.
It also happens to be the simplest way to make
mousse at home: Melt chocolate with water, then cool it over an ice bath and
whisk till you have mousse.
Like other emulsions (vinaigrette,
aïoli), as you whip, microscopic bits of water get suspended in the fat (here:
cocoa butter), thickening it and making it seem creamier. The cooling chocolate
crystallizes around the air bubbles, just like whipped cream, to make a
remarkably stable foam, a.k.a. mousse.
The best thing about this is that it tastes like
pure, unobstructed chocolate, without cream or egg to confuse the issue. (It
also happens to be vegan, if you use dark chocolate without any added
milk.)
This all happens fast as the mixture cools, so
chances are you’ll go too far on your first try and the mousse may stiffen up
beyond the point you’d wanted. But if this happens, Mr. This is unfazed—he has
you return the chocolate mixture to the pan, melt it, and start over (see note).
Serves 4
¾ cup (180ml) water
8 ounces (225g) chocolate (I use
bittersweet chocolate that’s 70 percent cacao—choose a high-quality chocolate
you love), broken into pieces
Ice cubes
Whipped cream, for
topping
1 Simply pour the water into a saucepan over medium-low
heat (the water can be improved from the gastronomic point of view if it is
flavored with orange juice, for example, or cassis puree—just replace some of
the water with an equal amount of the flavorful liquid). Then, add the chocolate
and whisk it in as it melts. The result is a homogenous sauce.
2 Put the saucepan in a bowl partly filled with ice
cubes (or pour into another bowl over the ice so it will chill faster), then
whisk the chocolate sauce, either manually with a whisk or with an electric
mixer (if using an electric mixer, watch closely—it will thicken faster).
Whisking creates large air bubbles in the sauce, which steadily thickens. After
a while strands of chocolate form inside the loops of the whisk. Pour or spoon
immediately into ramekins, small bowls, or jars and let set.
NOTE: Three things can go wrong. Here’s how to fix
them. If your chocolate doesn’t contain enough fat and won’t form a mousse, melt
the mixture again, add more chocolate, and then whisk it again. If the mousse is
not light enough, melt the mixture again, add more water, and whisk it once
more. If you whisk it too much, so that it becomes grainy, simply melt the
mixture and whisk it again, adding nothing.
3 Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving. Top
with whipped cream, if desired.
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