decadent dark chocolate mousse with sweet berry wine jam and buttery shortbread
serves: 4
Author:Kayla Howey
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread
2 sticks butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp kosher salt
Berry Wine Jam
6 oz strawberries
6 oz blueberries
½ cup sugar
½ cup red wine
Dark Chocolate Mousse
½ cup heavy cream
½ tsp sugar
6 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped
4 oz egg yolks (about 7 yolks) *reserve the whites
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
4 oz egg whites
3 tbsp sugar
Instructions
Shortbread
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the base of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Using a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.
Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing on low speed first and then faster once all the flour is added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Press the shortbread dough into an 8×8″ baking dish, creating an even, flat layer. Bake for about 25 minutes until lightly golden. Let the shortbread cool. Crumble into medium-size pieces.
Berry Wine Jam
In a saucepan, combine the strawberries, blueberries, sugar, and red wine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring so that the sugar dissolves.
Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until the berries have burst, the wine has reduced, and the mixture has thickened into a jam-like consistency.
Let cool.
Dark Chocolate Mousse
Add the cream to a stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment, whisk on medium speed until foamy. Add the sugar. Continue to whisk, increasing the speed as needed, until soft peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and chill in the fridge. Rinse the stand mixer bowl and reserve for the egg whites later on.
Place the dark chocolate in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Add a small amount of water to a small saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan (make sure your bowl does not touch the water; you can pour out some water if needed). Stir the chocolate until melted. Remove the chocolate and let cool.
Add the egg yolks, sugar, and salt to another stainless-steel bowl. Place over the saucepan and whisk aggressively until the mixture is light in color and double in volume. This will take a couple of minutes.
Off of the heat, fold the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Let cool fully.
Meanwhile, add the egg whites to the stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment, whisk on medium speed until foamy. Add the sugar. Continue to whisk, increasing the speed as needed, until stiff peaks form.
Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture in two batches until incorporated.
Lastly, fold in the whipped cream. Spoon the mousse into ramekins or small dishes. Place in the fridge and chill for an hour or so.
To serve, top the chocolate mousse with the berry wine jam and crumbled shortbread. Garnish with crushed rose petals if desired.