Mocha Mousse Cups

As I was flipping through my cookbooks looking for inspiration for a Saturday dinner party with my bestie Miss M and her family, the ingredients of this particular mocha dessert by Gordon Ramsay caught my eyes: dark chocolate + espresso coffee + mascarpone = heavenly!

The texture of this dessert is very dense and solid, unlike the usual light as air mousse cups. A tiny espresso cup size will very well fill you up.

Gordon Ramsay: "This is a delicious, no-bake mocha dessert that uses mascarpone rather than eggs as a base for the mousse. Do make the espresso strong - the coffee flavour needs to hold up against the chocolate. If you don't have an espresso maker, get a double espresso takeaway from your nearest coffee shop!"

Gordon Ramsay's Mocha Mousse Cups Recipe

(Adapted from Gordon Ramsay's Sunday Lunch Coffee and Chocolate Mousse Cups)
Serves 4

Ingredients

100 g good-quality dark chocolate (about 60-65% cocoa solids)

125 g mascarpone

2 tbsp icing sugar

4 tbsp strong espresso coffee, cooled

150 ml double cream

To finish:

4 tbsp double cream

a little dark grated chocolate

few amaretti biscuits, crushed

Method

1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth, then remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool.
2. With a hand whisk, beat the mascarpone and icing sugar together until smooth, then whisk in the espresso and the melted chocolate. (Tip: To melt chocolate in a microwave, break into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Microwave on high for a minute, give the pieces a stir, then microwave again for another minute. Stir the chocolate until smooth. This method is only suitable for plain or dark chocolate. White chocolate, in particular, is likely seize as it overheats in the microwave)
3. In another bowl, whip the double cream until soft peak form. Fold the cream into the mocha mixture until well combined. Spoon the mousse into four espresso / cappuccino cups or ramekins and chill overnight.
4. Just before serving, lightly whip the 4 tbsp double cream until thick and swirl over of the mousses. Sprinkle the grated chocolate and crushed amaretti on top and serve immediately.