Mousse au Chocolate

12 Ounces high quality bittersweet chocolate, like Scharffenberger
1 Cup whole milk
1 Cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons sugar
5 Egg yolks
2 Egg whites

CHANTILLY CREAM for garnish:

1 Cup heavy cream
2 Teaspoons sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

In a double boiler, melt the finely chopped chocolate with the whole milk until very smooth, stirring occasionally. Immediately remove from the heat and set aside.

Whip your egg whites until they are very foamy and very white. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue whipping until the egg whites are glistening white peaks. Set aside.

Whip you cream until your have soft folds and set aside.

Whip you egg yolks with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until they have doubled in size and are considerably paler in color.

Take your melted chocolate and fold in the egg yolks. Next fold in your egg whites until you can no longer see any white folds or streaks. Gently fold in the whipped cream, again until there isn’t a speck of white remaining.

Pour your mousse into a large bowl, cover with cellophane and refrigerate overnight.

To serve your mousse, take an ice-cream scoop or two large spoons and scoop out either perfect little balls or mousse or make little quenelles with your two large spoons.

Serve in a pretty bowl or fluted glass and then, using a pastry bag fitted with a 1” star tip, pipe a decorative accent of chantilly cream on top of your plated mousse.

Serves 6-8