No Sweat Summer: Chocolate Mousse

This is the last of the easy, cool treats for No Sweat Summer. For other ideas, see the list below.

Making the mousse was no problem. Even though it seems like a lot of steps, I was easily able to throw it together to chill in under the 40 minutes I had before work one morning. Coming up with some some substance for this entry was problematic. What can I say about chocolate mousse other than “Yum?”

Is “yum” enough said?

But there I was sitting on the couch with my feet up on the coffee table

cause that’s how we roll around here

eating chocolate mousse

as it should be

when The Boy asked what it was.

• “Chocolate Mousse.”
• “Oh.” Pause. Which means wheels are turning. “Well, um, what part is the moose? Can you show me?”
• “What do you mean?”
• “Where’s the moose that’s in it?”
• After some giggling: “It’s not moose spelled m-o-o-s-e. It’s spelled m-o-u-s-s-e.”
• “Ooooh.” Pause. Which means wheels are crankin full speed. “Well, why is it spelled that way? What does m-o-u-s-s-e mean?”
• Then The Husband starts in, turning to me with a look…a look that said “yeah, why is it called mousse, Miss Chocolate? What’s the deal?”
• Look. All I wanted to do is sit like a slug and enjoy some sinful chocolate mousse. Not play the home version of "Who's on First."

I should have known better.

But that got me thinking…why is it mousse? What’s that mean? So I pulled my trusty Food Lover’s Companion from a bookshelf and looked it up.

By the way, you should really get a copy of this book. You’ll feel like such a smarty.

Mousse is a French term that means foam or froth, alluding to the foamy whipped texture.

And mousse is so much tastier to lick off a spoon compared to moose.

This happens to be Alton Brown’s Chocolate Mousse.

And it’s fantastic.

And I love that there's no raw egg in it.

Because that seriously skeeves me out.

Like, to the max.

Mise en place: chocolate chips, butter, coffee, rum, heavy cream, unflavored gelatin

Really…how can you go wrong?

Melt the chocolate chips with the butter, rum, and coffee in a double boiler…or just MacGyver it. Stir for nice even melting and no scorched chocolate.

Meanwhile, whip 1 ½ cups of heavy cream.

Use ¼ cup of cream for working with the gelatin.

Sprinkle the gelatin in the ¼ cup of cream and let it sit 10 minutes to bloom.

By now, your chocolate should be good and melted. Let it sit to cool to body temperature.

How do you know when that may be?

When the gelatin has bloomed, gently warm it over a flame.

Add to the chocolate.