The World's Easiest Chocolate Mousse

This is actually not my recipe, it has been posted by many people, but it's the first time I tried it.

You will only need two ingredients:

265 gram / 9.35 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), coarsely chopped

Since this is the main flavor imparting ingredient you may want to choose a really high quality chocolate.

240 ml / 1 cup water
4 tbsp sugar, optional Without the sugar, this mousse is VERY intensely chocolately.  If you generally prefer a milder chocolate taste, add the sugar.

Place a mixing bowl on top of another slightly larger bowl filled with ice and cold water.  The bottom of the top bowl should touch the ice.  Set aside.

Put chocolate and water (and sugar if using) in a medium pan over medium heat.  Melt chocolate, stirring occasionally.

Once melted, pour the chocolate into the bowl sitting on top of the ice and begin whisking.  Whisk constantly until mousse begins to thicken, 2-3 minutes.  Be careful not to over whisk as the chocolate can become grainy.  (If this happens, just re-melt the chocolate over medium heat and pour back into the mixing bowl)

Divide into four ramekins cups and serve immediately.  Or, you can let mousse set up in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour if you prefer a slightly thicker, chilled mousse.

You can store any left over mousse covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You could also add some orange or almond liqueur, but be sure to deduct the amount of water that you replace with the liqueur.

Enjoy,

     Sasha

Pharisee Cake

In Germany a "Pharisee" is a coffee with 4 cl rum covered with a dollop of whipped cream, so that the alcohol cannot evaporate in  the hot coffee.

While this is a very nice beverage on a cold day, I prefere the cake version:

Here is the receipe (makes 12 jars):

cake:
150 gr / 5,3 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa)
150 gr / 5,3 oz butter
75 gr / 2,6 oz powdered sugar
pulp from 1 vanilla bean
2 pinches of cinnamon
1 pinch of clove
zest from half a lemon
6 eggs
150 gr / 5,3 oz sifted flour
1 dash of salt
75 gr / 2,6 oz fine backing sugar (not powdered)

soaking syrup:
100 gr / 3,5 oz sugar
150 ml / 5 fl oz strong coffee
100 ml / 3 fl oz rum

cream:
300 gr / 10,5 oz whipping cream
100 gr / 3,5 oz mascarpone
30 gr / 1 oz powdered sugar
50 ml / 4 tbsp rum

Preheat oven to 180°C / 356°F.
Warm coffee and sugar, add rum. Let cool.
Chop chocolate, melt.
Beat butter, powdered sugar, spices and lemon zest until frothy.
Separate eggs.
Add yokes one by one to butter mixture.
Add 3 tbsp flour and melted chocolate.
Whisk egg whites stiff, adding a dash of salt.
Slowly add the sugar.
Fold the beaten egg whites und the remaining flour into the butter mixture.
Fill oven-safe jars no more than 2/3 with batter.
Bake for 30 min.
Let cool.

Alternatively you can bake the cake in a regular pan and later cut out circles using a cookie cutter or glass.

Soak the cake with the syrup.
Whip the cream until stiff.
Mix mascarpone with sugar and rum.
Fold in whipped cream.
Spoon cream onto cakes.
Sprinkle with chocolate shaves and chocolate powder.

Enjoy,

     Sasha