Inspired by the French bistro tradition of making a big pot of mousse to serve the entire restaurant during one night’s service, this recipe is party food at its finest. What gathering wouldn’t be better than setting up a stack of bowls in the corner of the room and a big bowl of serve-yourself mousse with a few topping options? Each guest can decorate their bowl however they like, and you’ll get compliments on the dessert you prepared a few days before the party.
Mousse techniques can vary greatly—should you whip cream or egg whites or both? Should you melt chocolate alone, in egg yolks, or in cream? — but through a few rounds of testing, we found that this method matches a fluffy texture with a complex chocolate flavor. Heating heavy cream and chocolate together over a double boiler results in a perfectly smooth mixture; The choppy egg yolks provide richness and body, while the soft meringue provides airiness and zing.
Any style of serving bowl will work for this recipe; Although something fancy like glass or porcelain is beautiful, you may need to use a mixing bowl if it’s the largest vessel you have. Don’t stress: I can say from experience that even cheap plastic nesting bowls look attractive when filled with mousse.
When cooling your mousse, leave at least an inch of space between the side of the bowl and the top of the mousse. This will keep the plastic casing off the surface and ensure a smooth, ready-to-scoop-in result.
