Chocolate Mousse Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten Recipes

Steps:

• In a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the two chocolates, coffee, coffee powder, Grand Marnier, Armagnac, and vanilla extract. Cool to room temperature. Beat in the softened butter.
• Meanwhile, place the egg yolks and the 1/2 cup of sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes, until pale yellow; when you lift the beater, the mixture will fall back on itself in a ribbon. With the mixer on low speed, blend in the chocolate mixture. Transfer to a larger mixing bowl.
• Measure 1 cup of egg whites and freeze or discard the rest. Combine the cup of egg whites with a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of the remaining sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until stiff but not dry. Mix half of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture; then fold the rest in carefully with a rubber spatula.
• In the same bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the heavy cream and the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar until firm. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Pour the mousse into a 2-quart serving dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours or overnight and up to a week.
• Decorate with sweetened whipped cream just before serving.

Steps:

• Combine the 2 chocolates, orange liqueur, 1/4 cup water, and the vanilla in a heat-proof bowl. Set it over a pan of simmering water just until the chocolate melts. Cool completely to room temperature. Whisk in the orange zest and butter until combined.
• Place the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick and pale yellow. With the mixer on low speed, add the chocolate mixture. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Place 1 cup of egg whites (save or discard the rest), the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until firm but not dry. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture; then fold the rest in carefully with a rubber spatula.
• Without cleaning the bowl or whisk, whip the heavy cream and the remaining tablespoon of sugar until firm. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Pour the mousse into individual dishes or an 8-cup serving bowl. Chill and decorate with whipped cream and oranges. Serve with extra whipped cream on the side.
• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overbeat, or you'll end up with butter!

Steps:

• Break 3 ounces of the chocolate into pieces and place the pieces in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk in the coffee liqueur, water and espresso granules and heat the mixture until the chocolate just melts. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Place the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until the mixture is the texture of mayonnaise. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla, and slowly pour in the cooled chocolate mixture.
• Put the egg whites and salt in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the whites form soft (not dry!) peaks. Fold them carefully into the chocolate mixture. In the same bowl (no need to clean it) beat the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks and fold it carefully into the chocolate mixture. Grate the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate and fold it into the mixture.
• Pour the mixture into a 10-cup souffle dish, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours or overnight.
• For the whipped cream, place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip on medium and then high speed until it reach stiff peaks. Spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the edge of the mousse with the whipped cream, and sprinkle extra chocolate shavings over the center of the mousse for decoration. Serve frozen.

Steps:

• Heat the half-and-half, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them. Pour the egg-pumpkin mixture slowly back into the double boiler and stir well.
• Heat the mixture again over the simmering water for another 4-5 minutes, until it begins to thicken (about 140 degrees), stirring CONSTANTLY. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from heat.
• Dissolve the gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, bananas and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.
• Whip the heavy cream (chilled very cold) in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cooled pumpkin mixture and pout it into a 7 inch x 2-3/4 inch round souffle dish.
• Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
• For the decoration: Whip last 1 cup of cold heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the mousse and sprinkle, if desired, with remaining orange zest.
• Serve chilled.
• [As always with zest, be sure to just get the orange skin and not any of the white pith, which is bitter -- the orange in this enhances the flavors so that it is very refreshing - I could NOT believe how good this was - and how satisfying a small portion was!].