Name: Sixpenny’s chocolate-marsala mousse with vanilla ice-cream
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 - 10
Ingredients: 250 gm egg yolks (about 14 egg yolks); 150 gm caster sugar; 150 ml marsala; 200 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped; 500 ml (2 cups) pure cream; 5 gm gellan gum powder (see note); Swiss meringue; 125 gm eggwhite (about 4 eggwhites); 250 gm caster sugar; Vanilla bean ice-cream, to serve

Sixpenny’s chocolate-marsala mousse with vanilla ice-cream

One of the silkiest chocolate mousses you'll have the good fortune to come across.

Serves 8 - 10

Prep

25M

Cook

25M

Total

50M

“Our mead-vinegar custard dessert on our current menu uses the same technique as this chocolate-marsala mousse,” says Dan Puskas, executive chef at Sydney’s Sixpenny.

Ingredients

250 gm egg yolks (about 14 egg yolks)

150 gm caster sugar

150 ml marsala

200 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped

500 ml (2 cups) pure cream

5 gm gellan gum powder (see note)

Swiss meringue

125 gm eggwhite (about 4 eggwhites)

250 gm caster sugar

Vanilla bean ice-cream, to serve

Method

1.Combine yolks, sugar and marsala in a large heatproof bowl set over a large saucepan of barely simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Whisk until thickened and mixture reaches 73ºC on a cooking thermometer (4-5 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in chocolate until melted.

2.Combine cream and gellan gum powder in a saucepan; mix well. Heat over medium heat just until boiling, then simmer for 30 seconds to activate the gellan gum.

3.Pour cream mixture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Working quickly, pour mixture into a deep tray or slice pan to cool to room temperature and set (30 minutes).

4.Meanwhile, to make Swiss meringue, combine eggwhites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a large saucepan of barely simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture reaches 68°C (6-7 minutes). Transfer to a stand mixer and whisk until thick, glossy and completely cooled.

5.Transfer set chocolate mixture to a blender and blend until smooth; transfer to a bowl. Gently fold in Swiss meringue in two batches until just combined. Spoon into serving dishes and refrigerate until chilled and set (3-4 hours). You can also pipe the chilled mixture using a 1.5cm star nozzle. Serve with vanilla bean ice-cream.