5 Ingredients or Fewer
Hervé This' Chocolate Mousse
Popular on Food52
133 Reviews
JoanB
January 1, 2023
I made this yesterday for our New Year’s Eve Dinner. It is the second time I’ve used the recipe and it is very good. I thought it was not going to come together. After about 4-5 minutes of vigorous whipping - by hand - I reached for my mixer. By the time I got it ready, and as it sat with no whipping, the mousse had thickened and was just right. My suggestion is to eat it immediately after making it. I chilled it for about 3 hours since we had guests and I didn’t want to make while we were entertaining. It became a little gritty - not terrible but not the best.
Ni$A 2.
January 2, 2022
This is the coolest recipe. I love it soooo much, I especially love how you get the full rich chocolate flavor. Yum 😋!!
bodhi_lisa
August 12, 2021
I've tried Hershey's chocolate, gourmet chocolate, chocolate chips, etc. Milk, semi sweet, dark. Combined with water or chocolate. I heated up the chocolate and liquid in a saucepan and then tried a microwave and it has worked out everytime. The mousse is amazing!! Use a balloon whisk, super ice cold water and patience and keep on trying. ;-)
CrimsonRose
December 17, 2020
I tried this with Lindt 70% Dark Chocolate but it was just liquid. I may try adding less water or more chocolate next time. Anyone have any other things I should try? (I'm trying to keep it dairy free/vegan fyi)
Deepika
December 17, 2020
If you are precise with the chocolate & water measurements by using a scale you should be good. You just need to keep whipping it until thick. It might take a bit of time but itll come. Also trader Joe's chocolate chunks are supposedly vegan so you can try that.
Deepika
November 1, 2020
This pure magic! So easy and delicious. I would suggest adding a pinch of salt to round out the flavor and to err on the side of under whipping the chocolate mixture so you get a softer mousse. :)
Andrea2del
September 3, 2020
This recipe was amazing, and it couldn't be any easier! I used 70% chocolate, and I thought the texture was perfect, very much like a mousse...I plan to top it with some whipped coconut cream, yum:) Thank you for this winning recipe!
Jennifer H.
August 12, 2020
While I know chefs enjoy the gimmicky aspect, this is really a waste of good chocolate. Just after whipping, the texture is like a Swiss buttercream; chilled, it’s like a truffle center. Neither is remotely like a mousse. Sure, ganache (and truffle centers) are yummy in small bites, but not something to eat in a dish with a spoon. Presenting it as a dessert is a disservice to readers, sadly.
[email protected]
May 29, 2023
Are you serious? The texture is great. I'm no mousse expert but I ate a small bowl of this, topped with crumbled almond cookies and honey. It was velvety and delicious and not a "waste of chocolate", imo.
Jackie N.
August 5, 2020
I haven’t made this yet, but I have been playing around with a keto ganache fudge. For that I used a bar of baking (100% cacao) Chocolate, heavy cream and sucralose. For this mousse I would like to try the same thing using baking choclate, water and sucralose . How much fat do you think I may need to add To get the right texture?
Deb V.
October 26, 2019
If you add meringue to this recipe, just 1 egg white and a little sugar? I’m assuming no cream of tartar.....
Smaug
January 1, 2020
Why not cream of tartar? I found this recipe interesting, if a bit heavy handed; I've done some experiments involving egg whites, but they all lightened the mixture some before adding them; this may be a bit dense to effectively fold in the meringue, but why not try it? Some commenters below say it's worked for them..
Lorelei M.
August 20, 2019
This is amazing! I added a pinch of salt for flavor, plus a drizzle of olive oil instead of more chocolate when it seemed to thin. It was think for awhile, then all of a sudden it was creamy and thick-like a magic trick!
Ahuvah B.
June 9, 2019
I decided to place my mixer's boxel and whisk in the freezer before I started the process so that I could be "lazy" and not use a hand whisk. Worked out perfectly - whisked on med high for appx 4 minutes.
hlhambrick
May 26, 2019
Absolutely brilliant recipe. Used quality Guittard 70% chocolate (2/3) and 1/3 semi-sweet. It thickens as described and the texture was great. I also made meringue and folded in for an even lighter texture. This will be a go-to dessert.
mywaterdr
July 21, 2019
Totally Agree! I did the same thing as you (as far as the chocolate goes), that was a good idea. Made my own whip cream too as the topper and added some walnuts.
Laura415
May 8, 2019
This is great! I imagine if you want a pure vegan dessert you could try making whip cream out of aquafaba. (unsalted cooking liquid from garbanzo beans) Look it up on youtube it's neat. Otherwise I could also see adding some cocoa butter if extra fat is needed and you have no more chocolate and you have that. I will def flavor the water with instant coffee and try some liqueurs as well. I'm also thinking summer fruits would be nice with this. Raspberries or maybe raspberry juice. Yum! If the mousse hardens in the fridge does it soften back up if left on the counter for a while to warm to room temp? Neat trick and quick dessert when there isn't any in the house.
Josho
May 7, 2019
Has anyone tried this with milk chocolate? Most of my family prefers milk chocolate to dark chocolate, so I'd like to accommodate them. (Don't want to waste the milk chocolate if it won't work, though!)
hlhambrick
May 26, 2019
Maybe add in some milk chocolate? I did 2/3 70% to 1/3 semi-sweet and it was good. All milk might be too sweet.
chefrockyrd
May 2, 2019
Just caught this video on facebook - it looks great and I will try it asap. I have a question. Not about the mousse but about your whipped cream that you served on the side. Was that whipped in an unlined copper bowl? I was taught in culinary school never to use them except for sugar work and egg whites. Are there new rules to that?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Smaug
May 1, 2019
OK, that was pretty cool. Only problem, I usually use these culinary experiments to pass the morning, this one only took about 5 minutes. Worked exactly as advertised.
Smaug
December 31, 2019
In the interest of passing more time, I came up with the following recipe;
2 eggs, separated
2 1/2 oz. chocolate (78%), broken
2 oz. heavy cream
1/2 c. orange juice
2 Tb. butter
2 Tb. sugar
salt (optional)
Beat whites to stiff peaks, set aside in a largish bowl
Heat juice, yolks, sugar and butter (and optional salt) in a double boiler, stirring constantly, to 140 deg.
off heat add chocolate and cream, whisk until smooth
cool to a coolish room temperature and whip (no need to wash bowl and beater from whites) until lighter colored and 2 1/2-3x volume (if it won't whip, cool a bit more)
fold in whites
this is enough for an 8" tart or a 6" pie (filling can be mounded)
you could warm the cream and infuse with orange zest, then strain for more orange flavor
also works well with tangerine
2 eggs, separated
2 1/2 oz. chocolate (78%), broken
2 oz. heavy cream
1/2 c. orange juice
2 Tb. butter
2 Tb. sugar
salt (optional)
Beat whites to stiff peaks, set aside in a largish bowl
Heat juice, yolks, sugar and butter (and optional salt) in a double boiler, stirring constantly, to 140 deg.
off heat add chocolate and cream, whisk until smooth
cool to a coolish room temperature and whip (no need to wash bowl and beater from whites) until lighter colored and 2 1/2-3x volume (if it won't whip, cool a bit more)
fold in whites
this is enough for an 8" tart or a 6" pie (filling can be mounded)
you could warm the cream and infuse with orange zest, then strain for more orange flavor
also works well with tangerine
Austin B.
February 13, 2019
So if I was gonna use OJ or coffee, what proportion to water would I use? Or would it just be a straight swap, 6 oz?
Kristen M.
February 13, 2019
Hervé suggests merely "flavoring" the water, but Renee below says she's done a straight swap of both and liked it—depends on how strong you'd like it, but the chocolate can likely stand up to a lot.
Lisa W.
October 25, 2018
Interesting, but looks very similar to a truffle in terms of richness and maybe even texture? I do like the quick ease of it, though. I will have to try.
I think the best chocolate mousse recipe is Lyndsay Shere-- Chez Panisse. Not a complicated recipe.
I think the best chocolate mousse recipe is Lyndsay Shere-- Chez Panisse. Not a complicated recipe.
bodhi_lisa
October 13, 2018
I had 2 4oz high quality 70% dark chocolate bars, added 3/4 cup water but the mixture was way too soupy. I added enough chocolate to try to match the video but ended up just eyeballing the liquid mousse until I thought I should stop. I also added 1/4 cup sugar. Use a lot if ice cubes and a balloon whisk and it worked so far. My mousse is now chillin in the fridge. Texture looks like the mousse and did not come out grainy but very very intense chocolate flavor. You need to cut it with sweet whipped cream. I would totally do this again. But I feel like it took the same time if I had decided to make a chocolate pudding. But you can't beat a 2 ingredients recipe. Especially when the outcome is chocolate mousse!!
Ester
April 16, 2017
Can I sub the water fr goat milk?
Kristen M.
February 13, 2019
Apologies for the very long delay—I haven't tried it, but since others have been using cow's milk, I think goat milk should work just fine.
Beth100
February 13, 2017
What happens to this at room temperature? Will it hold up, or does it melt to a liquid? Thank you!
Kristen M.
February 13, 2019
Apologies for the very long delay—it depends somewhat on when you stop whisking, but it definitely holds a shape at room temperature.
Beth100
May 1, 2019
That's great news! Then this mousse, whisked to frosting/filling consistency, should be a room-temperature-safe sandwich cookie filling.
Miranda M.
January 24, 2017
Can I use non-dairy milk instead of water?
CatalunaLilith
February 9, 2017
Probably not, the extra fat and additives are likely to interfere with the foam formation. You could try it with a smaller amount, though
Marisa
October 25, 2016
Sill question but what format of chocolate should I use? Chocolate powder? Baking chocolate bars? Chips?
CatalunaLilith
February 9, 2017
chocolate is by definition the mixture of cocoa solids and cocoa butter (not cocoa powder, which is dried out cocoa solids. I've never heard of chocolate powder but if it exists not that either). Baking chocolate, chocote bars, or chocolate chips should all work. Just be careful, much baking chocolate is 100% cocoa and very bitter, so it won't taste good to most people. Many chocolate bars and chips are less than 60% cocoa, so there won't be enought fat to make the foam. Many chocolates labeled "bittersweet" or "dark" are 60% cocoa or more
dchu
July 5, 2016
Not entirely sold on this as is--it doesn't have as creamy a mouthfeel as mousse made with, well, cream--but mix a generous spoonful or two into a mug of hot milk and you get an INCREDIBLE hot chocolate. The whipped texture melts into a frothy, barista-worthy concoction.
cocolat
September 5, 2016
The reason for this is because of the fat present in the cream traditionally used to make mousse. I personally think that this application lets the pure flavour of the chocolate to shine through! To each their own :)
JoanB
March 2, 2016
Made this twice and love it, but when I put it in the refrigerator for 1hour+ it is hard and loses its mousse consistency. How long after making this can you leave it at room temperature ?
CatalunaLilith
February 9, 2017
there's nothing perishable in it, so from a food safety perspective you have more than a full day. I'm not sure if it would fall and lose the mousse consistency at room temp.
Theresa O.
January 25, 2016
I'm excited to try this & want to assign this to a couple for an upcoming cooking club dinner we're hosting (each couple makes a recipe no one has tried). To clarify, is the water hot before the melted chocolate is whisked in? It's implied but want to make sure our friends are successful.
Renée (.
January 25, 2016
No. And the chocolate is not pre-melted. Pour the un-heated water (tap water, bottled water whatever) into the saucepan. Add the chocolate. Turn on the heat, and whisk together as the chocolate melts. Then, just continue with the recipe as written. It works!
lauriw
September 19, 2015
That this works is magic. The trick is knowing when to stop whisking. I went from pudding to more mousse like in a flash. Next time I'll concentrate harder on the tip about strands of chocolate in the whisk, it was hard for me to see on this first pass.
Sara
August 5, 2015
Question about the water: how long do I wait before whisking in the chocolate? How hot should the water be? Thanks.
cocolat
September 5, 2016
The purpose of the first step is to melt the chocolate and water together. As long as your water is not piping hot, it will melt the chocolate without burning it :)
Ingrid W.
April 26, 2015
I had terrible difficulty getting the consistency correct (even after trying the fixes described in the recipe). After three failed attempts with high quality chocolate, I will be returning to more complicated recipes that produce a more consistent result. Was really hoping that this would be a wonderful, easy mousse!
X
April 13, 2015
I've been making chocolate mousse this way for almost 20 years, except I use cream in place of the water which makes a ganache. When the ganache is whipped, it turns into mousse. Very handy for filling and frosting a layer cake. I divide it into 2 parts. Leave one part as is for frosting, and whip the other part for filling. It's also great piped into hollowed out orange halves or onto strawberry halves, made into sandwich cookies (which are good as is and even better when eaten frozen!), made into a pie, or just served in a little dish with whipped cream and maybe a few chocolate shavings.
I really like the idea of this recipe made with water because it contains a lot less fat without the cream, and I won't eat or serve anything that has raw eggs in it, as traditional mousse does. Can't wait to try this! I think I may make some fudgsicles out of it.
I really like the idea of this recipe made with water because it contains a lot less fat without the cream, and I won't eat or serve anything that has raw eggs in it, as traditional mousse does. Can't wait to try this! I think I may make some fudgsicles out of it.
Transcendancing
April 12, 2015
Inexplicably this just works! I'm in awe - and it was so easy! Great result too. Texture is very dense, a little like mudcake, but mousse instead. Flavour is intensely chocolatey - best chocolate flavour I've ever had in a mousse and it's delightfully not very sweet, so the chocolate flavour shines. Best of all, it's easy to make just before you need it without having planned ahead.
carlito
February 12, 2015
Que woww. Super easy. Used some gran marnier and plenty of sea salt. I kinda didn't think it would work, but genius recipes prove themselves again
Roberta R.
February 12, 2015
I have not tried this yet, but am baffled as to why the chocolate doesn't break. Does it break only when you add water to chocolate rather than the reverse??
X
April 13, 2015
It has to do with the quantity of water. If you were to add just a small amount, the chocolate would seize up and turn into a thick, sludgy mess. For some reason, adding a larger amount of water or (other liquid) prevents this and will actually mix with it.
witloof
January 18, 2015
What a perfect vegan dessert! We had a lot of fun making this and it was delicious. My friend turned up with chocolate chips, though, and I turned up my nose and sent him back out for Scharffenberger.
Jacob
December 27, 2014
Not sure what i did wrong. Perhaps I didn't have enough fat or didn't whisk long enough. But after refrigerating ours turned out quite thick. My girlfriend described it as "fudgy". We still thought it was yummy and devoured them.
mensaque
December 28, 2014
More fat and more whisking would have made it even thicker.The one in picture looks quite thick to me...
arcane54
November 12, 2014
So easy! and it takes just a few moments of whisking for the chocolate to begin setting. I flavored it with a few drops of orange essential oil and will serve it with lightly sweetened whipped cream. My house was pretty warm today and the mousse began to "unsettle" after a few moments in the ramekins, so next time I'll prechill the containers and get them into the refrigerator more quickly. Pity the poor person who has to lick the bowl, the beaters, the spatula, her fingers...
Stacy
November 5, 2014
Doesn't this need a sweetener of some kind? Or bittersweet chocolate will give it enough?
Sarah C.
June 17, 2014
I used this to fill some cookies. It softened the cookies just as a good macaron filling should, so it is on my list for that use!
borntobeworn
May 13, 2014
I made this for a party (5 batches) and added 3 Tbs of Chambord to each batch. I topped with fresh whipped cream with some sprinkles of raw sugar. My guests loved it.
Eva
February 21, 2014
This technique always amazes me. The texture is brilliant.
My one issue, though, is that I often end up with mousse that tastes too fruity. You must use high-quality chocolate, but it takes a bit of luck and careful consideration to find the best one for this mousse... I think one that has more "creamy" and "coffee" notes, without any sharp angles in the flavor. Honestly, one of the best ones I've found is the Trader Joe's Pound Plus dark chocolate because it seems to have a very smooth, "chocolatey" flavor.
My one issue, though, is that I often end up with mousse that tastes too fruity. You must use high-quality chocolate, but it takes a bit of luck and careful consideration to find the best one for this mousse... I think one that has more "creamy" and "coffee" notes, without any sharp angles in the flavor. Honestly, one of the best ones I've found is the Trader Joe's Pound Plus dark chocolate because it seems to have a very smooth, "chocolatey" flavor.
Sashi
September 11, 2013
Hi .. Can we use it on cake and leave at room temperature in tropical climates ??
Anonymous
September 4, 2013
Would this work with white chocolate?
Kristen M.
September 4, 2013
We haven't tried it but it might work. I would use high quality white chocolate with a good amount of cocoa butter. Let us know if you try it! You might also want to try this: http://food52.com/recipes/20716-valrhona-s-caramelized-white-chocolate
Theresa L.
March 10, 2021
I'm going to try and will let you know. I've seen recipes using cream instead but I'll give water a try with best quality white chocolate - and if I come up with something tasty, I'll let you know!
Meatballs&Milkshakes
March 16, 2013
I whisked this by hand and it didn't really create air bubbles the way I expected it to. I think next time I will use an electric mixer to see what the different texture might be.
roryrabbitfield
March 7, 2013
Would this recipe work if I reduced the quantities? I'd like to use a 3 oz chocolate bar and the proportional amount of water.
Peachylovecakes
March 3, 2013
This is a brilliant recipe! My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this tonight when we needed chocolate and were amazed when we got a perfectly textured, tasty mousse out of just chocolate and water.
Barbara385
February 26, 2013
Which wisk, flat or balloon, when whipping chocolate by hand for this recipe?
Tricia S.
February 10, 2013
Sounds deelish! I'll try it sometime
For great Chocolate Mouse recipes & more, Visit http://cookingwithtricia.ca/healthy-living-guide/healthy-chocolate-mousse-recipe/
For great Chocolate Mouse recipes & more, Visit http://cookingwithtricia.ca/healthy-living-guide/healthy-chocolate-mousse-recipe/
Janet P.
January 13, 2013
How long will this keep refrigerated?
Kristen M.
January 14, 2013
In my experience, it held up for a couple days in the fridge. It a little harder and more dense when cold, but still delicious.
mensaque
January 13, 2013
Is it really that simple?My favorite dessert made out of my favorite food and my favorite drink...
Janet P.
January 1, 2013
Is it possible to replace the chocolate with cocoa powder and agave.
Kristen M.
January 1, 2013
Hi Janet, I don't think it would work -- you need the fat in the chocolate to emulsify into a mousse.
Janet P.
December 31, 2012
If I wanted to add a little agave (I may be using 85% chocolate) do I have to make any changes in the amount of water.
Kristen M.
December 31, 2012
That's probably not necessary, but be sure to check out step 3 if anything goes awry. Hope you like it!
Renée (.
April 5, 2012
Inspired by this post, I made this Chocolate Orange Mousse Torte, that's kosher for Passover, dairy-free, and gluten-free: http://flamingomusings.com/2012/04/passover-chocolate-orange-mousse-torte.html. Turned out so great!
Victoria C.
February 22, 2012
I'm interested in this and will probably try it, but to be perfectly honest it sounds too rich to me. Julia Child's mousse is too rich for me, so I imagine this would be over the top; however, having said that, I make a chocolate torte from Lora Brody, which is delicious and very rich - not to be eaten without whipped cream - and I love it.
Jodianne
February 21, 2012
I saw this recipe last night and decided to try it. I didn't think it would work because I am in Jamaica and my kitchen tends to be warmer than most. I thought the bowl of ice wouldn't be enough to cool the chocolate, so I threw my metal bowl in the freezer for awhile just to ensure I could maintain a certain temperature. It came out perfectly. I substituted half of the water with amaretto liqueur and topped with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon. Talk about death by chocolate....My family and I are sold and ready to experiment with different liqueurs and toppings. Thank you Thank you Thank you....from a true chocoholic
Geni
February 16, 2012
Never dreamed this would work, but, wow, did it ever! Replaced 1 1/2 - 2 TB of the water with Navan Liqueur and followed directions for melting. Began whisking by hand and, although it really didn't take long to thicken up, I thought my arm would fall off! Wasn't quite sure when to stop, apparently it was just long enough. Served with sweetened whipped cream to which I added more Navan............Ymmmmm!!!
rosalind5
February 15, 2012
I made it for a Valentine's Day treat for my husband and 2.5 year old son! I used 62% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate from Scharffen Berger, whisked until the chocolate suddenly went thick and light (it took just a few minutes with an electric whisk), scraped it into ramekins and put them to chill in the fridge. I regretted the latter step, I have to say, chilling the mousse even for 30 minutes or so hardened it. It was still delicious, especially with vanilla whipped cream, but it was nicest at room temperature immediately after I made it. My husband and son
mrathmel
February 14, 2012
I made this today too. But, it was a bit of a disappointment...Made at about 4pm and served about 7pm - hard as a rock. Bummer. I did garnish with whipped cream and a few slices of fresh strawberries.
I'm going to try again, but next time I will a) use a less intense dark chocolate (used Trader Joe's 85% Dark - too bitter) and b) serve shortly after I make it.
I love the simplicity of the dessert, but I think I could have used more detail in the directions.
I'm going to try again, but next time I will a) use a less intense dark chocolate (used Trader Joe's 85% Dark - too bitter) and b) serve shortly after I make it.
I love the simplicity of the dessert, but I think I could have used more detail in the directions.
etsweiler
May 29, 2013
The results can easily be used to make truffles, and it doesn't stick to your hands while you roll them in cocoa powder.
Zim
February 14, 2012
I made this today for my wife. I used straight water and an electric mixer. Richest mousse I've ever had. I made it at 3:00 and ate it at 7:00 it had "set up" but the air bubbles kept it from getting too hard. I'd say eat within an hour of finishing the whipping for best results. We made 4 servings, I'm a big guy and had to force myself to finish it. The chocolate was intense, rich, I felt like I was about to enter a diabetic coma when I'd finished. Yes I'd made whip cream to top, it was too rich without the cream on top.
joannajw
February 14, 2012
Well I couldn't believe this would work but in the interests of science :) decided to give it a try. Only made half the recipe as I plan on eating it all myself. SO EASY! I almost skipped supper but I'm fixing that now & will eat this after. It's in the fridge but I did lick the beaters. Once it was in the ice bath I used an electric hand beater & it took about another 3-4 mins, but you can stop at any time as soon as it's stiff enough for your liking.
NIkiH
February 14, 2012
I halved the water with Kirsch Liqueur and used 60% (all the store had left). Easy and Delish! Over wisked the first time so re-melted and got it perfect!
Sindhi
February 14, 2012
Instead of stevia (which I find has a whang to it) or diet sweeteners (which have nasty chemicals and subvert your desire to lose weight), may I suggest blue agave syrup, which is delicious, low on the glycemic index, and safe for diabetics; it doesn't take much. You can buy it at Costco.
Renée (.
February 14, 2012
Why are you all making this so complicated? Put the water in a pot over medium heat, add the unmelted chocolate, and stir till it's melted and makes a smooth sauce. Ice bath, whisk, and poof! Mousse!
I used Scharffen Berger 68% that I treated myself to at Xmas, and have been saving for a special occasion. Not being much of a hand-whisker, I used the number 1 setting (lowest) on my KA stick blender, using the whisk attachment, adding 1 Tbs. sugar & a splash of Kahlua. Yummers! Refrigerating now & going to be V Day dessert tonight! Thank you!!!
I used Scharffen Berger 68% that I treated myself to at Xmas, and have been saving for a special occasion. Not being much of a hand-whisker, I used the number 1 setting (lowest) on my KA stick blender, using the whisk attachment, adding 1 Tbs. sugar & a splash of Kahlua. Yummers! Refrigerating now & going to be V Day dessert tonight! Thank you!!!
Renée (.
February 14, 2012
I neglected to mention that, since I didn't want to break into a third bar of chocolate (they come in 3 oz bars), I used 6 oz chocolate to 4 oz water. Worked perfectly!
Zim
February 14, 2012
Amen RJ!!!!!! The water keeps the chocolate from burning--particularly if you use a medium low burner setting. A little stir every once in awhile and in 5-6 minutes viola--melted chocolate ready for the ice bath and mixer.
InSearchOfLostThyme
February 13, 2012
This recipe is outrageously simple and delicious! Added a shot of grand marnier and a dash of salt and am looking forward to earning major husband points when I break this dish out on Valentine's Day/ Thanks Genius Recipes!
Panfusine
February 13, 2012
Genius?? this?? Its WAAAY beyond that, its sheer madness, insanity.. (evident by the way its making me Rave.. n'est ce pas??), I whipped up some with left over chocolate from making truffles, with some caramelized pineapple & topped with grains of Thai ginger salt..
LowCarbVegetarian
February 12, 2012
Thanks Kristen for this great recipe. However, I would like to modify it for diabetics by using 100% unsweetened chocolate and then sweeten it using erythritol and/or stevia. Anyone know how to do that?
Renée (.
February 14, 2012
I generally use xylitol for my sugar- free cooking and baking, now. It measures 1:1 for sugar, tastes, and behaves like sugar. It's also diabetic-safe. I suggest adding it in during the initial cooking stage, to your taste, then proceed with the rest of the procedure.
Jazzball
February 12, 2012
I wonder whether this same procedure would work for white chocolate? Also, I have some Taza chocolate Mexicana, which does not have lecithin but has intense flavor and less sugar. I wonder whether there's an ingredient (other than cream) that would provide the emulsifying element?
ChezShea
February 11, 2012
In the art world they say "less is more".
Thank You for proving the point so clearly!
Fantastique!
Thank You for proving the point so clearly!
Fantastique!
TaffyIsVictory
February 11, 2012
When it says "let set," does this mean refrigerate? Or is it ready to eat once the whisking's done?
Kristen M.
February 14, 2012
Sorry I missed this question! It's ready to eat as soon as it thickens to a consistency you like. Just know that it will continue to set up as it finishes cooling.
nolongrecipes
February 10, 2012
I just made this, it took about 5 minutes and is impossibly delicious. I even hand-whisked which I almost never do as it is usually a pain. I used Guittard bittersweet chocolate wafers. This is definitely going in the "greatest hits" roster. Thank you so much!!!
Betsy S.
February 10, 2012
In response to the heat questions below - As a retired chocolatier, I've been making chocolates for years. Now that I no longer have big, fancy machines to melt and temper my chocolate for me, when I need to melt chocolate I use (gasp) the microwave!
I melt on 30% power setting in sessions of .5 - 3 minutes. 3 to get going (if over a lb. of chocolate) and then shorter and shorter. Melt, remove bowl, wait a 1 minute or so, stir and repeat until all is melted. Remember, working (dark) chocolate temperature, when tempered, is about 89* +/-, depending on the chocolate so the temperature does not need to be very high. 89* chocolate will feel cool if touched to your skin just below your lower lip.
Chocolate can be deceptive when it is in the microwave. It does not necessarily lose its form, which is why it's important to remove it and stir. Also - Check that the bowl you are melting in is truly microwave safe. Some glass bowls really heat up and continue to warm the chocolate, another reason why the stirring and waiting is important.
When you remove the chocolate from the microwave, give several good long stirs. Spread that heat and melt around. At the beginning, you want to coat the un-melted bits with the melted bits, to really get things going and make sure you have even heat. Hot spots are bad, bad, bad.
Be sure to use a thermometer! I use an infrared one. Its worth its weight in gold, in my opinion. But a glass or an instant read one works just as well. If you want to be sure that all of the crystals in chocolate have well and truly melted, shoot for between 115* and 120* but NOT OVER 120*. If you have accidentally crept over 120* then stir, stir, stir, to cool down and you can probably save the chocolate.
For this recipe, where the chocolate and water are heated together, you will likely get best results with well chopped chocolate, even if it is already in "discos". Just heat in the microwave, as above, until all is melted and smooth. Stir in a small circle in the middle, with the whisk, until emulsification starts (begins to look like mayonnaise) and then expand to bring in more and more until all is emulsified and homogeneous.
Then just follow the rest of the recipe.
Bon Apetit & I hope this helps!
I melt on 30% power setting in sessions of .5 - 3 minutes. 3 to get going (if over a lb. of chocolate) and then shorter and shorter. Melt, remove bowl, wait a 1 minute or so, stir and repeat until all is melted. Remember, working (dark) chocolate temperature, when tempered, is about 89* +/-, depending on the chocolate so the temperature does not need to be very high. 89* chocolate will feel cool if touched to your skin just below your lower lip.
Chocolate can be deceptive when it is in the microwave. It does not necessarily lose its form, which is why it's important to remove it and stir. Also - Check that the bowl you are melting in is truly microwave safe. Some glass bowls really heat up and continue to warm the chocolate, another reason why the stirring and waiting is important.
When you remove the chocolate from the microwave, give several good long stirs. Spread that heat and melt around. At the beginning, you want to coat the un-melted bits with the melted bits, to really get things going and make sure you have even heat. Hot spots are bad, bad, bad.
Be sure to use a thermometer! I use an infrared one. Its worth its weight in gold, in my opinion. But a glass or an instant read one works just as well. If you want to be sure that all of the crystals in chocolate have well and truly melted, shoot for between 115* and 120* but NOT OVER 120*. If you have accidentally crept over 120* then stir, stir, stir, to cool down and you can probably save the chocolate.
For this recipe, where the chocolate and water are heated together, you will likely get best results with well chopped chocolate, even if it is already in "discos". Just heat in the microwave, as above, until all is melted and smooth. Stir in a small circle in the middle, with the whisk, until emulsification starts (begins to look like mayonnaise) and then expand to bring in more and more until all is emulsified and homogeneous.
Then just follow the rest of the recipe.
Bon Apetit & I hope this helps!
creamtea
February 10, 2012
Yes, please tell us whether direct heat & at what level?
Genius R.
February 10, 2012
Thanks for asking! I just clarified the recipe. Honestly, This doesn't go into much detail, but the recipe is so forgiving that it doesn't matter. I just made sure not to crank it up high enough to burn the chocolate before it melts.
BurgeoningBaker
February 10, 2012
Okay but this recipe says nothing about using any heat to melt the chocolate or what heat it should use. Am I reading this wrong?
Tarragon
February 10, 2012
I had the same questions - if you look at the slide show it says a few minutes of simmering and stirring, no double boiler needed.
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