Chocolate mousse

INGREDIENTS

400g bittersweet chocolate buttons,melted
75g butter, softened
4 egg yolks, beaten well
1 vanilla bean
250g rich cream
15g unsweetened cocoa powder
50g roasted & crushed hazelnuts
300g egg whites
70g castor sugar
2 punnets of strawberries
1/4 cup Per Gli Angeli
6 mint leaves torn
Katrina’s salted caramel popcorn

METHOD

Step 1

To melt the chocolate, I usually place the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and place in an oven at 90˚C for 15 minutes. Combine the butter and the chocolate then stir in the egg yolks until thoroughly blended. Keep this mixture warm.

Step 2

Split the vanilla bean down the centre, scrape the seeds and place bean and seeds in a pan with the cream and cocoa. Heat the cream to simmering point stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly then strain the cream over the chocolate mixture. Add the hazelnuts. Beat the egg whites to medium peaks, gradually adding the sugar. Fold the whites into the chocolate cream and spoon into serving bowls. Allow a few hours to set.

Step 3

Thinly slice strawberries long ways and place in a stainless steel bowl add the Per Gli Angeli and mint. Stir gently and allow the flavors to meld.

Step 4

To serve, spoon the strawberries on the top of the set chocolate mousse and decorate with salted caramel popcorn.