Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate & Hazelnut Biscotti

INGREDIENTS

Mousse

100ml cream

120g 70% dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

3 tbsp extra super-strong espresso

1 egg white

1 tbsp Dutch dark cocoa powder

METHOD
1 Heat cream in a large microwave proof jug until just below boiling, about 50 seconds on high.
2 Add chocolate and leave to sit for a couple of minutes then whisk until smooth. If necessary give another little blat in the microwave. (You can of course do the same by heating the cream in a pot on the stove!)
3 Whisk hot espresso into chocolate and cream and leave to cool for half an hour.
4 Whisk egg white to firmish peaks then fold (kind of whisk really) into chocolate mixture.
5 Pour into coffee glasses and chill for at least 6 hours before serving. Can be made the day before.
6 Serve dusted with a little cocoa powder, with a couple of biscotti on the side. (Please do make the espresso ‘ristretto’ style super strong – undrinkable – because when it is chilled and mixed with the luscious creamy chocolate, it will lose a lot of it’s kick!).

Makes about 35

Biscotti

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp butter, softened

1 egg

1 tbsp extra strong espresso

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup Dutch dark cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup roasted, skinned hazelnuts

1/2 cup 70% dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

1 In a mixer whisk sugar, butter, egg and espresso until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thickened.

2 Sift in flour, cocoa and baking powder then use a wooden spoon to mix to a firm dough.
3 Add hazelnuts and chocolate and use a bit of bicep power to combine into dough.
4 Plop the whole lot onto the bench and form into two skinny logs, each about 15cm long. Put on a baking tray lined with baking paper and chill for at least half an hour.
5 Preheat oven to 180˚C (350˚F) and bake logs for 25 minutes.

6 Remove from the oven and trust me – they look really horrible, but it’s all OK. Leave them to cool until almost room temperature – about an hour, then slice into diagonal pieces about 1/2 cm thick – I like my biscotti quite fine – up to you if you want to go a little thicker.

7 Reduce oven temperature to 140˚C (275˚F). Line another tray with baking paper and lay out biscotti. Bake a further 15-20 minutes until dry and crisp.

8 Leave to cool on the trays for 15 minutes before transferring to a rack. Store in an airtight container.

The Carousel thanks fromthekitchen for this recipe