Politically Correct Chocolate Mousse

I was always a huge fan of Julia Child. I remember coming home from school and watching re-runs of her show from the 60’s…we always got a kick out of her laid back attitude in the kitchen and simply marveled at how she handled live television that at times did not go her way…

My love for her prompted me to buy both volumes of her book, Mastering The Art of French Cooking, and read them both cover to cover. I have even purchased the companion book to the PBS baking television series she had for a few years where she invited many great pastry chefs to share their secrets and secret recipes…I just loved that show.

Well, today I decided to take one of Julia’s recipes and make it a little more politically correct. What I actually mean is that in previous years, many people never worried about the issue of salmonella poisoning when using raw eggs in their recipes because it was just not that common. But, these days the outbreaks seem to occur with greater frequency, so we all need to be a little more careful.

One of Julia’s recipes that I always loved was the one for her chocolate mousse, but her use of raw eggs always made me nervous…especially if I wanted to make a large quantity to feed more people. As a baker, I know that using pasteurized egg whites does not always yield the same fluffy result when whipped and many grocery stores don’t sell those types of egg whites for baking anyway. You have to buy them from commercial supply houses that specialize in baking ingredients in HUGE quantities and it just does not make sense for the everyday home cook…. So what do you do?

Well, most people may simply take melted chocolate and fold whipped cream into it to make a quick chocolate mousse…but this does not have the same ethereal taste and texture as a real chocolate mousse…and if you are making it this way you are really missing out on a delicious treat.

I decided it was important to bring this recipe into the millennium and to correct this very real potential health risk and I felt as though Julia would have agreed. I knew I was treading on sacred territory …after all you don’t go making a habit of changing the tried and true recipes of a legendary chef and author!

I knew I might have to take some heat for it, but I was game and I’m glad that I did because this simple change created a magnificent result. For an even fluffier mousse, I have added a suggestion for some whipped cream if you prefer as an additional option.

This was her original recipe:

Julia’s Chocolate Mousse

6 oz semisweet chocolate

6 oz unsalted butter

4 eggs, separated

¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

¼ cup (or 4 tablespoons) strong coffee

¼ cup orange liquer

¼ cup glazed orange peel *optional

The first thing I did was change the type of chocolate used because it was definitely too sweet for my taste. I used a high quality Guittard bittersweet chocolate instead of semisweet. Secondly, I decreased the amount of sugar to 2/3 cup instead of ¾ cup and I also changed the orange liquer to kahlua and did not add the optional orange peel. I also added some whipped cream that she did not add at all and I felt it added an extra lightness to the dessert and provided more of a mousse texture.

The changes above were just personal preferences. The most important change was that when I separated the eggs, I made an Italian meringue with the egg whites instead of a French meringue. I added the water and the corn syrup in order to make the syrup for the Italian meringue. If you choose to use her exact measurements on the other ingredients, I encourage you to try the Italian meringue. The difference is that Italian meringue incorporates a hot sugar which cooks the whites and removes any danger of salmonella. I also heated the egg yolks over a double boiler, so you don’t have to worry about those either. Doing this also creates a more stable chocolate mousse that has an absolutely wonderful consistency…light, fluffy but a little firm because of the butter…just perfect.

So delicious and now safe to eat…I know that Julia would approve…

Julia’s Chocolate Mousse With Italian Meringue (with slight modifications)

8 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used Guittard)

6 oz unsalted butter

4 eggs, separated

Pinch of salt to go in with the egg whites

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

¼ cup water (I added)

1 tablespoon corn syrup (prevents crystallization, I added)

1/2 cup Kahlua

1/2 cup heavy cream whipped to soft peak **optional

First separate your eggs and add the yolks to a small bowl and add the whites to the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the butter and chocolate to a microwave safe container and melt together completely then add the Kahlua and set aside. Add the 2/3 cup sugar, ¼ cup water and corn syrup to a small pot and cook until the softball stage (235°F-240°F) on a candy thermometer. While the sugar is cooking, begin to whip your egg whites with the pinch of salt until fluffy. In the meantime, place the egg yolks over a double boiler with simmering water (do not touch the bottom of the bowl into the simmering water or it will cook the egg yolks), add the 1 tablespoon of sugar into the yolks and whip until very fluffy and pale yellow. Be careful not to heat them too much or they will begin to curdle. When you touch the yolks with your finger, it should be very warm but not hot. Once you have reached this stage, remove them from the double boiler and continue to whip until they cool slightly then pour in the melted butter/chocolate mixture that you have set aside. By this time, your sugar will be ready, so carefully pour it into the egg whites which are still whipping on your mixer. To see how Italian meringue is made, check out my tutorial here. Once you have added the syrup to the whites let it whip until the whites cool completely, then add them into the bowl with the other ingredients and then whisk everything together.

If you prefer a fluffier mousse, then I suggest you add the whipped cream and fold this in last. Pour into your prepared serving dishes and allow them to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

I made some easy chocolate petals that you can use to garnish the top of each cup. They are very easy to make. First cut out small squares of paper. Melt some non-tempering chocolate and using the back of an offset spatula, dip it in chocolate and spread it onto the paper. Place the paper into the crevice of an egg carton to take on a curved petal shape. Allow them to cool and set. Unmold and form the flower on top of each dessert.