Happy Birthday to Three!

A year ago today I posted a little ditty about the idea behind Romantic Dinner for Three, and a savvy Thai Red Curry recipe. Since then there have been many tasty recipes, lots of great feedback, and over 100 regular subscribers! Not bad for an on-the-fly idea! Between our Facebook Page, Blogger, and Twitter, this project has been slowly but surely picking up steam, and I'm so happy for it!

To celebrate our 1st Birthday, I thought I'd make a Chocolate Mousse. Whenever I say "chocolate", I always think of my Grandma Crowley who, despite her thick Queens accent, always pronounces it "CHUK-ah-LATTE", as though she had just stepped off a ship from the motherland.

I've never been a big cake person, I' need to be in a very selective mood for ice-cream, but I can't EVER say no to Chocolate Mousse.

Chocolate Mousse

3 oz. Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1.5 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Sugar

1) Heat 1" of water in the bottom of a double boiler.

2) In the top of the double boiler, melt the chocolate (cut in to at least 1/2 oz. pieces).
*Don't have a double boiler? Cool, me neither. Just use a regular sauce pan, and place an aluminum mixing bowl on top!

3) In a large mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream and sugar until medium peaks form.

4) Mix up the melted chocolate to make sure it is melted and smooth all the way through. Remove it from the heat and quickly whisk in 1 cup of the whipped cream. Mix it until it is thoroughly combined, smooth, and uniform.

5) Add the mixed chocolate and cream to the rest of the whipped cream. Fold it together until mixed completely and there aren't any lumps!

6) Let it chill out for 3 hours.

VOILA!


Isn't it amazing? It's so easy, yet when you go to restaurants it's like this super special delicacy.
"Should I get the mousse? I don't knowwwww... Well, it is a special occasion!"

This recipe goes a long way, because it is rich and decadent, and luxurious, and wonderful to share with people. Put it in little parfait glasses, pretty bowls, ice cream cones, cupcake foils... It's very versatile as far as presentation goes, and oh so, so good.