Search
by Ingredient

Quatorze's Chocolate Praline Mousse

Empty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty starEmpty star

Submitted by bowlfer

Chocolate praline mousse from Quatorze layered with hazelnut praline paste, creme de cacao, and a whisper of espresso. Classic French bistro dessert that chills overnight into pure silk.

YIELD

8 servings

PREP

25 min

COOK

5 min

READY

8 hrs

Quatorze’s chocolate praline mousse is the kind of dessert that built old-school French bistros their reputation. It folds two textures of chocolate, semi-sweet and unsweetened, into a base built on hazelnut praline paste, with creme de cacao and a single tablespoon of espresso for depth.

The technique is the classic chocolate mousse three-fold: melted chocolate and praline base, whipped cream folded in for lift, then beaten egg whites folded in last for that cloud-light finish. Get the order wrong or fold too aggressively and you deflate everything down to chocolate soup.

The overnight chill is non-skippable. Eight hours in the fridge is what lets the cocoa solids set, the cream firm up, and the praline flavor distribute evenly through every spoonful. Skip ahead and you get loose mousse with raw alcohol bite.

Pro Tips

  • Cool the melted chocolate to lukewarm before combining with the praline mixture. Hot chocolate will scramble the egg yolks and seize the whole base.
  • Beat the whites only until stiff but not dry. Overbeaten whites turn grainy and won’t fold smoothly into the heavy chocolate base.
  • Fold the whites in last and use a wide rubber spatula with a gentle cut-and-turn motion. You’re trying to keep all the air you just whipped in.
  • If you can’t find praline paste, blend toasted hazelnuts with caramelized sugar in a food processor until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Variations

  • Swap creme de cacao for Frangelico to amplify the hazelnut.
  • Top each portion with shaved bittersweet chocolate and a few crushed candied hazelnuts for crunch.
  • Layer the mousse with whipped cream and crushed amaretti cookies in stemmed glasses for a parfait-style presentation.

Ingredients

19.3
OUNCE ML/G SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE
semi-sweet, null, null
2 57.8
OUNCES ML/G UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE
2 473
3 3
LARGE LARGE EGGS
separated
¼ 59
½ 118
CUP ML PRALINE PASTE *
0.6
TEASPOON ML SALT
¼ 59
CUP ML CREME DE CACAO
brown *
1 15
TABLESPOON ML UNSALTED BUTTER
melted and cooled to room temp
1 15
TABLESPOON ML ESPRESSO, BREWED
or very strong coffee, cooled *

Directions

  1. Break both the chocolates into chunks and place them in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Heat until melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside and cool to lukewarm.

  2. Whip the cream until it is stiff and doubled in volume. Set it aside.

  3. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Then add the confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until the whites are stiff but not dry. Set them aside.

  4. Combine the praline paste, salt, and creme de cacao in a large mixing bowl. Stir well, and add the egg yolks. Whisk until smooth.

  5. Add the melted butter, espresso and melted chocolate to the praline paste mixture, and blend thoroughly. Then, using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream. Finally, very gently, fold in the egg whites.

  6. Spoon the mousse into individual bowls or a large serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours before serving.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

Comments


 

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 90g (3.2 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 287 88% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 17g 84%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 165mg 55%
Sodium 88mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Sugars g
Protein 8g
Vitamin A 20% Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 5% Iron 6%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, Low Carb, Low Sodium
 

    Email this recipe