The Perfect Mousse Au Chocolat

Chocolate mousse has never lost it's attraction of perfect desert to me.. it's basically a mousse that can fit to any type of menue.  Folding method is very crucial and important, don't over whip it, otherwise you will get a chocolate sauce and not mousse. So, treat this mousse as if it's your first date, be gentle to it and love it ! that will guaranty great results! I happen to try mousse au chocolat the first time in 1996 during hotel management school in Switzerland. It was amazing and I was always wondering on how they do it! Now, after many years I have had the privilege to find and try it out myself... a wonder thing that is not rocket science but simply discipline action following the steps that it requires. Celebrity Chefs would certainly become jobless on TV if you follow this recipe and not theirs, TV shows do not always have the best recipe...

Chocolate mousse is all about ingredients and the way you whip the mousse. There are only three ingredients, so they should be fresh and high-quality. Have your bowl and whisk for the egg whites immaculately clean and your cream very cold. If you've done these things, you’ll end up with a rich and perfectly whipped mousse that can kick the ass of any chocolate pudding. Another interesting aspect is that lot's of five star hotels have chocolate mousse on the menue, did you ever noticed that ?

These are the steps that you must strictly follow! Trust me, once you completed the mousse, it can taste even better than sex. So, try it yourself! Here the ingredients and steps!

Ingredients:

5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped1 cup very cold heavy cream
3 large egg whites (no traces of yolk), at room temperature
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Then, the steps!

1. Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Place chocolate and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream in a large heatproof bowl. (Place remaining cream back in the refrigerator until ready to use.) Nest the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Melt chocolate, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula, until smooth and combined with the cream. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Place egg whites in a second large bowl and whisk vigorously until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes (make sure the bowl and whisk have no trace of oil or fat, or the whites will not whip properly); set aside. (Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer.)
4. Clean and dry the whisk (or your beaters if you’re using an electric mixer). Place the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream in a third large bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. (Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer.)
5. Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate, then gently stir in the rest (try not to deflate the whipped cream). Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate-cream mixture just until there are no longer large blobs of whipped cream or egg white (do not over mix).
6. Spoon the mousse or pipe it from a pastry bag into serving cups and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Rien ne va plus! Leave it as it is, don't touch the mousse once these steps are completed! Dont mess it up! 

Spaghetti alle Vongole

In Italy, exact recipes for spaghetti alle vongole vary from region to region and even from market to market place. It's really all about interpretation when we get to prepare this excuisite dish. Everybody believe to master the best Spaghetti Vongole on earth. Well, here is how I see it and I let you do the rest at your home :) Remember that a good cooking will depend on your ingredients and mood! Happiness is to be found along the way and not at the end of the road! So, please enjoy the process of making Spaghetti alle Vongole with your friends and loved ones! 

Some will add chilli, dried or fresh, and occasionally you will see tomatoes added, although I prefer the purist version with no tomatoes and just a hint of dried chilli.

The clams used vary too and can be quite expensive. Always try to use smaller ones that cook quickly and stay tender. You could also use cockles, mussels or razor clams in this dish or canned clams work really well. Look for the Italian brands actually sold as Vongole. Drain and rinse well, then just add them to the softened aromatics and warm through gently.

350-400g dried Spaghetti (My favourite brand is Barilla or Colavita) 

5tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
4 garlic cloves, crushed 
2 large shallots, finely chopped 
1/2tsp dried red chilli 
800g small clams rinsed well in cold running water 
2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 
3tbsp dry white wine 
Salt and freshly ground white pepper 
50g unsalted butter

A video of my best personal inspiration and one of the best Spaghetti Vongole makers on earth, Antonio Carluccio has it all! 

Cook the Spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, then drain. While the Spaghetti is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the clams and gently cook the garlic, shallots and chilli for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the clams with the parsley and white wine, season with salt and pepper, turn up the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 4-5 minutes, giving the occasional stir, until all the clams have opened (one or two may not, so don't keep cooking just for them once most have opened). Add the butter and the drained spaghetti to the pan, stir well over a low heat for a minute and serve immediately.

Et voila! Buon appetito a tutti!