Battle of the Quick Chocolate Mousse: Nigella vs. Giada

partysugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:48:31 -0800

Yesterday, while visiting my old friend The Food Network, I watched two episodes - one Nigella and another Giada - in which recipes for a super-simple chocolate mousse-like dessert were made. Both looked divinely delicious and uncomplicated to make - way easier than the chocolate mousse recipe I wrote about awhile ago. I decided to make them both and have a taste test to see which recipe was better. To take a look at the recipes and see the results of the battle between Nigella and Giada's chocolate mousses, read more.
Nigella's recipe included mini marshmallows and no eggs. Giada's involved egg whites and the interesting technique of blitzing the chocolate in a blender. Both used chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars to save time. Nigella's won in taste - rich, dense, and fudgey - while everyone preferred the texture of Giada's which was creamy and super smooth.

Why don't you try making both and tell us which one you prefer?

Instant Chocolate Mousse
From Nigella Lawson

3 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
9 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup hot water from a recently boiled kettle
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate, and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
Put the saucepan on the stove, over heat, though keep it fairly gentle, to melt, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile whip the cream with the vanilla until thick and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture.
Pour or scrape into 4 or 6 glasses or small dishes and chill until you want to eat. The sooner the better!

Serves 4-6.

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Espresso Chocolate Mousse
From Giada De Laurentiis

1/2 cup whole milk
3 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. instant espresso powder
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
3 large egg whites

In a small saucepan over medium heat stir together the milk with the sugar and the espresso powder until the milk is hot, but not boiling, and the sugar is dissolved.
Place the chocolate chips in a blender.
*Pour the hot milk over the chips. Run the blender on high until combined, a few seconds.
Add the egg whites and run the blender on high until light, about 1 minute.
Transfer the mousse to 4 small serving cups. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.

Serves 4,

* When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

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Must-Read: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:30:04 -0800

Party recently polled you about dessert preferences, and it came as no surprise that most of you love dessert in any form. Many of you, however, singled out gooey, sticky sweets as your preference. Naturally, I had this in mind when I came across Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth ($15.61) by pastry chef Jill O'Connor. To find out what I thought of this collection of puddings, cookies, cakes, and sweet pies, read more.

Pros:

Helpful primer explains everything from the differences between types of cocoa powder to the best bristles for a pastry brush.
Desserts strive to be complex, with innovative, sophisticated flavor pairings.
Whimsical, vintage-inspired graphic design makes for an aesthetically pleasing book.
O'Connell adds plenty of personal flourish, telling amusing anecdotes, explaining the story behind every recipe, and sprinkling poignant quips about desserts along the way.

Cons:

Some recipes, like Cap-n Crunch Crispy Treats, are basic, but others - such as a three-page recipe for Coconut Cream Puffs - are tricky and complex.
Unless you're cooking for a party of eight, you may need to cut the recipes in half.
As pretty as the typography is, the ingredient list is written in such small font that it can be difficult to read quickly.
Rather than being easily numbered, the steps are written in paragraph form.

Recipes: The recipes cover just about everything. A few that left my mouth watering:

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake Pots With Shortbread Spoons
Coconut Milk-Cream Cheese Flan
Milky Way Tempura-on-a-Stick
White Trash Panini
Gingersnap Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwiches
Dark Chocolate Soup With Cinnamon-Toasted Pound Cake Croutons
Double-Crumble Hot Apple Pies
Sweet Pink Grapefruit-Tangerine Mousse With Phyllo Ruffles

Imagery: Although only a third of the recipes have pictures, the photographs are vivid, lush, and beautifully arranged.

Overall Rating: If you're a dessert fanatic looking to experiment with creative recipes, this would be the perfect cookbook to turn to. It would also make a gracious hostess gift.

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