CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PLATE

The chocolate mousse was divine, but I should have used the round tip on the whipped cream and the star tip on the chocolate mousse. The pastry was delicious and most magnificent, but there was pastry left on every plate. I would say a small wedge would have been better. By the time I remembered to take a photo I was left with the least successful arrangement. Food design is complicated.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PLATE

Chocolate Mousse:

4 large egg yolks

4 Tbsp sugar

2 cups heavy cream

8 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 batch Hungarian Flaky Pastry: 

1 cup + 1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp chilled hard margarine
3 Tbsp cold water
1 Tbsp vinegar

Whipped Cream

500 ml whipping cream

1/4 cup icing sugar

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Fruit:

1 cup of raspberries [small basket] 

Also Needed:

parchment paper

2 piping bags

1 very large star and 1 very large round tip.

• Make the chocolate Mousse first. Click HERE for the full recipe.
• Next make half a batch of flaky pastry.
• Roll the pastry out on parchment paper.
• With a sharp knife cut 6 randomly shaped half circles. You can let you imagination run, what shape you end up with doesn’t really matter. It can just as easily be a triangle.
• I cut through the paper around the pastry and slid the whole thing onto a baking sheet.
• Poke around on the pastry with a fork. It will still bulge up in a few places during baking, so open the oven door and poke it down. 
• Click HERE for the full recipe.

 Assembly:

• Just before serving, wash the raspberries and lay them out on a paper towel lined tray to dry.
• Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add the icing sugar and the vanilla extract and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Fill the piping bag [with the star tip] with the chocolate mouse.
• Fill the piping bag [with the round tip] with the whipped cream.
• Assemble the plate as shown.
• Yields: 6 servings