It’s Fat Tuesday! Now, I LOVE southern food but, all I’d had running through my mind the last week or so was – Chocolate. I’ve never really craved chocolate before but, I get these sudden pangs of desire so strong that I have to do something to satiate them.
Growing up, all I’d ever want were strawberries or something pink. Be it an ice cream sundae, cake, jam, just about anything that could have strawberries in it. And as I got into my 20s, that slowly changed and I found love for anything sweet! I’m still not a very big fan of chocolate ice cream and will most probably pick that last if I had a choice of ice creams. Actually, that holds true for just about any dessert, I’d probably pick the chocolate dessert last, unless I was in one of my current chocolate-lovin’ moods.
I know I probably have made a million people go, ‘what is wrong with this person?’ but, hey, someone’s gotta give a lot of love to the other desserts out there, too, right? Well, I think so :)
Last week, though, I had to hunt my chocolate desserts down since nothing else would satisfy. So, I made chocolate mousse. And I wanted something more with that, so I threw in some brandied cherries and nearly died with how rich and decadent that whole thing was. I couldn’t get enough! The mousse tastes terrific with fresh strawberries too, because that’s how I ate them after the brandied cherries were happily in my tummy. It tasted just like chocolate-covered strawberries. Oh. so. divine!
Chocolate Mousse with Brandied Cherries
(adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe on Food Network)
Ingredients and instructions:
For the mousse:
- 1 3/4 cups whipping cream
- 6 ounces quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks cut up
- 3 ounces espresso or strong coffee
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon flavorless, granulated gelatin
For the cherries:
- 1 tin of dark cherries
- 6 tablespoons of brandy or cognac
Prepare the cherries first. Empty out the cherries alone in a bowl with a couple of teaspoons of the juice as well (you can save the remaining juice for another dish or drink it all up, like I did).
Add the brandy or cognac and mix well. Make sure all the cherries are immersed in the brandy. Cover and put it away in the fridge to soak while you prepare the mousse.
For the mousse: Chill 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in refrigerator. Chill metal mixing bowl and mixer beaters in freezer.
In top of a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, coffee, rum and butter. Melt over barely simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove from heat while a couple of chunks are still visible. Cool, stirring occasionally to just above body temperature.
Pour remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream into a metal measuring cup and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow gelatin to “bloom” for 10 minutes. Then carefully heat by swirling the measuring cup over a low gas flame or candle. Do not boil or gelatin will be damaged. Stir mixture into the cooled chocolate and set aside.
In the chilled mixing bowl, beat cream to medium peaks. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two doses. There may be streaks of whipped cream in the chocolate and that is fine. Do not over work the mousse.
When you’re ready to serve, spoon a few of the brandied cherries and a little liquid in a bowl or martini glass. Spoon some of the luscious mousse on top and chill for at least 1 hour.
(If mousses are to be refrigerated overnight, chill for one hour and then cover each with plastic wrap)
Wow, it looks very elegant and tempting!
Chocolate mousse is that much better when paired with any type of berry. However, your use of brandied cherries in this does move it farther up the delicious scale! No doubt this definitely satisfied your chocolate craving. Your pictures here are amazing-yum!
Wow!!! This looks INSANE! Your photography is just simply amazing!
I'm going to go search youtube and see if I can find a cherry song now. :D
I'm speechless…;)
Hi Amrita! I stopped by to say hello, check out your blog and say thanks for the friend add on FB. What a cool blog you have. The first thing I saw was the chocolate mousse. I couldn't have asked for a better greeting. Chocolate is one of my favorites. You have great photos. The whole thing is elegant. I look forward to returning and reading all about your kitchen escapades!
Thank you! :)
Thanks so much, Tina! The brandied cherries made a world of difference, for sure! :D
LOL that would be hilarious!
Hahaha that's a good thing because I was that way when I ate this too!
So glad you stopped by, Mario :D Thanks for all the wonderful compliments and I hope to see you more often! :D
That is wonderfully, sinfully tempting and lovely pics too. Enjoyed our chat :)
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
That looks wonderful. Chocolate mousse is one of my most favorite desserts, and the brandied cherries would just add another level of delicious flavor!
Wow, that looks amazing. Your photos are so pretty! I want to eat those chocolate shavings right off my screen! :)
This looks so rich and with brandied cherries .. awsm!
Dark chocolate with dark cherries – on of my favourite combinations. And I love that this mousse wasn't made with egg. I'm going to HAVE to try this. :)
Oh boy. This is looking very decadent! The thing about mousse is you get the awesome chocolatey flavour, but it's light enough that you can eat about a gallon before succumbing to the sugar shakes. (At least, that's how it works for me.)
Aaaand now I'm craving chocolate.
Brandied cherries? Toe curling with that mousse and your photos are stunning!
The last photo makes me want to reach through my screen and grab that glass! Gorgeous photos, decadent treat – I say you have a winner recipe here. Happy to be your newest follower!
The mousse is stunning, but the brandied cherries totally put this over the top. It looks fabulous!
You just brightened my day with chocolate! But the brandied cherries – now they are inspiring. Both bring out the flavors of each other so succinctly and beautifully. And the photos just warmed my kitchen.
I was never a chocolate lover but recently (since Valentines this year) I can't live without it!! Craving all your delicious desserts!
I had a good time over our chat too! I'll email you about meeting up some time :)
Thanks, Linda! The cherries really does take the yumminess to another level!
Thank you, Dorothy! I did shave some extra chocolate by 'accident' ;)
The combo really was awesome!
Amanda, that is exactly why I tried this recipe, too! I have an aversion towards raw eggs in my food and will avoid it as best as I can :D
Hahaha That's true and with the cherries and strawberries, it takes that much longer for you to realize how much sugar you've ingested and start bouncing off walls with the sugar rush!
Oh yes, brandied cherries :D Thanks for your compliment, Jill!
Hello there and I'm so glad you stopped by! Thanks for all the lovely compliments! :D
Thank you :D
Hahahah I'm glad I was able to brighten your day with this dessert, it sure made my weekend when I was still eating leftovers :D
Awww thank you! Chocolate has a sneaky way of getting us addicted!
Chocolate mousse paired with dark cherries. I want it right now.
Your desserts are always so high class – delicious, soft and definitely creamy, can I say I want to lick my screen? :D
Another awesome recipe!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
this looks insanely good… so scrumptious.. and gorgeous pics and presentation.
Chocolate Mousse with Brandied Cherries Beetle's Kitchen Escapades Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again very soon!