I have always loved chocolate. When I first learned to enjoy coffee, which I forced myself to understand and enjoy at 18, my first favorite coffee drink was a mocha. I think I drank at least one every day for a year. About the same time, I bought a book about chocolate desserts, and I was obsessed. I remember keeping the book in my car and bringing it with me to hang out with my friends. They weren’t as excited to talk about it as I thought they would be. 

Years ago, I remember learning how to dip and decorate strawberries in chocolate. Soon after, I got my first lessons in chocolate work from Patrick Groth, at Incredibly Delicious. We made tempered chocolate and filled hearts that portrayed scenes from Romeo and Juliet. I learned to make many flavors and shapes of chocolate truffles. When you temper chocolate, it is warmed to a specific temperature then quickly cooled to another temperature. This process aligns the crystals and stabilizes the chocolate to give it a shine and crispness to the texture. You can always tell when the temper is broken as it will have waves of different shades.

While working in Los Angeles, chocolate souffles were on the menu, and I still delight in the memory of eating them fresh out the oven. They were clouds of delicate chocolate air that we poured dark chocolate sauce down the center of. But they are difficult to time perfectly and have sadly fallen out of fashion. On a similar note, I think I will never tire of a classic chocolate mousse. It is so simple, but oh so satisfying.

My wife loves hot cocoa. She really enjoys the bittersweet bite that cocoa powder gives when paired with powdered sugar and vanilla. Lately we use coconut milk instead of milk. I prefer the heavier and decedent French hot chocolate. Gently melt dark chocolate into heavy cream topped with freshly made whipped cream. My favorite recipe adds a little espresso, a gently whisked egg yolk and bourbon vanilla.

While engaged and living in New York, my now-wife of almost 23 years, visited me and we went to see the movie “Chocolate.” I was intoxicated with all the chocolate history, desserts and the passionate way characters reacted to eating these wonderful creations of confection. Then there is the big dinner scene in which all the courses use chocolate as an ingredient. I have since made several savory chocolate dishes, but the red wine and chocolate sauce with beef, lamb or foie gras has got to be my favorite. 

Speaking of chocolate and red wine, I used to teach my servers about wine in mini classes. We would occasionally have a wine we tasted and spoke about to better their understanding of the flavors and pairing. I loved having them pair red wines with chocolate desserts and seeing them realize how amazing they were together. Don’t get me wrong, I love coffee and dessert, but I would rather have a glass of wine with it. Maybe have the coffee afterward … with a little Baileys. 

Classic chocolate mousse

Ingredients

• ½ cup egg whites
• 150 grams sugar
• 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
• 60 grams cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons hot water
• 2 tablespoons dark rum or any other liquor that pairs well with chocolate
• 115 grams dark chocolate
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup

Directions

1. Combine the egg white and sugar in a bowl over simmering water, and whisk until it reaches 140 degrees.
2. Place in a mixer with a whisk attachment, and beat until the outside of the bowl is no longer warm. Set it aside.
3. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks, and then refrigerate until needed.
4. Combine the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth.
5. Add the dark rum to the cocoa mixture.
6. Melt the chocolate, and add to cocoa mixture. Set it aside.
7. Combine the egg yolks and corn syrup in a bowl, and whisk over simmering water until warm, not hot, and until very airy and a lighter yellow.
8. Warm cocoa mixture, and add to the egg yolk mixture. 
9. Whisk until smooth. Place over simmering water if too cool and clumpy.
10. Fold in whipped cream.
11. Fold in merengue, gently.
12. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
13. Enjoy!

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.