Moist Dark Chocolate Mousse with Orange and Vodka: Irresistible

I call this a seduction recipe. It can seduce anyone, your man or your woman, your boss or your colleagues. It is the perfect bribe. I mean don’t get me wrong, chocolate mousse is a great bribe in itself but this just adds that extra X factor that will seal the deal for you. So go ahead because winning has never been simpler.

Layered Dark Chocolate and Orange Vodka Mousse – Serves 2

Ingredients:

Dark Cooking Chocolate    2 cups, chopped

Butter      1 tablespoon

Gelatine      1 ½ teaspoon + 1 ½ teaspoon (soaked separately in 3 teaspoons of water each)

Whipped Cream     1 cup

Egg, separated            2

Water    2 tablespoon

Orange, peeled            6 to 8 segments, de-skinned, cut into half

Orange marmalade    1 ½  tablespoon

Vodka     2 tablespoon

Method:

For the Dark Chocolate Mousse

In a pan, add Dark cooking chocolate + Butter. Melt this mixture with a tablespoon of milk in the microwave OR

In another wider and deeper pan, add water 1 ½ inch high and allow it to come to a boil.

Place the pan with the chocolate and butter over the boiling water and allow the chocolate and butter to melt in the double boiler.

Once, the chocolate is warm, take the pan off the heat and add in 1 ½ teaspoon of soaked gelatine (that is half the quantity that was soaked in water) in the melted chocolate. Allow the gelatine to melt, mix well.

Allow this mixture to set in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.

Just before layering the mousse, add in ½ cup whipped cream and fold it in the chocolate mousse.

For the Orange Layer

Soak the de-skinned, cut up segments of orange in Vodka for about an hour.

Separate the eggs. Take two egg yolks in a heavy bottom pan, add in 2 tablespoon full of water and stir.

Now, place this pan on a double boiler or very low heat. Whisk the mixture. Do not allow the pan to become too hot. As soon as you see fumes coming out, take the pan of the heat and whisk vigorously. Allow it cool a little and then cook it again. This egg mixture should become thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Take the pan off the heat. Add in the remaining half of soaked gelatine and allow it to melt and mix well. Now, add in the soaked oranges along with the vodka, grate a little of the orange side of the peel in the mixture (orange zest), soften the marmalade and add it in the mixture. Whisk the mixture well, so the marmalade does not form lumps.

Allow this mixture to set for thirty minutes in the refrigerator.

Beat the egg whites to form soft peaks. Remove the mixture, whisk it and then incorporate the beaten egg whites by gently folding them into the mixture. Do not over mix or the mousse will loose its volume.

Fold in the remaining half cup of whipped cream in the orange mousse.

For the Layering

Add a spoon full of the orange mousse in a dessert glass so the layer visible on the side is thick. Set it for twenty minutes.(if the mixture is thick enough you can set it for ten minutes so that the next layer does not sink)

Alternate it with a spoonful of chocolate mousse and set it for twenty minutes.

Similarly, add on two more alternating layers of orange and chocolate mousse. Set it for ten minutes before garnishing it.

While setting the mousse, if you tilt the glass to one side in the refrigerator, you can form diagonal layers of mousse in the glass.

For the Garnish

Orange Mousse on top: with Chocolate Buttons and Orange Wedge on the side.

Chocolate Mousse on top: with a layer of melted chocolate and a curly peel of orange on it.