Recipe adapted from Michel Richart at TastingTable.com
This incredibly rich, smooth and oh-so-chocolaty dessert is so irresistible it can’t possibly be considered cheating. The infusion of Earl Grey makes it all the more special—why waste your taste buds’ time on ordinary mousse?
Prep Time: 40 minutes. Cook Time: 5 minutes. Total Time: 45 minutes. Yields 6 servings.
Pairings
- Earl Grey Moonlight Tea, by Adagio
- Earl Grey Decaf Black Tea, by Stash
- Earl Grey Flavored Pu-erh Tea, by Tea Haven
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons ultra-high pasteurized cream
- 1 tablespoon earl grey tea
- 4-1/2 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (preferably Venezuelan) 70 to 75% cacao, finely chopped
- 3-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup plus 1-1/2 teaspoons Dutch processed cocoa powder, plus more for serving
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
Method
- To a small saucepan, add the cream and earl grey and bring to a near boil over medium-high heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the tea to infuse into the cream. Pour the infused cream through a fine-mesh sieve and into a medium bowl (discard the earl grey), then transfer the infused cream back to a cleaned saucepan. Reheat the cream over medium-high heat, and once a few bubbles break at the surface, turn off the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder.
- Fill a medium saucepan with 1-inch of water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Add the chocolate to a medium bowl and place the bowl on top of the saucepan (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Stir the chocolate often until it is completely melted and smooth, 1 minute. Add the butter and stir until it is well combined with the chocolate. (Alternatively, microwave the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments and stirring between each until the chocolate is completely melted, then stir in melted butter.)
- Slowly add the cream and cocoa mixture to the bowl of melted chocolate, whisking to combine. Cool for 10 minutes before whisking in the egg yolks.
- Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer (or a large bowl and a whisk), whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, whipping until well combined. Use a whisk to gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
- Divide the mousse between 6 4-ounce ramekins and smooth out the tops. Refrigerate the mousse for at least 6 hours or up to 3 days. Sift cocoa powder over the top of the mousse before serving.
