1785 Inn's Chocolate Mousse on the Half Shell

1785 Inn's Chocolate Mousse on the Half Shell

Yield: 2 dozen servings

Winner of the 2005 Bed and Breakfast and Inn Recipe Contest -- "Best
Chocolate Recipe"
Mousse

* 2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces (we use Callebaut 60-40
bittersweet)
* 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2/3 cup coffee
* 2/3 cup Kahlua
* 4 egg yolks
* 8 egg whites, at room temperature
* 8 tablespoons sugar
* 2 cups heavy cream

Melt together chocolate, butter, and coffee in the top of a double boiler
over simmering water, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl whisk Kahlua
into egg yolks. Then remove double boiler from heat, and gradually whisk
Kahlua-egg yolk mixture into the chocolate. Set aside to cool to room
temperature. In a separate large bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer
on low speed until foamy. Then turn speed to high and beat until soft peaks
form. Beat sugar one tablespoon at a time into egg whites, and spoon this
over chocolate mixture but do not fold it in. Beat cream in the same mixing
bowl with mixer on low speed until it thickens, and then beat it on medium
speed until soft peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture with egg whites into
cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mousse is firm (at
least 4 hours).
Chocolate Shells

* Scallop shells or like-sized shallow dishes
* 3/4 pound bittersweet chocolate

Cover back of scallop shells with aluminum foil. Melt chocolate in a
microwave or double boiler. Paint chocolate onto foil with a pastry brush
(leave a small space around the edge of the shell, which will allow
chocolate to be removed more easily). Put shells into freezer until firm.
Separate shell from chocolate and foil. Peel foil off chocolate, leaving a
nice chocolate shell that needs to be kept refrigerated until used.
Raspberry Sauce

* 4 pints (8 cups) fresh raspberries
* 4 cups sugar
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* Fresh raspberries for garnish

Puree raspberries into a saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a boil. Thicken
with a mixture of cornstarch and water (2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved
in 1/2 cup water).

Put one scoop of mousse onto each chocolate shell, top with raspberry sauce,
and garnish with fresh raspberries.



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