Dark Chocolate Ganache Dessert Cups
The other day I had a hankering for chocolate mousse.
(You know when I use the word “hankering” that it’s a real serious craving.)
So I researched and I looked and I spent a lot of time on Pinterest. Then I surfed around some more until I found this recipe for the easiest chocolate mousse ever. Easiest? Of course I’m making it.
I tinkered with the recipe though. And the dessert I ended up with was certainly NOT a mousse.
Mousse seems to mean light and fluffy. This was luscious and thick and velvety.
Mousse seems to mean wholesome and kid-friendly. This is made with orange liqueur and partially raw eggs.
Mousse seems to be a down-home, friendly, almost sunny kind of dessert. This is all sophisticated and chic and definitely an after-dark kind of dessert.
But don’t worry, these Dark Chocolate Ganache cups aren’t so sexy that they’re intimidating.
Because here’s a little secret: I made these in a blender. And there’s nothing really sexy about the loud whirring sounds of a blender, is there?
Serve these in little dessert cups, because the mousse-that-turned-into-a-ganache is so, so, so rich that you only really need a small amount to be satisfied. But oh, trust me, you’ll definitely be satisfied.
Dark Chocolate Ganache Dessert Cups
Ingredients
6 ounces good-quality semisweet , chopped (I used dark chocolate bars from LA Burdick)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 eggs
2 tablespoons orange zest
Directions
- Heat the cream and and butter in a small pot until the mixture is scalded, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat, add orange liqueur, and quickly stir to combine.
- Pour half of the cream mixture into the blender and add half of the chocolate. Gently stir with a rubber spatula, then pour the remaining cream and chocolate. Blend until the chocolate is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Add the eggs and blend again, until no lumps remain.
- Pour into cups and chill until set, at least 3 hours. Garnish with orange zest.
adapted from The Easiest Chocolate Mousse Ever from Epicurious)
Recipe
This dessert is very luxurious, with a texture that’s much closer to pot de creme than mousse. It has a rich, deep, dark chocolate flavor, thanks to the good quality chocolate I used. The taste of the orange liqueur is subtle, but it’s there. Actually I wished I used little bit more, plus fresh orange juice to add more citrus flavor. But the orange zest on top really contributes a brightness to each silken spoonful.
Do you have a favorite no-bake dessert recipe? How about a dessert that you make using a blender?
And if you’re looking for more recipes featuring alcohol, my friend Dan from The Food in my Beard is hosting Booze Week!