This is a mini dessert for serious chocolate lovers only. I serve this in small espresso cups as it is extremely chocolatey and delicious of course. To complement the smoothness of the mousse it is served with crunchy hazelnuts with golden, crisp caramel that shatters like ice but works beautifully.
So if you are mouthwatering hungry for chocolate, follow this recipe!
Ingredients for the chocolate mousse:
100 grams double cream
55 grams Lindt sea salt chocolate
55 grams mascarpone cheese
10 grams runny honey
Ingredients for the hazelnut caramel:
75 grams granulated sugar
30 grams hazelnut, roughly crushed
A small handful of crystallised rose petals
Method:
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the base of the bowl.
Once the chocolate is melted, add the honey, double cream and mascarpone cheese. Using an electric beater whip the mixture until thickened and light as possible.
Spoon into 4 espresso cups and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour and remove from fridge 15 minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, prepare the caramel.
Sprinkle the sugar evenly on the bottom of medium saucepan and place over a medium heat and wait.
On its own the sugar will melt and caramelize, starting with the edges and moving inwards.
Do not stir. Again, swirl and shake the pan to distribute the caramelized sugar in and around the sugar which hasn’t melted to promote even browning.
Carefully pour the caramel onto a silicone baking sheet spread it out over the pan using the back of the spoon before it starts to harden and quickly sprinkle on the crushed hazelnuts and crystallised rose petals.
Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Remove both the chocolate mousse and the caramel 15 minutes before serving. Break the caramel into small pieces and serve with the mousse to enjoy crunchy-crisp nuttiness with smooth velvet chocolaty goodness.
Anisha Fernandez 