8oz dark chocolate melting wafersI used Ghirardelli melting wafers
8ozsemi sweet chocolateuse good quality chocolate
1teaspooninstant coffee
pinchsalt
1/2tablespoonbutterI used unsalted butter
2 & ½cupheavy creamwith minimum 35%+fat, divided
1teaspoonvanilla extract
3tablespoonspowdered sugar
raspberriesto garnish
Instructions
If you are making the chocolate bowls start by melting the chocolate melting wafers (if using regular chocolate, you would need to temper it first). If you plan to serve the mousse in regular bowls/glass, you can straight away go to making the mousse and skip this. I melted the chocolate wafers in a microwave following the instructions on the package. Once melted, fill each cavity of the semi sphere mold with chocolate all the way to the top. Place a baking tray beneath to catch all the chocolate.
Turn the silicone mold upside down, so that all the excess chocolate from each cavity falls down. Then immediately, flip the molds upside down removing all the excess chocolate from the cavity. Shake so that all the excess chocolate from the molds falls off. Use an offset spatula to scrape the chocolate from the sides. Now let the molds set for around 15 minutes.
Once set, gently remove the chocolate shells/bowls from the mold and then proceed to make the chocolate mousse.
Take semi-sweet chocolate and chop it into equal size small pieces so that it all melts evenly. Transfer the chopped chocolate to a large bowl along with instant coffee, pinch of salt and butter.
Bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a slight simmer (when it starts simmering around the edges, it's done). Pour that hot heavy cream over the bowl of chocolate. Add vanilla and let it sit undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes. Once 7 minutes are up, take a whisk and mix everything together until you have a smooth ganache.
Let the ganache cool down at room temperature or you can also place it in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whip the remaining 1 & 1/2 cups of heavy cream with powdered sugar until it forms peaks. Set this aside.
Start folding the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate ganache gently in parts. Fold gently because you don't want to deflate all the air. Once all the cream is folded in, you will have this airy and light mousse. Transfer it to serving cups (in this case to the chocolate shells/cups we prepared earlier) and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Serve with more whipped cream, fresh fruits. You can also make some chocolate decorations using the melting wafers. Don't forget to let the mousse come to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Use high quality chocolate for best results.
This dessert can be made well in advance for up to 2 days. Just bring it to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.