TASTE
Chef Ho's choco-rich caramel mousse
| • | Chocolate dreams |
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
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Chef Stanton Ho demonstrated this creamy-textured, light bittersweet chocolate mousse at Kapi'olani Community College last month and served it at an Easter Seals fundraiser in Honolulu. It was one component in an elaborate dessert that combined praline macadamia crunch, truffle ganache and mousse, this caramel mousse and dragonfruit. The chocolate he used was Hawaiian Waialua Estate chocolate, grown on the North Shore by Dole Food Co. of Hawai'i and processed by Guittard Chocolate Co. on the Mainland.
Chef Ho, like most professional chefs, uses sheet gelatin, preferred by classically trained chefs for its silky texture, clarity and ease of use. It is available in kitchen supply and baking supply stores (such as Hans Weiler Foods at Y. Hata on Sand Island Access Road in Honolulu) or online from such suppliers as King Arthur Flour (www.kingarthurflour.com). But powdered gelatin is OK, too (see below).
Here, Ho adds depth of flavor to the mousse, combining a caramel (plain sugar, quickly browned), creme anglaise (an egg-cream custard), gelatin (to firm up the texture) and chocolate for richness.
Chef Ho placed the mousse in tiny rounded molds, chilled them until they were firm and turned them out among the other dessert ingredients. You can mold the mousse if you have the equipment and skill, or just place it in small dessert dishes and chill. This makes enough for a large family or company meal.
CARAMEL WAIALUA CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
In an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, or by hand with a wire whisk, whip cream very light, until it has a soft cloud texture; it should not be stiff. Turn into bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup whipping cream with vanilla bean, scraping vanilla seeds into cream with the back of a knife and placing bean in milk. Heat cream-vanilla mixture over medium-high heat to infuse vanilla and heat milk through. Have ready a fine-mesh strainer; when milk is heated through, strain into another pan or bowl.
Meanwhile, make caramel: Place sugar in a medium-size, dry nonstick frying pan over medium heat and allow to brown to a light dark caramel, stirring and lifting the pan slightly from the heat and swirling to prevent burning or sticking. Do not leave the pan while sugar is caramelizing; it can burn or get too brown quickly.
Slowly combine the whipping cream-vanilla mixture with the caramel, pouring in a thin stream while stirring. Cook over medium-high heat 1 minute. Don't worry if the caramel seizes; just whisk and stir, the hardened parts will melt. Set aside to cool until just warm.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs or beat with the electric mixer to ribbon consistency; this takes about 8-10 minutes, and the eggs will turn a pale yellow color and thicken. Slowly add the caramel mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly.
While whisking, soak the gelatin leaves in cold water for 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, drain softened gelatin and place in caramel-egg mixture; whisk well. Stir in melted chocolate and mix until cooled. Gently fold in the soft whipped cream.
Makes about 25 very small molded portions (for use with other dessert items) or a dozen larger portions, served with whipped cream or other garnish.
* Instead of sheet gelatin, you can use a 1/4-ounce package powdered unflavored gelatin. Stir gelatin into warm milk and caramel mixture just before it is combined with the yolks.
Reach Wanda A. Adams at wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.
