Huge Disappointment: The Essential Chocolate Mousses (white and dark chocolate)

For something that calls for naturally great ingredients, these shouldn't have been such a letdown. My hunch is that when the author converted the recipe from a large, commercial batch, he didn't get the proportions right. I took a stab at modifying them below and might try the recipes again someday to see if that helps. Otherwise, these are a must-miss.

P.S. Sorry the picture is so bad; my camera doesn't really do close-ups well, and I need to work on the lighting. I hope to get better at this over time.

Rating: 2
Here's why:
Too sweet - Even for a sweet tooth, these were just over-the-top sugary, but the white chocolate version doesn't even call for sugar and the dark chocolate one doesn't have enough chocolate. I don't eat mousse that often, though, so maybe this is how it's supposed to be and I'm just out of the loop? What's your opinion on mousse? Should it be more sweet and whipped cream-like, with a mild chocolate flavor (as these are)? Or creamier and more like a decadent, dense pudding?
Grainy - I followed the directions to a T, but the white chocolate version calls for too much water, which made the cream separate a bit (in a few hours, the water had started to pool at the bottom of the ramekin). The dark chocolate didn't completely blend with the cream, which made the dark chocolate version a lot like eating whipped cream with some tiny chocolate chunks in it. Blech.


Highs: This is another easy recipe, and I didn't have any trouble making it. If you like really sweet desserts, this is the mousse for you, but definitely note my modifications to the ingredients proportions below if you want to make it.

Lows: When making the dark chocolate mousse, I had trouble getting the dark chocolate to blend well with the cream initially. Then I realized that it's simply because there isn't enough chocolate. I recommend 5 oz instead of 3. When making the white chocolate mousse, I didn't have trouble with blending, but noticed that all that water (4 T) started to make the cream separate. Don't add more than 3 T.


The Essential Chocolate Mousses
Equipment

• Double boiler (if you don't have this, or don't know what it is, use a medium - 3 qt - metal bowl for the top section/chocolate and a 2.5-qt saucepan for the bottom section; the bowl should cover the circumference of the top of the saucepan and also should not touch the recommended 1 inch of water in the bottom of the pan)

Film wrap 

Electric mixer - chill bowl and balloon whip at least 20 minutes in advance of prep

Prep note: You have to chill the mousse for 2-3 hours before serving, so while it doesn't take long to make the mousse, be sure to leave plenty of time for chilling it afterwards.

Dark Chocolate Mousse

• 3 oz unsweetened chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces (HH note: needs a LOT more if you're a chocolate lover; recommend adding at least 2 more oz. even if you're not. That should help cut the sweetness.)
• 2 c. heavy cream (don't modify this amount)
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar (don't modify this amount)

Chill the electric mixer bowl and balloon whip (this helps the cream whip faster). Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the unsweetened chocolate in the top half of the boiler. Tightly cover the top with film wrap and allow to heat for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a bowl, using a rubber spatula to remove all chocolate from the boiler.
Place the heavy cream and the sugar in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a well-chilled balloon whip. Mix on medium until soft peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
Using a hand-held whisk, vigorously whisk 1.5 cups of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate, scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, and continue to whisk until the cream and chocolate are smooth and completely incorporated.
Add the combined whipped cream and chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and use the rubber spatula to fold together until smooth.
Transfer the mousse to a plastic container and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

White Chocolate Mousse

• 10 oz. white chocolate, broken into 1/2-oz. pieces
• 2-3 T. water
• 2 c. heavy cream

Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over low heat. When the water is hot (do not allow to simmer), place white chocolate and 2-3 tablespoons of water in the top half of the boiler. Using a rubber spatula, constantly stir the white chocolate and water until melted, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep at room temperature until needed.
Place the heavy cream in the well-chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a well-chilled balloon whip. Mix on high until stiff, about 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a hand-held whisk, vigorously whisk 1/3rd of the whipped cream into the melted white chocolate. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, and continue to whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add the combined whipped cream and white chocolate to the remaining whipped cream and use a rubber spatula to fold together until smooth.
Transfer the mousse to a plastic container and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Living in Perfect Harmony: Ebony and Ivory Truffles

(I can’t see “ebony and ivory” without that Paul McCartney song coming to mind, so apologies for that title.)
I must admit that I was worried about starting off this little adventure with truffles, since I’ve never made them before. I’ve always been hesitant to try because I hold truffles in the highest of regard: they are, after all, are almost entirely responsible for my chocoholism. When I was about 14, I discovered Lindt Lindor truffles (the colorful foil-wrapped balls that come in a variety of flavors and can be found pretty much everywhere). I also discovered that they literally had the ability to alter my mood.

When you’re a hormonal 14-year-old, finding something that makes you go from sad to happy for only 50 cents is a big deal. Even now, when I see truffles, my internal reaction is, “Ooh,” and time stands still for a bit. They’re the upper echelon. So making truffles from scratch was, for me, akin to an American Idol contestant attempting a Wagner aria or something.
But you have to start somewhere, right?

(Note: I’ve given the truffles a rating - see rating system details here - then I summarize the highs and lows of the creation process, followed by the actual recipe. I’ll use this format for all future postings unless it proves to be annoying or something.)

Rating: 5I’ve had many a truffle in my day, but these are seriously among the best I’ve tasted, especially for homemade truffles. The dry, bitter burst of the unsweetened cocoa coating followed immediately by the almost-too-sweet-ness of the semisweet chocolate delivers an intensity that any plain chocolate truffle should have. Add to that the smooth, tempering touch of white chocolate and you’ve got one of the most well-rounded chocolate experiences any one truffle can offer. If you love white and dark chocolate, this is definitely the treat for you. Or, if you’re the type who thinks white chocolate is the red-headed stepchild of the chocolate family, you will probably still love this truffle. I say this because even one of my chocolate connoisseur friends who feels that way loved this truffle.

LowsI almost decided against writing about this, but in the interest of keeping the blog as true to life as possible, I must admit that truffles and I started off on the wrong foot. It was all my fault, too.
I had skimmed the recipe briefly before I began and got the gist of it: you melt the chocolate, refrigerate it, and then roll it into balls. Sounds easy, right? It is. Unless you happen to be terrible at multitasking and attempt to hold a phone conversation with your mother when you start the recipe.
That’s how I ended up with a pot full of beautifully melted, expensive Valrhona chocolate. It’s not that it wasn’t supposed to be melted, it’s that it was supposed to be melted with boiled cream, NOT in a double boiler, which is the way I’m accustomed to melting chocolate. I went into auto-pilot mode when I was talking to my mom and totally missed the part about melting it by pouring boiling cream over it.
Not a great start, right? However, what’s a girl going to do with a pot of gorgeous chocolate? Pour herself a little teacup full of it and take a chocolate break, naturally. I have to say, that was a glorious silver lining to an otherwise dark cloud. Nothing like freshly melted chocolate, and Valrhona chocolate, at that. I felt like I was in Willy Wonka’s factory, beside the chocolate river, silver spoon in hand.

The only other “low” was when, after I started over and was melting the chocolate the proper way, I had to microwave the ganache mixture because the boiled cream didn’t fully melt the chocolate. I was terrified to scald the cream (and thereby risk altering the taste of the chocolate), so I barely boiled it before pouring it over the chocolate. Result: a really chunky ganache. Be sure to bring the cream to a full boil before removing it from the stovetop. However, melting it for a few seconds in the microwave didn’t seem to do any harm, so that’s always an option if you’re a timid boiler too.

HighsThe biggest “high” is that this is a ridiculously easy recipe (you know, assuming you follow it, unlike me)! I was stunned at how good the truffles were for how little effort went into them. Have you made truffles before? Are they always this easy? If so, it's crazy to me that people don't make them more often. Yes, you need patience. And good chocolate. But that seems to be about it.

Ebony and Ivory Chocolate TrufflesMakes about 3 dozen (HH note: I only got 26 out of the recipe, but they weren’t overly large)

Equipment

Measuring cup and spoons

2 stainless steel bowls

1.5-quart saucepan

2 whisks

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 7.5 ounces white chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces (I used Ghirardelli chocolate)

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (I used Valhrona – first time - and Ghirardelli – second try)

¾-cup heavy cream

5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (I did use Hershey’s for this because I couldn't bring myself to spend $9 on fancy baking cocoa)

Instructions
Chop up the white and dark chocolate (separately) into ¼-inch pieces. Place each pile into its own stainless steel bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full boil. Pour ¼ cup of boiling cream over the white chocolate and the remaining ½ cup over the dark chocolate and allow to stand for 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir each with a separate whisk until smooth, and allow to cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate the two ganaches for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Portion 36 heaping tablespoons of dark chocolate into separate mounds onto the parchment paper. Top each teaspoon of dark chocolate with a level teaspoon of white chocolate.
To fashion the truffles, roll each portion of chocolate in your palms in a gentle circular motion, using just enough pressure to form smooth rounds (HH note: I found it easier to roll chocolate after dusting my hands in the cocoa first. Also, the white chocolate is much more malleable, so I ended up kind of forming it around the dark chocolate a bit).
Roll the rounds of chocolate in cocoa until completely covered.
Note: in place of cocoa, you can roll the truffles with other coatings if you wish: finely chopped nuts (author recommends macadamia), shredded coconut, ganache, etc.

Enjoy!

Coming up: The Essential Chocolate Mousses (sans phone conversations with mom, especially since I haven’t made mousse before either)
P.S. Thanks for your comments and questions! They're great.

Rating System

Since it can be difficult to express in words just how good or bad these chocolate dishes taste (at least for me), I thought a simple rating system might help. When I post each recipe, I’ll give it a rating on a simple scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being Horrible and 5 being Heavenly. (no half-ratings; too complicated.)
Note that this rating system is based strictly on my personal opinion of the overall taste, not appearance/aesthetics, prep time/difficulty, cost of ingredients, or any other factor.
Hope it helps!

Death by Chocolate: A Baker's Homage to the Cocoa Bean

Blog background
I'm in a used bookstore on a Sunday afternoon, guiltily perusing the cookbooks ("I have more than 30 already; I really shouldn't be 'window shopping' for more!"). Then I open this one to find a trove of decadant chocolate recipes, with lots of great facts about the science behind baking with chocolate, which sets my baker's heart aflutter. Plus, it's authored and signed by Marcel Desaulniers, the "Guru of Ganache." How can I resist? Well, I should because I always buy these things and then never have the time/money/etc. etc. to actually use them to their full potential.
Clearly, I have no willpower. How to justify the purchase of yet another cookbook? By devoting one day each week to crafting one of the best chocolate recipes from it, and documenting it all here.

Blog purpose

• An excuse to bake something chocolatey on a weekly basis
• A diary of baking adventures
• An amateur, but hopefully entertaining, resource for like-minded chocoholics and bakers (I'll let you know what works and what doesn't so that you can glean from my findings)

Blog plan

• Bake/make one recipe per week (excluding vacations and unexpected life events)
• Start with the basics/easy stuff, work up to the ultimate: Death by Chocolate Cake
• Document the process - from the masterpieces to the total flops - it should be a good read when I screw something up!
• Share the recipes with you here

Blog policies/rules

• I will try not to modify the recipes with lame substitutions just because I was too lazy to go to the store and get the proper ingredient.
• I will use the highest-quality chocolate that I can get my hands on without going broke. Marcel, the cookbook's author, actually said in the intro that Hershey's and Baker's chocolate is ok. I can only conclude that he's on something or was paid off by those producers of mediocre baking chocolate. Hershey's indeed!
• To the degree that I'm able, I will be turning OFF my editor's eye and just writing whatever I think is interesting. I'm hoping this will be a bit of an escape from work, where I'm always critiquing everything. So apologies in advance for any ramblings, run-on sentences, typos, etc. You're going to get Holly Uncensored. She's sweet, but a little rambly, and sometimes misses the forest for the trees. Sorry.

Blog schedule
Weeks 1-7: The Essentials (everything from truffles to brownies - the basics)
Week 8: Cleanse the Palate (just a touch of chocolate)
Weeks 9-20: Chocolate Decadence (now we're getting serious)
Weeks 21-23: Chocolate Dementia (off-the-hook chocolate)
We'll see what happens after that.
I hope you'll find this blog entertaining and useful. I'd love any feedback on ways it can be improved as it evolves. Here's to 23 weeks of chocolate!
Stay tuned for the first recipe: Ebony and Ivory Chocolate Truffles.