Chocolate Mousse (French Bavarois au Chocolat Blanc)

Bavarois (also Bavarian cream or crème bavaroise) is a delicate French chocolate dessert with a creamy, aerated texture. This recipe yields a bavarois that is creamy, deliciously light and an absolute favourite on the dessert menu. For the perfect end result I recommend using finest Belgian chocolate.

1 egg
1 Tbsp. sugar
whipping cream (¼ L)
2 sheets of gelatin, silver
1 Tbsp. white rum
white chocolate (150 g)
5 Tbsp. milk
raspberry coulis or other berry sauce

Break chocolate into pieces and put in a bowl and add the milk.

Heat it 'au bain marie' and stir occasionally until chocolate has melted. Even better: put the non-metallic bowl in the microwave, heat for 2 times 2 minutes on low and stir well. Make sure the chocolate doesn't get too hot, because it will get lumpy (gritty) and useless.

Let the melted chocolate cool down to room temperature, by putting its bowl in a larger bowl with cool water. The water should not be cold, or the chocolate will seize up and require re-melting.

Put egg and sugar in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until light and creamy (about 8 minutes). It should be a very pale yellow in colour.

Soak the gelatin leaves in lots of cold water for about 5 minutes or until soft.

Heat two Tbsp. of water in a bowl or small pan until cooking. Wring out the gelatin to remove excess water. Don't be afraid of it. You can wring it out like a towel. Add the gelatin to the hot water.

Remove gelatin from heat and dissolve the wrung-out gelatin in it. Let it cool a little.

Put the rum, the melted chocolate and the dissolved gelatin into the bowl with the egg mixture. Fold together carefully with a large spoon (or two).

Put the mixture in the fridge and let it set just a little or until you finished the next task:

Whip the cream until stiff.

Carefully fold the cream into the rest of the pudding. Put it in small bowls or one large bowl. You may use a Bavarian mold or simple ramekins for individual portions.

Serve with raspberry sauce.