dark chocolate mousse with smoked extra virgin olive oil

This chocolate mousse has a twist with a smoky taste from the olive oil. If you want it a little less smoky, you can do half smoked oil and half regular. Alternatively, you could try it with the Lemon, Lime or Mandarin Olive oil.

Author

Lauren Eldridge, Stokehouse

Servings

2

Ingredients

• 150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
• 100g Mount Zero Smoked Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature, separated
• 2 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ tsp Mount Zero Pink Lake Salt
• 50g castor sugar
• 150g thickened cream

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl, placed over a pot of simmering water. Ensure the bowl is not touching the water or you risk burning the chocolate.
2. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, remove from the saucepan and leave to cool for 10 minutes before whisking in the olive oil.
3. Whip the cream to soft peaks and set aside.
4. In a clean bowl, place the egg yolks and caster sugar. Place over the pot of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is pale and thick.
5. To test if it is ready thick enough, you can lift the whisk and create a figure 8 with the mixture that falls from the whisk. If the figure 8 holds, the mixture is ready.
6. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and sea salt.
7. Place the egg whites and a small pinch of pink salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk until firm peaks form (you can also do this step by hand if preferred).
8. Pour the chocolate-oil mixture into the egg yolks mixture and whisk together.  
9. It may look a bit separated but will come together with the addition of the egg whites.
10. Add a third of the beaten egg whites and stir in well too lighten the mixture.
11. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites in two stages.
12. Fold in the whipped cream.
13. Spoon the mousse into your serving cups and leave in the fridge to set. Alternatively, set in a container and scoop the mousse into a serving bowl when ready to eat.