Dinner and Chocolate mousse recipe...

Island life...
To start, a puff pasty case filled with mussels in white wine and cream, yes, like the soup post, but a thicker sauce.

The main course was

fillets of brill, pan poached in a butter, champagne and Cajun spiced "jus" with garden potatoes and (melon baller scooped) courgettes.

So the star of the show was a chocolate mousse...

You will need electric beater/whisk or an Olympic strong man!

350g cream 

200g   70% chocolate

2 eggs

40-60g fine sugar

250g tub of mascarpone cheese

2 (ish) table spoons of alcohol (optional)

 (I used a chocolate one but go a head and play, orange and pear are nice) 

Bring to the boil HALF of the cream and take off the heat.  Add the chocolate in pieces and stir until melted, add the two egg yolks and whisk for a minute, this cooks them a little but leave them out if that worries you. Once fully smooth add in the rest of the cream so as to cool it down.

In a separate bowl, whisk the whites and add the sugar slowly until they are firm.

From the pan, put the chocolate mixture into your mixing bowl and whisk to cool until it thickens a bit.  Add the alcohol here if using any.  Once cool enough, add the mascarpone and whisk until thick.  Fold in your egg whites.  A big bowl is nice but little bowls are better for a formal dinner.  Chill for 4 hours or over night.

Note:  I felt I may add some cocoa (dark chocolate) powder (table spoon) next time as it was pale although the taste was fine.