The other morning – early morning – when the sky was dark and the floor was cold, I found myself in that curious transition between sleep and wakefulness; the one where your mind is on the threshold of consciousness but you’re still under the influence of make-believe. They call it a hypnopompic state and it can break your heart. It was in this moment that I found myself walking to our bedroom window, opening up the blinds and discovering huge snowflakes falling from the sky – they were dropping in pairs of two, gathering across our backyard in a million points of light. My heart was hammering against my chest and as quickly as I could pivot to bellow the excitement to my son, it all disappeared. Just like that; in the deceitful way of a dream.
I do miss the magic of the snow (especially this time of year) and the high-pitched squeals of my younger boys when they would discover the white wonder that had fallen overnight. School closure ‘snow days’ filled with playdates, toboggan runs, unsuspecting snowballs to the body (boy thing?) and hot chocolate. Dredging through heavy snow banks, picking up movies (remember those days?), skating on the Rideau Canal (speaking of magical) and warming wet boots and toes by the fire. The stuff of winter; the stuff of childhood in Canada.
Of course the Canadian package also comes with 7-ish months of cold that I don’t miss so much and the scenery here this time of year while not white, is inspiring in its own right.
Elements of our surroundings often find their way into my food photography including these delicate white flowers with yellow interior that are from our backyard – they cascade along a wall behind our Japanese maple perked up by the autumn rains.
And these well-loved festive berries (the kind that will cost you a small fortune in shops) grow wild and abundant along our walking path – limited only by how much I can carry with dog, leash and poop bag in tow.
Muted blue California elderberry with their intricate umbels and stunning foliage bring my four-legged companion and I to a full stop. Nature is remarkable and there are reasons to fall in love with it no matter where you live.
And speaking of universal appeal, let’s take a moment to appreciate this chocolate mouuuusse.
I was flipping through my big binder of recipes that I started a couple decades ago and was reminded of this out of the ordinary dessert. The title reeled me in and I made it for American Thanksgiving (our son coming home from College was a perfectly good excuse for this Canadian family to celebrate).
What I find most interesting about this recipe is that it manages to deliver all the properties of a classic chocolate mousse – light, silky and luxurious while layering on some extraordinary flavor from the espresso and orange-flavored French liqueur.
It is rich and decadent (just as chocolate lovers like it) so a little goes a long way – a third to half cup serving was ample for us. We enjoyed it with some fresh whipped cream and a shake of cinnamon. There were swoons from one end of the table to the other. The recipe creates a boatload of mousse too which you can freeze! A great benefit as we could not possibly consume it all at once but didn’t want to toss it either.
For a festive twist you could serve this mousse in wine glasses or champagne flutes (just make sure you have a spoon that fits to the bottom) but any glassware, ramekin or decorative vessel of choice will work here.
Berries and fresh mint leaves are other service options but this mousse has such an explosive taste profile and beautiful texture that you may wish to simply let it shine on its own.
Melting chocolate and mousse making is not difficult but it does have its finicky aspects – be sure to read the Notes in the recipe card below for best results –
Cheers Chocolate Lovers and may you delight in the beauty that surrounds you wherever you may be!
- 1 + ½ pounds (680 grams / 24 oz) bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup prepared espresso coffee
- ½ cup Grand Marnier (orange-flavored French liqueur)
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream, chilled
- 8 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Be sure to read through instructions before beginning.
- You will need 3 mixing bowls and a sturdy pot for this recipe.
- Melt chocolate chips in a sturdy pot on stove top over lowest heat, stirring until fully melted; remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, prepare espresso coffee.
- Add espresso coffee and then the Grand Marnier to the chocolate whisking to combine (the texture may change but shouldn't seize). Allow the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Add the egg yolks to the chocolate mixture, one at a time, beating briefly after each addition.
- Transfer chocolate mixture into a large mixing bowl (you will be folding cream/egg whites into mixture and will need room to do this properly).
- In a second mixing bowl beat 1 cup of the cream until thickened.
- In a third mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until fluffy with soft peaks.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the cream using a spatula.
- Stir about one third of the cream/egg mixture into the chocolate mixture mixing thoroughly. Then add the remaining cream/egg mixture over the lightened chocolate base and fold together gently using a spatula (using soft broad strokes to maximize air bubbles and volume) until most of the streaks are gone and a uniform color is achieved.
- Fill serving dishes of choice with chocolate mousse (ramekins, parfait glasses, tea cups, wine glasses, champagne flutes - keeping in mind that this dessert is very rich and half cup servings are probably ample) - cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set and ready to serve.
- Tip: if you want to have etching/swirl designs rather than a flat surface, hold off on filling individual cups and place the mixing bowl in the fridge long enough for the mousse to begin thickening without yet setting - remove from fridge, fill individual cups and use the back of a spoon or a flat knife to create indentations - return to fridge to set. If you plan on topping the mousse with cream or fresh berries, a sprinkle of toasted nuts or chocolate shavings etc. a flat surface may be better.
- Depending on the size and depth of the dish used this mousse will take approx 30 mins - 3 hours to set - you can also make it up to 1 day ahead of time keeping it stored in the fridge.
- At serving time whip the remaining cup of cream - add vanilla and whip to soft peaks. Top each portion of the mousse with a dollop of cream and garnish as desired (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, mint leaves, etc).
Raw Eggs: this recipe contains raw eggs which may pause a higher health risk for some individuals (including pregnant women) - consume according to your own comfort levels.
The Order: the recipe is organized in a certain order to prevent the chocolate from seizing and to maximize the aeration capacity and volume of the mousse - changing the order may affect your results.
Heating Chocolate: melting chocolate is a little finicky - coming into contact with small amounts of water or too much heat can cause chocolate to seize - be sure to use a dry pot for melting and melt only on the lowest heat possible.
The Sweetness: the original recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate chips and an additional ¼ cup of sugar which I knew would be too sweet for our taste (particularly in combination with the alcohol). I omitted the additional sugar altogether and found a bittersweet chocolate chip that contained 70% cacao (30% sugar). Bittersweet chocolate will vary in sweetness so if you prefer darker chocolate and less sugar look for a higher % cacao relative to sugar. Bittersweet chips/chunks typically range from 50% - 70% cacao.
The Coffee: it is definitely worth splurging on a good quality robusto espresso coffee for this recipe - I used Starbucks' Espresso Roast.
The Alcohol: the original recipe does not speak to the omission or substitution of alcohol which is unfortunate. While I did not try this particular recipe without the alcohol, my suspicion is that you can simply omit it altogether - the cooling of the chocolate base is what allows mousse to set so the absence of alcohol should not affect this.
I hope you have spent wonderful Christmas with your family, in spite of lack of snow.
These photographs are so gorgeous…. I should make chocolate mousse more often. I love Grand Marnier or other orange-flavoured liqueurs with chocolate too. I would have never thought of freezing it…. but I doubt I’d have any leftovers to freeze… I sometimes don’t need to be hungry to keep on eating and chocolate mousse is one of the things I can eat no matter how big was the main course.
Thank you for sharing all these beautiful garden photographs. Do you ever prepare anything with elderberry? (I’m really obsessed with food… whenever I see anything edible, I start seeing it transformed and eaten!).
Happy New Year, dear Kelly!!!
Happy new year Sissi! I hope you had a beautiful holiday full of yummy eats (oh, and great conversations and moments with loved ones :O). I was amazed to see how much mousse this recipe created… it was a huge vat of silken deliciousness ;-) and because it is so rich, the freezing option was perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever made anything with elderberry – funny enough, I was just admiring an elderberry syrup that caught my attention… now I’m curious too! Cheers my friend.
I felt such a wave of nostalgia come over me as I read your description of a Canadian’s childhood winter – I remember all these things too and look forward to having my own children to take advantage of snow days with. Those outdoor photos (and those dreamy Christmas berries!) having me swooning too, along with this gorgeous pudding. I can almost taste the combination of espresso and grand marnier – delicious! Wishing you a very special Christmas, Kelly! xo
thank you so much Christine! What a lovely memory to look forward to with your future youngins. Wishing you the very best for 2017; I hope your days are full and joyful.
I would be so happy just sitting in front of the fire, and slowly enjoying this decadent mousse. Perhaps a glass of wine to accompany, and some soft jazz playing in the background. I always associate a mousse as a light dessert, but that’s probably my brain trying to fool my hips. No worries, I will be back on track in the New Year but in the meantime, I would love a taste of this treat.
I wish you and your family the very best Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. XOXO
ah yes, fire, warmth, jazz and mousse – you’ve set the perfect scene for us Eva! I think you’re right on both counts – light in the sense of that air pocket texture but rather rich in terms of taste and perhaps calorie concentration :p an occasional splurge indeed; I hope you’re having lots of fun this holiday season Eva! Cheers.
Awh, Kelly… from sleep to wake. Your dream was vivid and took you to a time you cherish. That is what I love about the power of dreams. The berries are beautiful… a welcome to the senses in the midst of Fall and Winter. I can only imagine the birds that enjoy those fruits and help sustain them through the Winter.
There are few things better than chocolate mousse. Yours are rich, creamy and over the top gorgeous..! Agreed, a little goes a long way: the indulgence is worth it! I can see why there were ooohs and ahhhhs at the table .. I’d do the same. Delicious work and thank you for sharing!
yes to the power of dreams and they cut both ways…. sometimes I’m enormously relieved that it was ‘just a dream’ ;0) so no snow here but some pretty lovely scenery and that big ol’ sun back out this week which is just perfect for daytime walks with our furry friends (our cat walks with us too! he’s quite the character…). I hope you’ve been enjoying some quiet, rejuvenating time this holiday season Traci ~ wishing you the very best for 2017 and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in the new year!
This looks incredible and I love your tip for making the swirls! I cannot wait to try it.
wonderful! thank you Tia – I hope it works out for you. Cheers.
For a moment I thought you were going to say that it snowed in SF. I was getting all worked up thinking, of course it snows right after I leave, lol!
I agree that there is much to appreciate about this season in the Bay Area, even without snow. I always loved how the hills went from golden to bright green after just one day of rain. All of the plants and berries are a beautiful touch as well.
Speaking of beautiful, this mousse looks incredible! The luscious texture paired with hints of espresso and orange…it’s brilliant. I would love to have some for the holidays!
it really is an amazing transformation – we didn’t realize the mountains actually turned green here until our third year (the first two years during the severe drought we barely saw any rain) – everything comes back to life with a little water, even the parks our dog walks in – and it makes her so happy to be running on soft grass (and eating it too! ;-) Wishing you a beautiful new year Sarah!
I don’t miss the snow as much as I miss the rain, Kelly. After moving to LA, 18 years ago, I’m always awed when it rains – since it comes so rarely. We’re having a real LA winter here this year though – it’s been in the 40s at night and all the deciduous trees are losing their leaves – beautiful yellows and reds littering the yards. Your mousse is gorgeous and festive – and I love the garden shots. Wishing you a merry Christmas!
yeah, every once in a while when the weather has been precisely the same for months on end here, it starts to feel like the air is literally suspended and unmoving — those are the days I crave the sky opening up in one of those gorgeous thunderous rain storms… but most days I’m pretty sure the climate here is about as close to paradise as it gets :D Cheers Geraldine.
When you mix coffee with chocolate, I start dreaming… but adding Grand Marnier to it simply took it to a whole amazing level! Great combination, I can almost taste it through the photos!
I wish you a wonderful holiday season!
May 2017 bring your whole family a ton of happiness, health, love, pure joy!
heeheeh, I know what you mean about the dreamy combination of elements – the title really drew me in too :) Happy new year Sally!
OMG! What an absolutely gorgeous mousse!! Every time I take a bite of a creamy, chocolate mousse, well….I get all excited and happy inside!!! It’s probably close to your dream of waking to a field of snow and snow falling. The nice thing about a chocolate mousse is that you can live in a warm climate and still enjoy it. :) This recipe looks awesome Kelly. I do need to try it!!!!
I was wondering if you missed the snow. We use to go into the mountains and cross country ski, but I can’t do that anymore and I miss it. Being in a snow covered environment is so peaceful. I’ll never forget the first blizzard I was in. I left the office and drove home very slow and carefully. I couldn’t see out the back window because there was so much snow falling so fast. My windshield wipes could hardly keep up. When I finally got home and stepped out of the car, I was expecting noise and chaos. Instead I stepped into a quiet and peaceful space. I think that was the day I realized I would never move from Albuquerque. :) Of course we don’t get blizzard anymore. :( Looks like you have embraced your new home in spite of the lack of snow. From what I’m seeing there is plenty of beauty!
Hope you and your family have a very wonderful Holiday!!!
you describe the peaceful element so well MJ – you’re right for such a force of nature you would expect to walk out into a torrent but it’s quite the opposite isn’t it; sweet memories indeed. Thank you for sharing that story and all the best to you in 2017.
Gorgeous styling and the flavors in this chocolate mousse sound incredible. Love that you can freeze it too. Btw, what are those white flowers?
thank you Erin – they are called white potato flowers (not a particularly elegant name for such a lovely, delicate flower) they’re so pretty and easy to work with in photos (cooperative, you know ;-)
Great pics, love the berry trees – so pretty & colorful! Enjoy the Season and the beauty it brings! Nice recipe too! yumm :)
Hi Lynn! aren’t the berry trees something — remember the stroller days when it was so easy to carry all the treasures found along the way… I miss having a baby-less stroller! hah :)
It’s amazing how the seasons bring us back to our childhood memories… I often feel the same way, it’s not something we outgrow really it stays with us and transforms over time. The snow is magical but you’ve captured so much beauty in your photos, I can imagine how inspiring those neighborhood walks must be. Thank you for sharing the scenery and this mooouuusse :) I want to dip a spoon right now!
I wish I still had some Elizabeth – I’d dip along with you… :) cheers to those happy memories!
I’ve never experienced snow – South Africa’s weather for the most part isn’t conducive to snow.
Wonderful recipe for a chocolate mousse. May incorporate it into our Christmas meals.
Have a wonderful day.
Mandy xo
I hope you get to experience it some day Mandy! Merry Christmas to you & your family. Thinking of you… x
Gorgeous post, Kelly. I’m right there with you, daydreaming about the magical snow days from my New England childhood. Thank you for showing us the colors of winter here in our little corner of California and for the divine chocolate mousse recipe.
ah, speaking of dreamy… a childhood in new england – one of our favorite destinations. Still, we did pretty good for our second homes, right? :o)