Classic French chocolate mousse update

Classic French chocolate mousse update

• 8.28.2013

This post is close to my heart not just because I love chocolate and cooking with real foods and learning to manipulate eggs, but because it reminds me of happy summer camp times I spent as a kid at French camp!

Literally almost 4 years ago now, I shared the classic French chocolate mousse recipe I learned from a French counselor at camp when I was a kid. I pretty much copied it from the camp newsletter, and didn't give many good instructions, and I probably haven't made it since. But this year I've been very into our real foods diet featuring incredible nutrient-dense foods like eggs, and I wanted to make a whole foods version of the classic French recipe--with as few changes as possible.

I no longer eat grains or gluten (there is a little flour in the original recipe) or dairy (except grassfed cow butter). I also no longer eat white or cane sugar. And, I try to avoid even minimally processed foods like chocolate chips when possible. So this modified recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and Paleo/Primal friendly. But tastes just as good or better than what I remember!

Here goes the recipe, plus much clearer instructions than last time. ;)

(Paleo) Classic Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 10 oz chocolate make your own chocolate with 1/2 cup cocoa powder,1/2 cup coconut oil, and 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Splash of milk 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup xylitol or other natural sugar substitute
• 1/4 cup flour works just great without it!
• 5 eggs, separated (wash them in hot water first since they remain raw in the recipe--washing removes the risk of salmonella--and do not use them if they are at all cracked)

Directions:

1. Make your own chocolate--I used this easy chocolate chip substitute with whole ingredients: equal parts cocoa powder and coconut oil (to total about 10 oz). An easy chocolate chip substitute is cocoa powder, coconut oil, dash of vanilla, and sweetener. I didn't add sweetener to my "melted chocolate" since I knew I'd be adding some as the next ingredient.

2. Now, stir in the xylitol, erythritol, honey, or whatever you want to use...

3. Add the coconut milk. Depending on how thick your chocolate ends up (I threw in a little too much cocoa powder so mine was thick!), add 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk. (The Natural Value brand is the best for no added ingredients or thickeners derived from corn!)

4. TURN OFF THE HEAT. Let it cool down a little so that it won't cook the egg yolks when you put them in.

5. Separate the egg whites into a bowl and stir the yolks into the chocolate. (I didn't catch this photo till the last yolk!)

6. Beat the egg whites with an electric handle mixer until stiff peaks form--until they are very stiff.

7. Slowly, carefully fold the chocolate into the whites (or vice versa). I'm not sure what the actual definition of "folding" is I just looked it up. "mix an ingredient gently with (another ingredient), esp. by lifting a mixture with a spoon so as to enclose it without stirring or beating."

Yeah, basically very careful, slow mixing so you don't flatten the egg whites. Keep them as fluffy as possible!

Should be a thick, chocolatey mixture. Ladle into individual dishes. I used our four dessert dishes but these are four VERY LARGE servings. I'd say 6 - 8 ramekins or little dishes would be perfect!

8. Refrigerate 4 hours or more. Add some fancy garnish to the top if you like. ;)

It's rich and fluffy and perfectly sweet!

Hooray for real food! P.S. The post is part of Unprocessed Fridays on Girl Meets Nourishment!