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MsSonnetMarwood -> RE: urgent chocolate valentines conondrum (2/9/2007 6:03:19 AM)
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I would go with the chocolate mousse..to make it extra-decadant, spring for 80% dark Valrhona chocolate, which is arguably the best on the market right now. It's pricey - a 3 ounce bar is about $4....but worth it as an occassional treat. A nice complement for chocolate is to make it with just a splash of Kahlua or Starbucks liquor, although you could use others. Remember that liquors add sweetness so cut a little bit of the sugar out of the recipe so it won't be over-sweet.
Probably my favorite way to serve a very very dark chocolate mousse is in a wineglass topped with an unsweetened whipped cream and garnished with a couple raspberries or "fanned" strawberry. If you're culinary-minded, an ultra thin slice of flourless chocolate torte topped with a quenelle of chocolate mousse, a quenelle of whipped cream, and served on a pool of creme anglais or raspberry sauce is out of this world.
If you're doing "production" with chocolate - whether baking a cake, cooking, making a mousse or souffle - buy chocolate that is DARKER than you normally like. When you add other ingredients (heavy cream, sugar, etc) it will lighten and sweeten the chocolate. 80% Valrhona is great for special occasions...otherwise, I like Trader Joe's Pounder Plus 72% Dark - at 3.99 for a kilo bar of Belgian chocolate, can't beat the taste or the price (better than Ghiardelli). If you prefer a milk chocolate taste rather than a dark chocolate, pick a bittersweet chocolate to bake with, something that's about 53% cocoa.
Whatever you do - just don't use chocolate chips. They're coated in edible wax so they keep their shape in cookies - it's not something you want in your mousse.
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