With Valentines Day just around the corner, time to start thinking about some chocolate delicacies.  One of my all time favorites is Chocolate Mousse….I guarantee this recipe is very easy and very quick…did I mention also very very yummy?????

Start out with a few basic ingredients….you can find the “flavorless gelatin” in the “jello” isle of your favorite grocery store.

Ingredients

Place mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.  Add chocolate, butter, expresso (or coffee), and rum (or extract) to a double boiler pan (or a small metal bowl).

Double boiler

Stir until almost melted, its fine if you have a few chunks of chocolate.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Add 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin to ¼ cup of heavy cream.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Heat by swirling the cup over a low gas flame or a candle.

If you don’t have a gas stove

You just want to heat this, do not boil it.  Stir mixture into melted chocolate and set aside.  Remove your chilled bowl and beaters from the freezer and add remaining heavy cream.  Whip cream until soft peaks form when beaters are removed from cream.

Whipped cream

Fold large dollop of cream into chocolate mixture.  Continue adding cream until incorporated into the chocolate mixture.

A dollop of cream

Spoon mouse into chocolate tulip cups or mini fillo shells.  Chill mousse for 1 hour.   Garnish with additional cream, cinnamon sticks and or fresh mint.

Chocolate Tulip Cups

Fillo Shells

Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream, divided
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup expresso (or strong coffee)
2 tablespoons dark rum, or 1 tablespoon rum extract
4 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon flavorless granulated gelatin
1 package Athens Mini Fillo Shells or 12 Chocolate Tulip Cups

Chill metal mixing bowl and mixer beaters in freezer.

In top of a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, expresso, rum and butter over medium heat.  Stir until almost melted, remove from heat.  Let stand, whisking occasionally, until room temperature.

Pour 1/4 cup whipping cream into a metal measuring cup or small pan.  Sprinkle in the gelatin.  Let gelatin “bloom” in pan for about 10 minutes.  Heat by swirling the measuring cup or pan over a low gas flame (or candle).  Do not boil or gelatin will be broken.  Stir gelatin mixture into cooled chocolate and set aside.

Remove chilled mixing bowl and beaters from freezer.  Add remaining whipping cream (1 3/4 cups) and beat to medium peaks.  Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.  Fold in remaining cream.  Do not over mix the mousse, its fine if the chocolate is streaked with the cream.

Spoon mousse into chocolate tulip cups or mini fillo cup shells (cooked according to package directions).  Chill for one hour, garnish with additional whipped cream, cinnamon sticks and or fresh mint, if desired.

Yield:  15 Fillo Shells or 12 Tulip Cups