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Chocolate mousse with pink grapefruit and vanilla cream

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for chocolate mousse with pink grapefruit and vanilla cream.

By Alice Storey
  • 25 mins preparation
  • 25 mins cooking plus chilling, cooling
  • Serves 10 - 12
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Chocolate mousse with pink grapefruit and vanilla cream
Piled high with soft peaks of cream and glistening pink grapefruit, this dessert - inspired by a Delia Smith recipe - is a real show-stopper for a dinner party. It can easily be made ahead; simply prepare all the elements and assemble just before serving.

Ingredients

  • 300 gm each dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) and dark chocolate (55% cocoa solids), finely chopped
  • 9 eggs, separated
  • 100 gm caster sugar
Pink grapefruit garnish
  • 4 pink grapefruit, peeled, plus one extra for squeezing
  • Rind of 1 pink grapefruit, cut into julienne
  • 110 gm caster sugar (½ cup)
Vanilla cream
  • 200 ml pouring cream
  • 150 gm crème fraîche
  • 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Method

Main
  • 1
    Stir chocolates and 330ml warm water in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth (4-5 minutes). Cool slightly, then stir in egg yolks. Whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer until soft peaks form (1-2 minutes), then gradually add sugar until incorporated. Fold a large spoonful of eggwhite into chocolate mixture to loosen slightly, then fold in remaining eggwhite in batches. Spoon into a serving bowl (about 3 litres) or individual glasses, smooth top and refrigerate to set (at least 2 hours).
  • 2
    For pink grapefruit garnish, segment the grapefruit over a bowl to catch the juice. Drain off juice (you will need 200ml, so squeeze the extra grapefruit if necessary) and combine in a small saucepan with sugar. Add julienned rind and cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves (1-2 minutes), then simmer until syrupy (12-15 minutes). Set aside to cool, then pour onto grapefruit and refrigerate until required.
  • 3
    Whisk cream, crème fraîche and vanilla seeds in a large bowl until soft peaks form (1 minute; be careful not to over-whisk). Spoon on top of mousse, top with grapefruit and syrup, and serve with remaining grapefruit to the side.