White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce

 This is an elegant dessert and a classic combination of flavors. I'm serving it for valentine's day this year but it's equally festive at Christmas. Fans of white chocolate will adore it.


I'm using a combination of Ghirardelli white chocolate chips (mostly) and a bar of Baker's white chocolate (a little), because that's what I have on hand. Typically I prefer Ghirardelli for all my baking needs. The original recipe from Cooks Country called for an uncooked raspberry sauce from frozen berries but I've replaced that with a fresh cooked and strained raspberry sauce. I didn't like the seeds in the original or the texture. I am using some candied pecan chips for garnish and I'll give you that recipe below as well. 


Allowing the mousse to set by refrigerating it for at least 8 hours gives this dessert the right amount of structure: It melts in your mouth but still holds its shape on a spoon. It is not however a light, airy mousse as you might be accustomed to with its chocolate cousin. That is do to the technique used here. The sweet-tart raspberry sauce balances out the richness of the white chocolate mousse. The candied nuts give it a little crunch. 

Ingredients

12 ounces white chocolate, chopped fine
3 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
6 ounces fresh raspberries
4 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons lime juice

Instructions

Stir chocolate, egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons water together in medium glass bowl with rubber spatula. Set bowl over large saucepan of barely simmering water insuring the water does not touch the bowl. Cook, stirring and scraping bowl constantly, until chocolate is just melted. (Once chocolate begins to melt, remove bowl from heat every 10 to 15 seconds and check the water is just barely simmering. This also helps to insure you don't overcook the yolks. Don't rush the process. When fully melted turn off the heat and keep the bowl over the water stirring occasionally as you make the whipped cream.  

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove the chocolate from the warm water and gently whisk one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture until fully combined. Gently fold in remaining whipped cream with rubber spatula, making sure to scrape up any chocolate mixture from bottom of bowl, until no streaks remain.

Distribute mousse evenly among four 6-ounce ramekins or serving glasses. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.

Make the raspberry sauce by combining raspberries, sugar, and lime juice in a small sauce pan set over medium heat. Stir periodically to break down the berries until they form a slightly thickened sauce, about 5-7 minutes. Pour the sauce into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and using a spatula work the sauce through into the bowl. Scrape the thick sauce from the underside of the strainer into the bowl and stir to combine. Discard the seeds. Place the sauce into a small container with a cover and refrigerate until ready for use.

About 1 hour before the meal, gently pour some of the raspberry sauce across the top of each chocolate mousse dessert. Cover and return to refrigerator. Add an optional garnish of candied nuts (recipe below).

Candied Nuts
Any variety of nuts can be used, although I'm partial to pecans, pistachios or cashews for this recipe. 

1/2 cup coarsely chopped raw, unsalted nuts
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Measure and gather all ingredients. Then toast the nuts in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat until the nuts are fragrant and spotty brown. Quickly add the water, sugar and salt and stir with silicone or rubber spatula coating nuts evenly.  Continue stirring and cooking until mixture caramelizes and nuts begin to clump together, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool spread the nuts out. Break up any large clusters and store in an airtight container until ready for use. 
  

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