Mexican Chocolate Mousse with burnt rum
Submitted by adampriest79
Mexican chocolate mousse with flambeed Jamaican rum that burns off the harsh edge and leaves deep, smoky-sweet flavor folded into clouds of whipped cream. A make-ahead dinner-party dessert.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThe showstopper here is the fire. After melting Mexican chocolate with milk until smooth, you pour in Jamaican rum and set it alight, letting the flames burn off the raw alcohol bite and leave behind a deep, caramelized rum flavor that ordinary mousse never gets.
Mexican chocolate brings its own character: the gritty sugar dissolves slowly, so give it the full melting time, and the blend’s hint of cinnamon lends the mousse a warm, spiced edge.
Once the chocolate base cools, it’s folded in two gentle batches into softly whipped cream. Folding rather than stirring keeps the air in, which is exactly what gives the mousse its light, billowy texture instead of a dense pudding.
A few hours in the fridge set it into spoonable clouds. Crown each glass with more whipped cream and serve with crisp cinnamon-almond cookies for dunking. Make it a day ahead for a stress-free dinner party.
Pro Tips
- Flambe carefully: use a long match, keep your face and anything flammable well back, and let the flames die on their own.
- Stir the chocolate the full time until the sugar fully dissolves, or the mousse turns out grainy.
- Cool the chocolate base completely before folding in the cream, or it will deflate the whip.
- Fold gently and in batches to keep the mousse airy.
Variations
- Use a good bittersweet chocolate plus a cinnamon stick if you can’t find Mexican chocolate.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or ancho chile for a spicy Mexican kick.
- Swap the rum for dark spiced rum, bourbon or coffee liqueur.
Ingredients
Directions
Stir chocolate, milk, and salt in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until chocolate melts. Stir constantly until all sugar in chocolate is dissolved, about 13 minutes. Add rum to chocolate; using long match, immediately ignite rum. Carefully stir chocolate mixture with long spoon until flames subside. Transfer chocolate to large bowl. Cool to room temperature.
Using electric mixer, beat 3 cups cream in large bowl until peaks form. Working in 2 batches, fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture.
Divide chocolate mousse among 12 glasses, about ¾ cup for each. Chill mousse until set, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Beat remaining 1 cup cream until peaks form. Place dollop of whipped cream atop mousse in each glass. Serve mousse with Cinnamon-Almond Cookies.
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