Flop-free chocolate mousse

Melting the chocolate in the correct way is the key to this recipe.

Fill the bottom half of a double boiler with water and place the chocolate in the top pot. Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the top pot. Place over medium heat and allow the steam to slowly melt the chocolate. Stir to make sure it is all smooth, then allow to cool for 5 minutes.

If you do not have a double boiler, construct your own by simply adding a bit of water to a pot and placing another pot with the chocolate on top.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until light and creamy. Gradually add this to the chocolate while whisking continuously to incorporate air. Add the butter and beat until fully incorporated and your chocolate mixture is nice and shiny.

In a clean bowl with a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the castor sugar and continue to whisk until the egg whites are stiff and satiny. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate.

Pour into cups or ramekins.

Cool and then refrigerate for at least an hour.

Before serving, decorate with finely grated dark chocolate.

Decorate with fresh fruit if desired.

Recipes developed for Food Lover’s Market by Marie-Louise Guy and Callie Maritz from CAKEBREAD.