Sometimes you want a truly elegant, complex dessert. Something over the top, or so close to the top you can see the snowline. Suzy Ashford wrote Le Picnic with ideas for inspired picnic food, and this dessert is one of the many treats you will find in the book.
I’m a chocolate purist, so I rarely combine chocolate with other flavors, like orange liqueur. It’s not overpowering in this recipe, and you could certainly substitute rum or brandy to achieve the “kick” without “citrus contamination.”
When you top with the whipped cream, consider putting some liqueur in that whipped cream along with the usual sugar and vanilla extract. Again, rum or brandy or, yes, the citrus.
Chocolate and Cointreau Mousse
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
For the mousse:
- 200 g (7 ounces) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
- 250 ml (1 cup) whipping cream, plus extra for serving
- 2 free-rage eggs, separated
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar
- 250 g (9 ounces) strawberries, hulled and chopped
For the pistachio praline:
- 100 g (⅔ cup) pistachio nuts
- 115 g (½) caster (superfine) sugar
Preparation:
Fill a small saucepan one-third full of water and bring to a simmer. Place the chocolate and 60 ml (¼ cup) of the cream in a heatproof bowl, then set it over the pan to melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Whisk in the egg yolks.
Beat the remaining cream until soft peaks form. Gently whisk the cream into the chocolate mixture, with the orange zest and liqueur.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy, using an electric mixer, then beat in the sugar. Beat until the mixture is glossy and soft peaks form. Fold into the mousse mixture until just combined, then pour into four 200 ml (7 fluid ounces) capacity serving dishes. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until set; the mousse can easily be made a day ahead and refrigerated overnight.
To make the pistachio praline, spread the pistachios over a baking tray lined with baking paper, keeping them close together. Stir the sugar and 60 ml (¼ cup) water in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the bubbles subside, then pour the mixture over the pistachios and set aside for 20 minutes, or until cold and set hard.
Break the praline into pieces and either leave in shards, or crush lightly using a mortar and pestle. Store in an airtight container until required.
Serve the chilled mousse topped with extra cream, praline and strawberries. It is best to transport the elements separately and simply assemble at the picnic, as the praline may melt or become sticky otherwise.
Source: Le Picnic by Suzy Ashford [Smith Street Books, 2017]