Recipe: Tripple Chocolate Mousse Tart

Alright...I know, I know, the picture look like...crap.  Because I took the picture with my phone at my friend's house.  This is my second attempt of this creation.  The white chocolate mousse did not set in my first attempt.  This one turned out well, but since it was for friends, I couldn't cut it nicely and take forever at getting a perfect picture.  Anyway, I still want to share this delicious recipe with you all.  If you love chocolate, which you should, or else you wouldn't be here, and you love the light yet rich texture of mousse, you will not want to miss this one. 

Crust:
1 box (8 oz.) Hazelnut chocolate biscotti cookies 
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted.

To make the crust, put the cookies in a think plastic zip locked bag, and crush the cookies with a rolling pin until the cookies look like sand.  You may also use a food processor, but hitting it with a rolling pin is more therapeutic.  
Add the melted butter to the cookies crumbs, and mix until the crumbs look like damp sand.  Spread the crumbs into a 9" springform pan, and press down the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to form a crust.  Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set. 


Mousse*:

White chocolate mousse:
   8 oz. good white chocolate*
   1 cup of heavy cream


The white chocolate mousse is actually surprisingly simple to make.  Just melt the white chocolate over a double boiler until completely melted.  Let it cool.  Beat the heavy cream until stiff peak.  Spoon 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cooled white chocolate, and mix in to lighten up the mixture.  Spoon half of the remaining whipped cream, and fold in until uniform in color.  Repeat.  
Pour onto the crust, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before the next process.  
*I used chocolate bars for this, but if you find chocolate chips, they will be easier to use.  But make sure it is very good white chocolate.  


Milk chocolate mousse:
   4 oz. good milk chocolate
   1 cup of heavy cream
   1/4 cup sugar
   1/4 cup water
   3 egg yolks

Start by beating the eggs on medium high speed with a hand-held mixer until pale and thick, around 5-7 minutes.  Add the sugar and water in a small sauce pan, and melt over medium heat.  The sugar should be cooked until big bubbles formed, thickened, and just start to change color.  Slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the eggs with mixer on medium low.  This will sweetened and thickened the eggs even more.  
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over double boiler.  Once completely melted, add the chocolate into the egg mixture and mix in well.  The mixture will be quite thick.  Beat the heavy cream until stiff peak, and fold it into the chocolate mixture.  Pour into the prepared pan and chill in the fridge.  


Dark chocolate mousse:
   4 oz. good dark chocolate (72%)
   1 cup of heavy cream
   1/3 cup sugar
   1/3 cup water
   3 egg yolks


Follow the same steps above.  
I used more sugar for dark chocolate because dark chocolate is more bitter.  But if you love the bitterness of dark chocolate, you can use 1/4 cup of sugar instead.  It will also show better contrast in flavor.  


To assemble, simply make the mousse, and pour it onto the previous layer.  Feel free to change the order of the layers.  Make sure the tart is chilled at least over 4 hours before serving.  

About 12 servings. 

Good Luck & Enjoy!!!

Jacquez Torres Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies review

My cousin is visiting from New York, and she brought me a Jacquez Torres dark chocolate chip cookies.  No wonder that she is my favorite cousin!!  And apparently, J.T.'s cookie is the best in New York.  With that reputation, I definitely need to give it a try.  

If you like chocolate, this cookie will definitely satisfy your cravings.  It was so chocolaty, with about 70% of the cookie occupied with dark chocolate.  As you break it in your hands, you can see the layers of chocolates inside the cookie, like marble.  J.T. did not use chocolate chips, but chocolate disks apparently, so you see the layers of chocolates throughout the cookie.  The cookie I received had lots of chocolate oozed out of the cookie....  Mmmmmmmmm...no need to say more.

The texture of the cookie was on the hard and crumbly side.  I personally preferred soft and chewy cookies, so the texture was not quite for me.  But the cookie was very rich, and you can definitely taste the butter inside it.  The cookie itself was not too sweet, and had a very nice balance of flavor.  The chocolate has very strong chocolate flavor and aroma, and really stood out in the cookies.  I may not give it the title of the best, but it is definitely worth trying.  

I give it a 8 out of 10.

Milka Milk Chocolate with Caramel Creme Filling Review

Milka sure love their milk chocolates.  And God bless them, because the chocolates are divine!!  This particular chocolate bar is filled with gooey caramel, and that is insane.  Slightly salted caramel with creamy smooth milk chocolate are married so well together, and you really cannot stop with just one square.  There is also a caramel creme in the middle, with a similar texture of smooth chocolate.  As the chocolate melts in your mouth, the caramel ooze out, and excites your taste buds.  It is like sweetness heaven.  



I give it a 8 out of 10.

Ritter Sport Trauben Nuss Chocolate Review

I am certain that Ritter Sport knew very well that hazelnuts compliment chocolate very well, so many of the chocolates from Ritter Sport have hazelnuts in them.  This particular chocolate bar has milk chocolate with hazelnuts and concord grape raisins.  The combination was very unique, and the raisin gave a depth to the chocolate.  As the milk chocolate melts in your mouth, you get the crunchy texture from the hazelnuts, but also the chewy raisins.  The raisins have a slight tartness, and complimented so well with the chocolate with the unique grape fragrance.  With the different flavors and textures, it was like a party in my mouth!

I give it a 8.5 out of 10.