Decadent Chocolate Mousse Recipe

4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped

Garnish: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer

What's Next:

3/4 cup cream in a 1-quart heavy saucepan until hot. Whisk together yolks, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a metal bowl until combined well, then add hot cream in a slow stream, whisking until combined.

Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it registers 160 F on thermometer. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and stir in vanilla.

50 percent power

3 to 5 minutes

Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk one fourth of cream into chocolate custard to lighten, then fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly.

8 (6-ounce) stemmed glasses or ramekins and chill, covered, at least

6 hours. Let stand at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.

Cooks' notes:

Mousse can be chilled up to 1 day.

1 teaspoon vanilla with

2 teaspoons instant-espresso powder (dissolve it in the hot cream) or 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or 2 tablespoons Cognac (either one whisked into strained custard).

Eat well & Mousse often! Tweet