Serves 6-8
¼ cup Grand Marnier
1 tbsp sugar
230g bittersweet chocolate
2 cups whipping cream
chocolate shavings or curls, to serve*
Pour Grand Marnier into a tempered glass or stainless steel bowl. Sprinkle in sugar, stirring to dissolve. Put about 5cm of water in a medium-size pot and bring to a gentle simmer. While water is heating, chop chocolate and add to the bowl. Set the bowl over the pot.
Reduce heat so water is barely simmering. Stir occasionally until mixture is glistening and not quite smooth. Remove bowl from the heat; set aside. The residual heat from the bowl will finish the melting process.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl whip cream until soft peaks form. Add about a quarter of the whipped cream to the chocolate; whisk together. This will prevent the melted chocolate from seizing when it hits the cream and make it easier to bring the mousse together uniformly.
Gently pour chocolate mixture into the whipped cream and use quick, delicate strokes to fold until smooth and luxurious.
Transfer to a serving bowl or individual bowls or glasses and refrigerate until firm. Chocolate cream can be made a day or two in advance. Serve with chocolate shavings or curls.
*To make chocolate shavings, draw a sharp vegetable peeler down the side of a block of chocolate.
To make curls, melt a small amount of chocolate over hot water. Use an offset spatula to spread it over a baking sheet.
Place it in the refrigerator to set: about 15 minutes. When the chocolate has cooled sufficiently, pull the side of a spoon along it in one long definite stroke – a 10cm pull makes a nice curl. Place curls on a wax paper-lined tray and refrigerate until you are ready to use them.
This is an extract from The Antarctic Book of Cooking and Cleaning by Carol Devine and Wendy Trusler