Skip navigation and jump to content.
polenta_2.jpg

 the goods

chocolate custard / pudding:

6 oz/ 175g semi sweet dark chocolate

6 egg yolks

1/3 cup superfine / castor sugar

2 tblspns cornflour / corn starch

3 tblspns cocoa

1 1/2 cups cream

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tspn vanilla

chocolate mousse:

5 oz semi sweet dark chocolate

2 egg yolks

3 egg whites

2 tblspns superfine / castor sugar

1 cup whipping cream

 

additional:

1/2 chocolate pound cake or 12 choc chip cookies or chocolate rugeleh

1/3 cup brandy, rum, whiskey or other liqueur

extra whipped cream and berries to serve

active time for custard: 20 mins

active time for mousse: 20 mins

total active time :50 mins

*this dessert is much better made a day ahead

you will need:

  • electric beaters
  • 3 mixing bowls
  • 6 small serving glasses or 1 large serving bowl
  • double boiler or a heatproof bowl that can sit on top of a saucepan to melt the chocolate

chocolate trifles

the recipe for these is a little 'elastic'; trifle, by nature, is about dressing up leftovers. so here's the basic set up, feel free to mix it up or cheat where you can:

a layer of rich, velvety chocolate pudding

a slab of chocolate cake, choc chip cookies, leftover brownies (leftover!?), or choc chip rugeleh...all doused in brandy (or not...use any liqueur or even coffee)

a layer of feathery light chocolate mousse

topped with whipped cream and berries

to die for!

feel free to buy a pre-made pudding (trader joes sells an amazing belgian chocolate pudding, or use a packet mix...though I'm rather partial to my recipe...the quality of the chocolate is imperative)

use store bought cake or cookies

and if making a mousse seems to excessive, then just pile scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream on top and serve with lashings of whipped cream and berries...this turns it into a sundae, of sorts (and takes about 10 minutes to throw together)

anyway, for the purists:

custard/pudding:

heat: the milk and cream to almost boiling point

melt: the chocolate by placing it in a double boiler or in a bowl over a saucepan of water over a low heat

mix: the cocoa, egg yolks, corn flour and sugar into a paste. use a mixing bowl large enough to accomodate the hot milk

pour: the hot milk over the egg mixture and stir constantly. pour the custard mix back into the saucepan and heat it over a low flame, stirring constantly. when the mix has thickened and starts to bubble, remove from heat, add the melted chocolate and vanilla, stir to combine. pour the custard into the serving glasses / bowl

mousse:

melt: the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl over a saucepan of water over a low flame

whip: the cream until doubled in volume and able to hold its form. wash and dry the beaters thoroughly

beat: the egg whites with a tiny pinch of salt. when they are glossy and hold soft peaks, add the sugar gradually and keep beating. beat until stiff peaks form

remove: chocolate from heat, beat in egg yolks. pour the chocolate into the whipped cream and beat to combine

gently: fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate cream mix. use a wooden spoon and scoop from the bottom of the bowl up to the top. you don't want to knock the air out of the egg whites, keep folding until everything is combined

putting it together:

individual glasses: place a slice of cake or a cookie on top of the custard. pour over a little brandy or coffee. then scoop in a layer of mousse

large bowl: layer slices of cake of cookies over the custard, douse it all in brandy or coffee, then pour the mousse over the top

chill for at least 4 hours

to serve: top with whipped cream and berries