TARTE TATIN

TARTE TATIN: an upside down apple pie – but why?

Rumour has it that French Tatin sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline had a small crisis in the kitchen….The result: a traditional apple tart served upside-down. Whatever the truth, this ranks among one of my favourite desserts – the pastry on top stays golden and crispy, while the apples caramelise below.

We christened my father’s Emile Henry tatin set the last time I was in Provence. This one ceramic dish does everything: first make the caramel directly on the stove top using butter and sugar, add the apple slices, cover with pastry and bake until golden brown. When done, the tarte tatin turns out easily onto the matching plate.

Caramel: Getting the caramel recipe to work can take a little practice, click on the link ‘Tarte Tatin‘ below for more on this and the tarte tatin recipe:

ERIKA ALLISTON: Tarte Tatin Recipe

Pastry:

• 170g white flour
• 80g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Combine four, salt & sugar
2. Add butter, mix with fingers until looks like bread crumbs
3. Add egg and mix till a smooth ball forms
4. Chill for 30 minutes

Caramel:

• 170g white sugar
• 50g unsalted butter

Filling:

• 6 small cooking apples (ie Russets), peeled & cut into 6es
• 30g white sugar
• 30g unsalted butter

1. On the hob/stove top, melt 170g white sugar
2. When the sugar is JUST melted and a light golden colour, remove from the heat – do this earlier than later as the hot pan will continue to cook the sugar when off the heat!**
3. Add 50g butter, mix till forms a smooth caramel. There is always a little butter that won’t fully mix in.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F
5. Place the apple pieces evenly around the dish.
6. Sprinkle with 30g sugar + place small cubes of butter around the apples
7. Cover with pastry, tuck in the corners
8. Bake for 40 minutes
9. Remove and LET SIT for 10 minutes, before turning out onto a plate

**As we are among friends I will tell you that my 1st attempt at making the caramel was a disaster… I burned the sugar, not removing it from the heat in time. My 2nd attempt was slightly better, I tried adding water to melt the sugar, but it just evaporated. They say 3 times a charm and it was – just watch the heat and remove the golden sugar a few minutes before you think it’s done!

Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble

I think certain deserts are underestimated; an easy recipe can be just as delicious as a complicated one. In fact chefs nowadays seem to be signing the praises of just such an idea.

I have always loved apple crumble, all the wonderful taste of apple pie, without fiddling around with rolled-out pastry. The crumble for this recipe actually comes from Ottolenghi’s carrot muffins. I think it is the addition of black sesame seeds and honey that makes this buttery crumble so fabulous. Your taste buds will thank you!

You can adapt this recipe using white sesame seeds if you don’t have black ones, pears instead of apples and cook the crumble for 10 minutes longer at 150°C if you prefer a softer fruit texture.

See link ‘apple crumble’ below for recipe:

APPLE CRUMBLE – ERIKA ALLISTON –  Sweet Pea Blog

Cooking apples

The crumble

• 50g unsalted butter
• 75g white all-purpose flour
• 25g brown sugar
• 50g whole rolled oats
• 20g sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon warm water
• 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon honey

1. Cut the butter into small cubes, set aside
2. Combine the flour, sugar, oats and seeds.
3. With your fingers, work the butter cubes into the dry ingredients until you have a bread crumb consistency.
4. Combine the water, oil and honey, then add to the crumble, mixing with your fingers till well combined

Apple Crumble

• 450g chopped cooking apples (approx. 3 medium whole apples)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170°C / 340°F
2. Cut apples into small cubes
3. Butter a small baking dish
4. Add the apples
5. Evenly sprinkle with the crumble
6. Bake for 40-50 minutes. Serve warm

Thomas Keller OREO

TKO – Thomas Keller Oreo Recipe

What makes these cookies so drop dead gorgeous is the sublime duo of salty chocolate cookies sandwiching a perfect white chocolate ganache cream. And for those of you who are less than ecstatic when it comes to white chocolate, not to worry, the taste is so subtle you will find yourself converted.

So it is no wonder that my colleague Claire was, and still is addicted to TKO‘s: Thomas Keller‘s ‘grown-up’ Oreo cookies. This my friends is no small food craving, we are talking about a woman making a bee-line to the Bouchon Bakery once a day, 5 days a week to buy not 1 but 2 of these pancake sized cookies. You are getting the picture here…

As  I apparently have not lived until I’ve tried a TKO, and short of asking Bouchon to FedEx me a care package, I thought I’d make them myself.  This is Thomas Keller’s original recipe from the ‘Essence of Chocolate‘ cookbook.

See link ‘Oreo‘ below for the recipe:

TKO – Thomas Keller’s Oreo Cookie Recipe

Chocolate cookie:

• 210 g (1 1/2 cups + 3 tbls) all-purpose white flour
• 160 g (3/4 cup) white sugar
• 65 g (3/4 cup + 1 tbls) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (do not reduce, the saltyness makes the cookie!)
• 210 g (15 tbls) unsalted butter (room temperature, cut into small cubes)

Filling:

• 118 mL (1/2 cup) heavy / full fat cream
• 230 g (8 US ounces) white chocolate (finely chopped)

Method:

First prepare the white chocolate filling:

1. Very finely chop white chocolate.
2. Heat cream till just boils, pour over chopped chocolate. Mix with whisk till all chocolate has melted.
3. Set aside for 2 hours at room temperature.*

Next prepare the chocolate cookies:

1. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda & salt, mix well.
2. Next, with mixer on slow speed, add butter cubes one by one, until a thick even batter forms
3. Per heat oven to 180°C / 350°F
4. Line two cookie sheets with baking / parchment paper, set aside
5. Separate dough into 2 pieces. Roll out between two large piece of baking paper, till approx. 0.25cm (1/8″ inch) thick
6. Place rolled out dough in fridge for 5 minutes, this makes cookie cutting easier.
7. Using a fluted cutter, cut out cookies. Put scraps together & roll out again.
8. Place 1cm (1/2″ inch) apart on cookie sheet
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Remove, let cool on cook sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack

Cookie assembly:

• Lightly whip the white chocolate ganache.
• You can used a pastry bag with 1/4″ plain tip. I used a spoon and knife. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons cream in centre of one cookie, top with another cookie to form a sandwich.
• Gently press down till cream comes near edges
• Can be stored in loosely covered container, in fridge for 3 days.

*NOTE : the original recipe said to leave the ganache to sit for at least 6 hours. Perhaps if you use a pastry bag this is necessary. But with a spoon & knife I found 2 hours was sufficient to thicken the chocolate cream.

In love with a tart!

CHOCOLATE TART : a great chocolate recipe

Valentine’s Day – whether you are a fan or not, it is always a good excuse to make something sweet. And what could be better than chocolate.

This is an ideal desert as it is simple, can be made in advance, and is sinfully delicious. The slightly sweet pastry has a buttery tender crumb combined with the rich, unctuous chocolate ganache filling, that is not too sweet nor too dark – it is a match made in heaven.

Though I must confess I have stage fright when it comes to making pastry.  This requires summoning up the courage to attack the recipe (yes attack… I am going into battle) who will win is anyone’s guess. But have no fear, here you are safe. This recipe is tried, tested and true.

The pastry tart shells are made in advance after which no more baking is needed. The chocolate ganache is just heated cream poured over chopped chocolate, then spooned into the pastry shells and left to set. For the original recipe using orange zest see The Ulterior Epiqure

See link ‘Chocolate tart‘ below for recipe:

• 190 g all-purpose white flour
• 55 g icing (powdered) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 113 g unsalted butter
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1-2 tablespoon cold water (as required)

Method :

1. Combine flour, icing sugar, & salt. Mix well.
2. Cut butter into small cubes. The butter should be just slightly soft to the touch.
3. Using a mixer on medium/low speed, add butter cubes one by one to flour mixture.  This step can be done by hand.
4. Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water.
5. Mix on low speed until pastry dough comes together
6. If the pastry is still crumbly, add a little more water

Tart shell making:

1. Pre-heat the oven, 200°C (400°F) convection heat
2. The pastry dough does not need to be chilled.
3. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until 0.4mm thick. You may need help holding the paper still while rolling the dough.
4. Line each tart tin with the pastry
5. Using a fork prick the bottoms to prevent pastry puffing (weights are not needed)
6. Bake for approx. 12 minutes. until golden
7. Let cool completely while making the chocolate filling.

Ganache – Chocolate Filling :

• 335 g dark chocolate (45% cacao)
• 300 mL liquid whipping (heavy) cream

1. Finely chop the chocolate*
2. Heat the cream till it just boils.
3. Immediately pour over chopped chocolate
4. Using a whisk, mix until smooth
5. Immediately pour into the prepared tart shells
6. Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. If not setting, place in fridge for 2 hours.
7. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remove at least 30 minutes before serving to let the chocolate come to room temperature.
8. TIP : run your knife under HOT water before cutting the tart.

*the smaller the chocolate pieces the faster they will melt, if the pieces are too large the cream may not be hot enough after a few minutes to melt them all.

Baked Apples

Baked Apples seemed to be an appropriate welcome back, New Years resolution, apple desert recipe.  What better way to satisfy your sweet tooth while watching your waist line. Plus baked apples are a cinch to make… core, stuff, bake. That’s it. No fuss no muss.

Olivier’s parents have an apple orchard in France and this year they were overwhelmed with the yield. There were enough apples for the Russian army I tell you. So each week we receive a top up, which means I continuously have a bag of these golden red globes in my fridge. I would be complaining except that they are absolutely delicious and make wonderful apple sauce, pies, cakes, muffins not to mention baked apples.

RECIPE :  Erika Alliston – Sweet Pea Blog, BAKED APPLES

• 6 cooking apples
• 1 handful whole almonds
• 1 handful raisins
• a pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 15g melted unsalted butter

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (355°F) convection heat.
2. Coarsely chop the almonds, set aside
3. Melt the butter.
4. Add the chopped almonds, raisins, spices and brown sugar to the butter, stir well, set aside.
5. Prepare the apples; remove the core. Using a sharp knife draw a line around the middle of each apple (see picture). Stuff with the nut/spice mixture till it reaches the top of each apple.
6. Cook for 45 -60 minutes (depending on the size of your cooking apples), until apples are very tender when poked with a knife.
7. Serve immediately

‘Same Same, But Different’.….This was the slogan written on the shirts my brother brought back from South-East Asia for Olivier’s stag party. Odd that this phrase should pop into my head when cooking but it really does answer the question  ”What is the difference between clafouti and flognard???”

For the purists in this world clafoutis is a desert made with whole cherries and a sweet batter poured over the top.  A clafouti made using any other type of fruit ie) peaches is called a flognard or flaugnarde.

I often make this dish as it is a quick and easy summer desert. If you are pressed for time, don’t bother peeling the peaches or substitute them for red plums! This recipe calls for standard ingredients that you should have on hand, and if you are without cream just use extra milk. A dusting of powdered sugar (icing sugar) adds a nice touch for serving.

RECIPE : SWEET PEA Blog

Summer Peach & Fresh Ginger Flognard (Clarfoti)

• 4 yellow peaches**
• 100 ml milk
• 25 ml cream (you can substitute milk)
• 3 Eggs
• 60 grams (1/4 cup) white sugar
• 35 grams (1/4 cup) white all-purpose flour
• 2cm grated fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons cold butter

1. Prepare the peaches. To easily remove the peach skin, fill two bowls; one with boiling water, one with ice cold water. Cut one peach in half and plunge it into the hot water for one minute then straight into the cold water for one minute. Gently peal back the skin. Cut each half into 4 pieces. Repeat the process with the three other peaches.
2. Prepare the batter. Beat the eggs, then add the milk, cream, ginger & sugar, beat again. Now add the flour and beat. The batter will be very liquid.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (400°F)
4. Grease a non stick tart pan with butter. Pour in the batter and arrange the peaches. Cut the cold butter into 1cm squares and evenly place around the pan. Sprinkle with a little extra white sugar.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and present to your guests immediately while the desert has its greatest volume and air!

**NOTE: this desert can also be made with several other summer fruits such as plums or apricots (NO PEELING required!)

Lékué Lemon Squeezer

What is it ? It’s your solution to 1/2 a lemon!!!

The new designer lemon squeezer by Lékué :

• Cut a lemon in 1/2
• Put inside the  squeezer
• Squeeze the exact quantity of juice you need
• No pips, no splashes
• Store in the fridge
• Quick & easy to use
• Made of 100% platinum silicone and very hygenic
• Dishwasher safe

WIN your very own Lékué LEMON SQUEEZER

ENTER the contest with THREE easy steps:

1. Go to the Lékué website by clicking HERE
2. Choose your favorite Lékué product
3. Leave a comment on this SWEET PEA post:  stating what your favorite Lékué product is & your email address.  ie) “My favourite Lékué product is the cooking mesh!!”

You are now entered in the free draw!

Click on link below for free draw & LEMON CAKE recipe!

Contest details:

• Contest is open from June 12 to July 12, 2009
• Prize :  2 Lékué Lemon Squeezers (1 box), kindly donated by Lékué
• Winners name will be drawn at random & announced the 3rd week of July!
• Squeezer will be shipped internationally at no cost to the winner, by regular post, upon receipt of the winners delivery address.

The story behind this post….

My wedding list was at a lovely kitchen shop in the old town of Geneva. This is one of those shops that you go into with the intention of just having a look and come out hours later with a variety of wonderful packages. It was here that I found the Lékué Lemon Squeezer – which I have since nick named ‘the LUKI‘ after Luki Hubert, it’s designer !

I bought a Luki for my brother, gave them as favours at a dinner party, recommended them to my work colleagues – and always the same reaction…. “Where has this been all my life!!!” It is the best solution to 1/2 a lemon.

So I contacted Lékué (the Spanish companybased in Barcelona who makes these lemon squeezers) to rave about their Luki. I think more consumers should provide feedback to companies, especially when the product it this fabulous. Not only is the product wonderful, but so are the people working at Lékué – the vibe was always friendly, accommodating & very knowledgeable.

Here are the answers to the questions I asked them, to give you the INSIDE SCOOP on Lékué and the Luki!!!

Who invented the company Lékué?

• José María Lorente founded the company in 1979, he was a great inventor and manager.

What does the name Lékué mean?

• Lékué is a Basque name that means “place.” It was the founder wife’s name (José María Lorente).

Who is Luki Huber?

• Swiss-Born Luki Huber is an internationally recognized designer, who was trained at the Lucerne Schools of Art & Design (Switzerland) and the Escola Massana in Barcelona (Spain). In 1994 he moved to Spain and in 1999 he created his own design studio. Luki has collaborated on a regular basis with world famous companies and restaurants such as elBulli, experimenting & reinventing the rigors of cuisine – creating an original way to enjoy cooking.

Why did Lékué decide to work with Luki Huber?

• Functionality, quality, innovation and avant-garde design constitute the basis of Lékué’s philosophy. Lékué believes that it is indispensable to have a close relationship with the design world & it’s designers, because this is the origin and condition of the constant innovation of our products .
• Our collaboration with Luki Hubert was born to join functional and innovative designs with new products, always focused on improving, facilitating or reinventing well-known objects or processes for both the professional and home/ kitchen, through the use of 100% Platinum Silicone.

Was the lemon press the 1st project you did with Luki Huber?

• Yes, it was the first product designed by Luki Huber and we have had a very successful collaboration since then. The great success of this product is due to its characteristics and original design. The luki lemon press has won two international and prestigious awards: the “Good Design Award” (Japan, Oct 2007) and “Design and Technological Innovation Award” (Madridfusión, Jan 2007).

What inspired the design of the lemon press?

• The challenge was to reinvent different kitchen tools & processes, where platinum silicone had a real benefit.

How long did it take to develop the lemon press?

• It took almost 2 years to launch the product, but we still continue enlarging the products range since then.

Where is the lemon press made in Spain?

• Yes, it is.

Why is it made in green?

• Green is easily related to citrus fruits

How many lemon press are made each year?

• This product is quite new as you know, so we do not have figures from such a long time. Last year 200.000 units were placed in the market.

Over the years, will the acidity of the lemon juice deteriorate the silicone?

• No, it will not. Platinum silicone is a very resistant material, so the acidity doesn’t deteriorate it. Besides, silicone can be reused as many times as needed, it is very hygienic and dishwasher safe. Be careful with the use of knife when cutting and also when cooking in direct contact with fire (burners, etc.).

Will you make a Luki squeezer for other citrus fruits (cítricos) eg: oranges?

• We discarded that idea since at least 3 oranges are required for a single juice and there are other better solutions for this purpose in the market. It would not be a real improvement of the existing orange juice making products. At Lékué, being innovative is one of the aims when developing products.

As this is a cooking blog, my Lékué Luki post would not be complete without a recipe - and one using the LUKI!!!

LEMON CAKE RECIPE – ERIKA ALLLISTON Blog

Lemon cake

LEMON CAKE

• 110 gr unsalted butter
• 110g white sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean*
• 2 medium eggs
• 110gr white all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• finely grated ring of 1/2 a lemon

*Take 1/2 a vanilla bean pod, slice it lengthwise & remove the inside by scrapping with a teaspoon

For the lemon / sugar syrup:

• juice of 2 lemons (here’s where the LUKI comes in handy)
• 50gr icing sugar

1. Pre heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F
2. Line a small loaf tin with baking paper – this is important for absorbing the  syrup!
3. Bring the butter to room temperature
4. Beat the butter until light in colour
5. Add sugar & cream until light and fluffy
6. Add vanilla & mix to combine
7. Add the two eggs and beat well
8. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder & salt
9. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/egg mixture.
10. Finally add the grated lemon ring, mix untill combined.
11. Pour batter into lined loaf tin.
12. Bake for 30 mins depending on loaf tin
13. While waiting, in a small bowl combine the lemon juice and icing sugar = syrup!
14. Remove from oven. Leave cake in the loaf tin.
15. IMMEDIATELY prick the cake with a tooth pick (approx. 15 times).
16. While the cake is still warm, slowly & evenly pour the syrup over the top of the cake.
17. Leave cake to sit in the loaf tin for 10 minutes so all the syrup is absorbed.
18. Remove cake from the tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack

Rice Pudding

RICE PUDDING

It is funny how you grow up believing that certain foods should be made in certain ways. It is hard to break the mould of family tradition, especially for tried, tested and true recipes.

My English grandmother always made rice pudding in the oven, with butter, nutmeg, sultanas and fresh full fat milk, delivered in glass bottles to the house each day. As children we adored having the responsibility of leaving the small green token for the milkman, along with the empty bottles for him to collect and replace with filled ones. When you peeled back the thin aluminium cap, there was a thick layer of cream that had settled on the top.  Who ever was in charge of the tokens was in charge of the cream!

Thus for me this recipe was made in the oven, baked until a nice golden crust formed on top. It was only recently that I changed my tune and now enjoy stirring a steaming pot of this creamy desert on the stove top. One advantage I found to making rice pudding this way, is that you can better control its consistency, avoiding the disappointment of the desert drying out. And if you do not like nutmeg or cardamom, as mentioned in my recipe, you can replace these spices with half a vanilla bean!

RECIPE - SWEET PEA Blog

• 100 gr white pudding rice
• 750 mL whole milk (3.5% fat)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• generous pinch ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

1. Bring 500mL of water to the boil
2. Add rice & boil for 3 minutes. Strain immediately & set aside.
3. Bring milk & spices JUST to the boil
4. Add pre-cooked rice & lower heat to a slow simmer
5. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, until the milk thickens.* Stir every 5 minutes. A skin/film will form, just mix it in, it will dissolve.
6. A few minutes before the pudding is ready, add the sugar & butter

*the cooking time will depend on the type of milk you use, your pot & stove. I remove the pudding from the stove when there is still some thickened milk left, to keep it creamy & moist, as the rice will continue to absorb while cooling.

Chocolate lava cake

Molten chocolate lava cakes have become quite the talk of the town in recent years – slightly crispy exterior opening to reveal a melting chocolate heart! They really are the best of both worlds… a chocolate pudding & chocolate cake combined.

Though I have to admit that I have shied away from serving these lovely cakes at dinner parties, as the whole de-moulding process can go so terribly wrong – towers cracking, chocolate promenading, desert plates ruined.

It was Katya’s TEA CUP idea that solved the problem! Five to six cups (sturdy Ikea variety works best), are buttered & sprinkle with crystally demerara sugar, then covered with unctuous chocolate batter. After being perfectly cooked, they are served with a dollop of whipped cream & powdered with coco or spice.

The presentation is beautiful, the taste divine & gone is the impending doom of serving. You don’t even need to rush out & buy expensive fancy moulds to make this desert!

See link ‘Chocolate lava cakes‘ below for recipe:

A SIDE NOTE: As everyone’s oven is different as are their tea cups, in my experience it is best to do a trial run of this desert before the Queen mother arrives on your door steps.  A cooking time of 14 minutes might work perfectly for me, but perhaps you will need a minute more or a minute less to get your desired lava texture. Please see *** below.

RECIPE - SWEET PEA Blog

• 125gr Dark chocolate (70%)
• 125gr Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• 90gr white sugar
• pinch of salt
• 75gr white all-purpose flour
• 100mL full fat (whipping) cream
• coco powder for decoration*
• demerara sugar ** (approx. 5+ tablespoons)  + butter for tea cups

* You can decorate with ground cinnamon, nutmeg or coffee as you prefer

** Use white sugar to coat the tea cups if you do not have demerara sugar

1. First butter 5 tea cups (size 9x5cm, 125mL = 1cup).  Place a heaping tablespoon of demerara sugar into each cup and roll around till all side are evenly coated up to the top of the cup. Set aside
2. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F
3. In a bain-marie melt the chocolate & butter
4. Beat the eggs well. Gradually add the white sugar. Beat until light in colour & frothy
5. Slowly add the chocolate/butter mix
6. Add the flour & pinch of salt
7. Fill each tea cup halfway with chocolate mixture
8. Place the tea cup on a baking sheet
9. Cook for 14 minutes***
10. While waiting beat the whipping cream
11. Serve molten cakes immediately with a dollop of cream & sprinkle with coco

***Each oven is different. Try cooking the cake for 12 minutes then test with a tooth pick  – you want the exterior to be just cooked & the interior of the cake to stay liquid. NOTE: keep in mind that when the cakes are removed from the oven, the tea cup is still very hot, so they will cook a little bit more.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

‘Crème caramel, tarte aux pommes, mousse au chocolat… ‘ the mouth watering desert song French waiters serenade you with at the end of each meal. I often choose the apple tart or am wooed into thinking I have room for the crème caramel… even when I don’t. The chocolate mousse normally passes me by, on direct route to my mother!

However,… you saw that word coming I know… that was until Alice gave me the secrets to her famous chocolate mousse. Now I admit that recipe tinkering has gotten the better of me on more than one occasion and this time was no exception. However after a rather unsatisfactory attempt at experimenting with cream & coco powder I went back to her original recipe. BLISS…. utter perfection – Olivier had gone speechless. Three simple ingredients DARK CHOCOLATE, EGGS & BUTTER…  to create a light, not too sweet, rich & chocolaty desert.

RECIPE: SWEET PEA Blog

NOTE: the ingredients are listed below PER PERSON – makes life easy for odd numbers! Make in advance as the mousse will need to chill for at least 2 hours before serving!

PER PERSON:

• 25 grams quality dark chocolate of 70%+
• 15 grams unsalted butter
• 1 egg

1. Separate the egg(s) into whites & yolks. Set aside.
2. In a bain-marie, melt the chocolate*
3. Once melted add the butter, slowly stir until well incorporated.
4. Remove chocolate/butter from the stove, & set aside to cool.
5. Once lukewarm, add the egg yolks and gently stir until well combined.
6. Beat the egg whites into soft peaks.
7. Now gently FOLD them into the chocolate/butter mixture. Resist the urge to stir -  consequences will be dire, as you will loose the airy lightness the egg whites give this mousse.
8. Divide evenly into serving dishes, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Can be made the day before.

*If you don’t want to use a bain-marie, use a small pot on very low heat and survey / stir regularly to avoid burning the chocolate.