Classic chocolate mousse

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Classic chocolate mousse with lots of eggs, like all desserts, hides great sins inside, as is the case here with classic chocolate mousse made according to the authentic French recipe.

There are some sweets that, if you don’t make them using Grandma’s old recipe, will never achieve that Oooohhhh!!! or Wooooow, or even the eye-roll of delight…
They will never be talked about in company, and no one will even reminisce about a single bite.
They’ll simply pass by unnoticed.

One of these is the classic chocolate mousse with all the eggs.
Another is the crème caramel — the real, motherly kind, with plenty of eggs, not the packet mix.
And of course, the apple pie — that irresistible upside-down apple pie of my mother’s…

There are two versions that claim to be the original, but when Grandma Marioutsi was a young woman, around 1890, she used to go on little outings in Italy with a young French pastry chef in Trieste and he shared with her the recipe that survives to this day!


The other version, which I believe is more recent, includes cream or even whipped cream. But I think the original 1755 recipe contained only chocolate and eggs.
So if you’re not going to use plenty of eggs, it’s better not to make it at all — just choose something else instead…

Ingredients

125 g of chocolate, at least 53% cocoa
4 medium eggs
A pinch of salt (un pizzico di sale, as Grandma used to say…)

The chocolate I always use is the ION couverture, the well-known 3011 block.
Firstly, because it’s Greek, and mainly because it has that old-fashioned flavor!
Sometimes, for a more refined version, I use the French Valrhona.

In later years, my mother added a tablespoon of butter to the melted chocolate and a tablespoon of sugar to the meringue.
I don’t think it changes the flavor much from Grandma’s classic version — maybe just a touch sweeter.
You decide how much deviation you want to allow…

Preparation

Usually, for a large bowl, I double the recipe for this classic chocolate mousse with all the eggs — otherwise, there are bound to be some disappointed tummies…

Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and add the pinch of salt.
I usually like to stir in a tablespoon of butter into the melted chocolate, following the motherly version of the recipe.
Mix well until all the chocolate is melted and glossy.

Separate the eggs, lightly beating the yolks, and whip the whites into a stiff meringue.
Let the chocolate cool slightly, then add the yolks, mixing well.
Next, add a spoonful of the meringue and gently fold it in from the bottom up to incorporate it fully.


Next, continue adding the meringue in small portions, always folding gently from the bottom up.
This ensures a perfect, lump-free mixture.
Place the mousse in a glass bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.
Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least five hours to set.

For a more festive presentation, serve the classic chocolate mousse in tall glasses with vintage spoons.
From Grandma’s buffet, add a little whipped cream, coarsely chopped nuts, and a sprig of mint.
It also pairs beautifully with berries, giving it an even more festive, Christmas-time appearance.

Text GiorgioGrigor

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