Mousse an Chocolat...

Ingredients 

320g dark chocolate (70% cacao solids) 

80g butter

8 eggs

a pinch of salt 

80g granulated sugar 

Equipment

Piping bag fitted with a 3/4 -inch star tip

Using a knife, chop the chocolate on a cutting board and place in a large heatproof bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to bowl.

Place over a pan of gently simmering water and melt the chocolate and butter, stirring together. When the mixture has melted, remove from heat and allow to cool to barely lukewarm (18- 20 degrees).

Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and place in a bowl. Set egg whites aside.

Lightly Beat the egg yolks to liquefy. 

Place the egg whites in a large clean, dry bowl with a pinch of salt. Whip to a foam. Once they are white and frothy, add the sugar and continue to whip until firm.

Immediately add the egg yolks, incorporating delicately with a whisk, but do not whisk: simply start with the whisk in the centre of the bowl, work up the sides of the bowl and bring back down towards the centre, all the while turning the bowl regularly. This will result in a smooth and homogenous mixture. 

Incorporate 1/4 of the egg mixture into the butter and chocolate, by gently folding in with a rubber spatula. pour this entire mixture back over the remaining 3/4 of the eggs, always mixing gently, by starting with the rubber spatula in the centre of the bowl, working up the sides and brining the preparation back down towards the centre.  

Transfer the chocolate mousse to a large serving dish. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Presentation.

For individual servings, allow the mousse to become slightly firm in the refrigerator for approximately 15 minutes. Transfer the mousse into ramekins, then return to refrigerate for the remaining 3-4 hours.

I decorated my mousse with whipped cream and white chocolate roses, simply by whipping up the double cream and transferring to the piping back fitted with a star tip and pipe the cream on top of the mousse forming a rosette on top.

For the white chocolate roses, simply melt the chocolate using the same technique, melting the chocolate over simmering water. Using a piece of double folded parchment paper place over a chopping board then, swirl the chocolate onto the paper using a teaspoon. refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes. Carefully peel the individual roses from the parchment paper and place into the cream and serve... bon appetite!