1.11.2013

Chocolate Mousse Bites





TruMaker recently moved in to an office just down the street from me and they have been getting my baking flops; recipes that are not quite perfect, but still delicious. However, these chocolate mousse bites are far from flops but they do come out a little messy. No one will care what they look like once they pop one in their mouth. Seriously, these are so good. They are soft, airy and deeply chocolaty.

Though, the recipe requires dirtying a few pots and bowls, it's an easy recipe. These bites are perfect for a Super Bowl party or for an Academy Award viewing party.

I hesitate to say this but these are an enlightened version of a chocolate torte (i.e. no butter, no cream). They are so rich you'd never guess. This recipe is completely inspired from Alice Medrich's recipe for Chocolate Decadence in Chocolate and the Art of Low Fat Desserts. Alice Medrich gives thoughtful insight in to her experiments in baking, specifically her process for discovering how to lighten up her most delicious chocolate recipes.



You'll need 2, 24-cup mini cupcake pans or 1 to 2 regular cupcake pans as the batter can not sit, it must be immediately poured in to the pan and put in the oven since the batter is lightened with whipped egg whites. These can also be made gluten free.

Chocolate Mousse Bites

Ingredients:
5 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (I used 72%), finely chopped
1 egg
1 egg separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg white
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2 oz (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup 1% milk

Line your cupcake pans with papers. Positions your racks on the lower and upper third of the oven (unless both pans will fit on one rack, then place that rack on the lower third of your oven). Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Put the chocolate in a large bowl. Combine 1 whole egg, 1 yolk and vanilla in a small bowl. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl.

In a heavy bottom sauce pot, combine the cocoa, flour, instant espresso powder and 2/3 cup sugar. Whisk in 1/2 of the milk until it becomes a paste. Then whisk in the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula to prevent the chocolate from burning, until it reaches a simmer, then continue cooking and stirring for another 90 seconds.

Pour the hot mixture over the chopped chocolate and stir until it's completely melted. Whisk in the yolk mixture. Set this aside.

Beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer/beaters running on high, slowly pour in the 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten the batter. Than fold in the rest.

Use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into the mini cupcake pan or use a soup spoon or ice cream scoop if using regular cupcake pans. Bake for about 18-24 minutes depending on the size of mousse bites. They are done when the top of it springs back when touched. Don't over cook them. Cool on a rack.

These are best eaten after being covered with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for a day.

Ganache

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (2oz) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp low-fat buttermilk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp instant espresso powder

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, combine the sugar, cocoa, and espresso powder. Stir in 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and whisk to form a smooth paste. Whisk in the rest of the buttermilk. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly with a spatula to prevent it from burning. Cook for two minutes while still stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool. Cover the mixture with  plastic wrap placed directly on to the surface to prevent a skin from forming (from the dairy.)

Once cooled, spoon the ganache on to each bite with a tablespoon. You only need a thin layer of the ganache on each mousse bite, otherwise it will overwhelm the other chocolate flavor of the cake. These cakes can stay for three days, covered in the fridge.