Shelly's Recipe

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE ON THE HALF SHELL

Category: Mousse

Mousse
2 tbsp bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
8 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup coffee
2/3 cup Kahlua
4 egg yolks
8 egg whites, at room temperature
8 tbsp sugar
2 cups heavy cream

Melt together chocolate, butter, and coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl whisk Kahlua into egg yolks. Then remove double boiler from heat, and gradually whisk Kahlua-egg yolk mixture into the chocolate. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a separate large bowl beat egg whites until foamy. Then turn speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Beat sugar one tbsp at a time into egg whites, and spoon this over chocolate mixture but do not fold it in.

Beat cream in the same mixing bowl with mixer on low speed until it thickens, and then beat it on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture with egg whites into cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mousse is firm (at least 4 hours).

Chocolate Shells
Scallop shells or like-sized shallow dishes
3/4 lbs bittersweet chocolate

Cover back of scallop shells with foil. Melt chocolate in a microwave or double boiler. Paint chocolate onto foil with a pastry brush (leave a small space around the edge of the shell, which will allow chocolate to be removed more easily). Put shells into freezer until firm. Separate shell from chocolate and foil. Peel foil off chocolate, leaving a nice chocolate shell that needs to be kept refrigerated until used.

Raspberry Sauce
4 pints (8 cups) fresh raspberries
4 cups sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Puree raspberries into a saucepan. Add sugar and bring to a boil. Thicken with a mixture of cornstarch and water (2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water). Put one scoop of mousse onto each chocolate shell, top with raspberry sauce, and garnish with fresh raspberries.