Dessert: Classic Chocolate Mousse

Recipe by Mary-Frances Heck Dark chocolate and espresso add the slightly bitter notes needed to balance this dessert. Remember, the higher the cacao percentage, the less sweet the chocolate.

Ingredients

3/4 cup chilled heavy cream, divided
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
6 ounces semisweet chocolate (61-72% cacao), chopped
2 large egg whites

Instructions

Beat 1/2 cup cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form; cover and chill.
Combine egg yolks, espresso, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large metal bowl. Set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is lighter in color and almost doubled in volume and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the mixture registers 160 °F, about 1 minute.
Remove bowl from pan. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Let stand, whisking occasionally, until room temperature.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in another medium bowl on medium speed until foamy. With mixer running, gradually beat in remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until firm peaks form.
Fold egg whites into chocolate in 2 additions; fold whipped cream into mixture just to blend.
Divide mousse among six teacups or 4-ounce ramekins. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Mousse can be made 1 day ahead; cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
Before serving, whisk remaining 1/4 cup cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form; dollop over mousse.