At Christmas, there is a much-loved and valued place for raisins and citrus peel steeped in booze and unrefined sugars – stirred into puddings, say, or to fill crumbly, short pastry. Of course, I’m not denying this most obvious fact, but please don’t downplay the pivotal role that chocolate plays in the mix. Too much stewed fruit is dispiriting, but put a bowl of whipped, deeply chocolatey mousse on the table and the world is righted. If we can agree that Christmas is about decadence and indulgence, then we can also agree that a rich, velvety chocolate mousse with boozy things to pour on top is an absolute must.
Velvety chocolate mousse with boozy cherries
These citrussy, boozy cherries provide a delicious accompaniment to the mousse. As with all things chocolate, thick cream on the side is a near vital addition.
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr, plus chilling
Serves 6
3 medium eggs
4 tbsp unrefined caster sugar
150g dark chocolate (minimum 70% solids), plus extra, shaved, for serving
15g butter
Sea salt
140ml double cream, plus extra, whipped, to serve
For the boozy cherries
2 tbsp tequila blanco, or dark rum, plus 1 tbsp extra for the mousse
300g frozen cherries, defrosted, or fresh, halved and stoned
100g caster sugar
Zest of 1 lime, plus the juice of ½ lime
Zest and juice of ½ orange
1 star anise
1 small handful tarragon, finely chopped (optional)
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in a tablespoon of the tequila or rum, and set aside.
In a separate, very clean bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks – you should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the whites moving. Melt the chocolate and butter on a low heat over a bain-marie or in the microwave, seasoning with a small pinch of salt.
Whip the cream until just thickened; if you over-beat the cream, it will turn grainy, so stop when it still flops lazily from a metal spoon. Fold the melted chocolate into the yolks, followed by the double cream. Now fold a third of the whites into the chocolate, then fold that mixture back into the remaining whites, keeping as much air in as possible. Spoon into small glasses and refrigerate.
Put the cherries in a saucepan with the sugar, lime and orange zest and star anise, and set it over a medium heat. Pour in the tequila and simmer gently for eight to 10 minutes, until the cherries lose their shape and form a syrupy sauce. Stir in the tarragon, if using, turn off the heat, remove the star anise and add the lime and orange juice.
Serve the mousse with the cherries, some thick, cold cream and a grating of extra chocolate on top.
