A delicious chocolate mousse is a very useful thing to have in your culinary repertoire. What’s more, it takes no time to prepare, so it’s perfect for an impromptu Valentine’s treat. Follow this recipe by Greenwich chef Guy Awford for a sure-fire way to that special someone’s heart…

The success of the mousse lies in the quality of the chocolate and the stability of the whisked egg whites. Choose a good quality dark chocolate with a minimum 60% cocoa solids.

Whisk the egg whites, which can be pasteurised to avoid any issues using raw egg might bring, with the lemon juice until soft peaks are formed. At this stage add the sugar and continue whisking until the egg whites are stiff. You have reached this stage when stiff peaks are formed when the whisk is removed. Don’t whisk beyond this stage or the egg whites will collapse.

A third of the egg whites can now be whipped into the melted chocolate. This will loosen the mix and make it easier to fold in the remaining egg whites. Carefully fold in the remaining whites with a large spoon until all the egg white is incorporated into the chocolate. Don’t overmix or you’ll knock out all the air and the mousse will be heavy.

As both the mousse and the Bailey’s cream have a very soft texture, it’s a good idea to sprinkle on something with a bit of crunch such as praline or honeycomb for the perfect final flourish.

Print CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH BAILEY’S CREAM & HONEYCOMB Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Serves 4

Ingredients

180g dark chocolate
8 egg whites or 240g pasteurised egg whites
Squeeze of lemon juice
50g caster sugar
100ml whipping cream
Splash of Bailey’s
2 teaspoons honeycomb 1. Melt the chocolate in a large bowl suspended over a pot of simmering water. Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice to soft peaks. Add the sugar and whisk to stiff peaks.

2. Working quickly whisk 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate.

3. Very gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Pour into glasses, cover and leave in the refrigerator to set for a few hours.

4. To make the Bailey’s cream whip the cream to soft peaks & then drizzle in Bailey’s to taste.

By Guy Awford

Guy Awford is chef-patron of theguildfordarms.co.uk in Greenwich and handmadefood.com in Blackheath