Decadent Chocolate Mousse

By Vicky Nardone

If you want a sweet, creamy heaven-on-earth type of dessert this is your winner.  I always associate this recipe with New Year's Eve because my mom used to make it for dessert on that night a lot when I was young.

Yesterday I posted about our crazy 48 Hour Film Fest weekend and how I cooked food for 30 people for various meals throughout the weekend.  For dessert on Saturday night I decided to make my mom's chocolate mousse.  Actually even better - I had my mom make my mom's chocolate mousse (she was helping me out with the cooking).  It is delicious and easy to make in larger quantities if you're trying to serve a big group.  She taught me all her secrets for making a fabulous mousse which I am now going to pass on to you!

I got two containers of fresh raspberry to go with the mousse because chocolate and raspberries are my favorite combination. Unfortunately I can't tell you whether or not the raspberries were good with the mousse because they were gone long before I got to have any mousse but I'm guessing they were good because I didn't hear any complaints.

Ingredients (serves about 8)

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 pkg (6 oz.) chocolate chips
• 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream

Instructions

1. In a microwave safe bowl mix the gelatin and sugar.  Add the milk and chocolate chips.
2. Microwave on medium heat until the gelatin dissolves and melts. Stir a few times while heating.
3. Turn into a large bowl and add vanilla.  Beat until chocolate is blended.
4. Chill, stirring occasionally until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon.
5. Whip cream and fold into chocolate mixture.
6. Pour into serving cups and chill until set. 

Ok - if you've never whipped cream yourself before here's the secrets my mom taught me.  First of all, if you have a metal bowl to whip it in that works the best.  Stick your metal beaters (or kitchen aid attachment), metal bowl and the carton of heavy cream into the freezer for about 15 minutes before you are ready to whip them.  Don't leave them in there long enough to get frozen though.  Remove them from the freezer when you're ready to whip the cream. Try to touch the beaters and the bowl as little as possible so they stay cold.  Pour the cream in the bowl and beat it on as high a speed as you can without making a mess.  After a couple of minutes, it will start to get thick.  When it gets to the consistency of whipped cream, stop beating.  According to my mom, if you whip it too long you will get butter. 

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