Julia Child's Classic Chocolate Mousse with Goat Milk Butter

Prep time: 50 minutes. Servings: 6

Ingredients

6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 ounces goat milk butter, cut into small chunks

¼ cup dark-brewed coffee (optional)

4 large eggs, separated

⅔ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

1 tablespoon water

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

This recipe is originally by Julia Child and is adapted from her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. We substituted regular unsalted butter with our creamy European-style goat milk butter.

Separate the egg whites and yokes and set aside.

Create a double boiler by filling a medium-sized pot one-third full of water and bring to a simmer. Drop down to a medium heat, and sit a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl on top. Melt the chocolate butter together, and add in the coffee if desired. Stir and mix together until smooth, remove from heat, and set aside.

Add ice to a large bowl and set aside.

Place another large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl over the hot pot, and whisk the egg yokes with ½ cup granulated sugar, dark rum, and 1 tablespoon water. This should take a few minutes, and the mixture should become thick like a runny mayonnaise. You can also use a hand mixer for this step.

Remove the bowl from the heat, and place over the ice bowl. Continue to beat until the egg yolk mixture is cool. Slowly fold in the chocolate mixture from earlier.

In another bowl, take the egg whites and a pinch of salt and beat until they're frothy. Continue to beat until they start to hold their shape. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until thick and shiny, but not completely stiff. Then add in the vanilla extract.

Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don’t overdo it or the mousse will lose volume.

Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or divide into 6 or 8 serving dishes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until firm. Garnish with shaved chocolate before serving, and enjoy with fresh berries or fruits of the season.