Food Preparation Techniques

How to Prepare

Mousse

Chocolate mousse was first known as "mayonnaise de chocolat." It was invented by world-renowned French post-Impressionist painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec in the late 19th century.

Primarily famous as a bohemian artist, Toulouse-Lautrec also was anexperienced cook, who found time to dabble in creating signature dishes.

This one was a singular success. Chocolate mousse has become a classic, traditional but still versatile dessert that can be served in many different ways.

Whether it's piped into delicate pastry shells or hollowed fruits or served in elegant glassware, it's a favorite dessert for countless diners, ranging from those who enjoy simple desserts to unashamed "chocoholics."

Although chocolate mousse is the most popular flavor, mousses can be flavored with other ingredients, including fruit purees or juices, vanilla or flavored syrups.

To prepare a mousse with a delicate texture and flavor, the base - generally made of cooked egg yolks and sugar combined with the flavoring ingredient -- should be at room temperature and liquid enough to fold together with the whipped cream or egg whites without deflating their volume.

To make chocolate mousse, you prepare the chocolate by chopping it into small pieces and melting it in a bowl set over slowly simmering water. Alternatively, you can use a microwave to melt chocolate, but the process should be monitored carefully to make sure the chocolate is not overheated.

When cooled to room temperature, the chocolate should be pourable so that it can be incorporated easily into the base.

Eggs, both yolks and whites, are standard ingredients in most mousse recipes. When you are separating yolks and whites, be careful to keep the whites free of all traces of yolk. For best results, prepare a simmering water bath ahead of time to be ready to cook the base of egg yolks and sugar.

Egg whites should be brought to room temperature before being whipped to achieve the greatest volume.

Cream should be kept very cold and whipped to soft or medium peaks just before it is incorporated. For the best volume, chill the bowl and beaters before whipping the cream. Then use a rubber spatula to fold the components together, and have portion cups ready to fill with the finished mousse.