Welcome one and all to the very first Food Porn Friday! That's right, each and every week I shall be sharing some serious food porn here- either in the shape of a recipe, a review of a meal out, or some such foodie thing.
This week I have for you a chocolate lover's heaven- held in a ramekin. It is seriously rich, and decadent; close to a chocolate pot, if you've ever tried one. This recipe isn't the most unhealthy chocolate mousse in the world, but it also isn't the healthiest either. I wouldn't eat it every day, put it that way (for anyone wondering, it contains roughly 370kcal per portion- if serving four- which in the world of desserts isn't actually too bad, I feel). But that is the whole point of Food Porn Friday (I may have to change that name- is it making anyone feel awkward? One of my 'Drama, Theatre, Performance' lecturers said it repeatedly in a lecture once- and to say that we're students it felt very awkward. But that is another story...). These recipes and foodie adventures are part of having a balanced diet and lifestyle, because in moderation I truly belief that indulgence doesn't do us any harm- it's good for us!
So, to the mousse. Many, many years ago, a good family friend gave my mum chocolate mousse recipe. One that we all very quickly fell in love with. Over the years this recipe has been adapted into what I am about to share with you all: a dark chocolate and orange masterpiece, which takes literally minutes to prepare, is suitable for vegetarians, and uses just three ingredients. That's right three ingredients. Last time I checked Nigella Lawson's chocolate mousse recipe had double that. And involved faffing about with a saucepan and boiling water. This recipe uses only a couple of dishes, a couple of spoons, and a microwave. You can also serve it at a dinner party, and pretend you actually know how to cook.
If anyone does try this and falls in love, then let me know in the comments- because I have several variations on this chocolate creation that I am more than willing to gift to you all.
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
- 250g light mascarpone cheese (I use light mascarpone as this is a rich dessert, and it balances out the richness just that little bit- the texture also seems to yield better results)
- 150g dark chocolate (I used Asda's own brand, as my mum wasn't willing to let me use 90% cacao- my family are 50% cocoa lightweights- but I say the darker the better)
- 1tsp orange extract (I used Valencian Orange Extract from Asda- because I'm fancy like that)
Method
- Empty the mascarpone into a large dish and beat until creamy, with a wooden spoon. I used Asda's mascarpone, and since this is already very creamy this doesn't take much beating. To this add in the orange extract and stir until well combined.
- In a separate bowl break up the bar of dark chocolate into small pieces. These small pieces mean that the chocolate will melt faster and the heat become distributed more evenly, preventing it from burning.
- Place the chocolate into the microwave and heat on full power until glossy, melted, and smooth. Keep checking the chocolate to ensure that it doesn't burn- if it is close to being smooth just give it a good stir, and the residual heat should melt any little pieces left in there.
- Once the chocolate is melted empty it all into the same bowl as the mascarpone, and beat them together. It may feel as though they are never going to combine, but persevere. You do have to move fast, because the chocolate sets quickly, making it a b***h to get into the ramekins.
- Once completely combined you can empty the mousse into ramekins. Because I'm slightly OCD I smooth the top of the mousses out, just for my own aesthetic peace of mind.
- Cover the mousses with foil and place into the fridge for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight for the best results.
- Once ready for dessert lift them out of the fridge, and dig in. Feel free to add some grated chocolate and orange peel for decoration, or even an orange segment- maybe dipped in more dark chocolate...
Labels: beginner's cooking, cheat's chocolate mousse, chocolate, chocolate mousse, chocolate orange, dark chocolate, dessert, Food, indulgent dessert, orange, three ingredient mousse
