Chocolate Mousse, Reinvented

I'd made chocolate mousse, several times, using three different recipes, hoping to find perfection. The results were less than stellar. The bittersweet chocolate taste was overwhelming; the mousse, too stiff. Some called for beaten egg whites for that final 'thickening ' step. Raw egg was to be avoided by the very young and old, too scary for me, anytime.

I began looking at the ingredients in chocolate mousse recipes, realizing changing their 'values' could bring about a better result, a less firm product, a more enjoyable one, too, perhaps. Intense chocolate flavour was not my goal. Eggs were increased as was the whole milk, with whipped cream added last, folded in, after the 'pudding' had cooled. A few recipes call for meringue to be added at the appropriate time yet meringue is simply another word for raw egg whites.

I have always loved chocolate mousse, its texture and taste were unsurpassed. Using organic ingredients made it a safe choice, anytime. (Women 's bodies need clean ingredients to function properly since additives, processed foods lead to fat storage in our bodies). I choose organic whipping cream and milk, the best there is. (Organic whipping cream beats quicker, remains firm, longer and tastes incredible) There was one very simple recipe I recall that asks for hot milk to be added to an egg yolk with chocolate pieces, in a mug, then stirred quickly to dissolve the chocolate and 'cook' the yolk. I hadn't tried it but at the time it seemed like such an easy solution to chocolate mousse. At least the hot milk helped to cook the yolk, somewhat.

The online world is awash with many versions of chocolate mousse. Choosing chocolate with less intense flavour, 70% cacao, perhaps, will lead to a milder flavoured mousse. Any recipe I use will always be under inspection since it will become a dessert eaten by me and family. A small quantity of sugar is added. Remember to use sugar sparingly. It is an ingredient, not a food group, in 'dessert'. Its role is simply to impart flavour and provide some structure whenever necessary. Two or three cups of this sweetener in any recipe is a disaster. Use much less unless the quantity of flour and eggs matches sugar in quantity. In mousse, sugar is only 2 tablespoons, or less.

The mousse recipe called for the cooking of the 'custard', using egg yolks and whole milk, over medium indirect heat until cooked (thickened). (Strong coffee is added as it amplifies the flavour of the chocolate). The pieces of chocolate are melted then added to the hot egg mixture, allowed to cool before the whipped cream is folded into the cooled mixture. Varying your strategies is possible as the ingredients are simple; the steps, so easy.

Altering the 'number' of any recipe gives rise to a new and improved one. I am forever making changes in recipes I use. Dates, observations and changes are noted. Food is always about health. Even a cake, cookie or pie should be made with that in mind. Changing the amounts of ingredients, or even eliminating some in favour of healthier alternatives is my goal. We have only one body. Ready made processed foods should be restricted as the additives, colour enhancers, preservatives and other insidious things added into them only serves to add to our health woes.

In homemade chocolate mousse, I have a clean dessert, containing fat, protein, minerals and vitamins (dairy) and a small amount of sugar. Could that be called lunch? Chocolate mousse with its heart healthy dark chocolate and organic dairy ingredients cater to my occasional dessert must have. A small serving is all it takes to satisfy my desire for something sweet and decadent. It is is free of the massive amounts of sugars and starches that seem to plague other desserts. Few store bought creations we buy, for that end of a meal treat, are devoid of excessive sugars.

One mouthful can doom a store bought dessert for me. I threw out a small chocolate cake, the other day, because it was simply too sweet with goopy icing too much to bear. Our bodies deserve better than that. Chocolate mousse is now my safe place to be.

The Pack Leader of All

He's my go-to guy, the man who rules my doggy world. Cesar Millan, the master of all animal disguises and host of a new breed of animal reality show, Cesar 911, has captured the hearts and minds of animal lovers, everywhere.

From the beginning, Cesar Millan opened my eyes to the crazy world we have inadvertently created with our beloved pets, namely our dogs. Years ago, while introducing two new family pets to my 'kennel' abode, yet again, the barking and jumping began. I remembered Cesar's simple solution to calming agitated pets to new smells through a slightly opened door. Our two retrievers, 'Sally' and Mr. Wiggles followed suit. Company was here! The terrier and mini schnauzer, Mall Cop and his sister, Ella, their cousins, completed their respective performances with a rousing rendition of Tea for Two. Oh, my. I wish this would end. I then thought of Cesar Millan, of Dog Whisperer fame and wondered what he would do in this raucous scenario. Introducing agitated dogs, slowly, to new scents and sounds, through a door, slightly ajar, would help to calm the animals. It seemed to work. Was I the problem? Probably. 

 

Calm and assertive was always my intention, even with our sons. Order would be restored. I follow this simple step, all the time, now, but can't help but think that Cesar Milan has magical powers not present in the rest of us mere mortals. His advice always made sense to me. As I opened the patio doors a couple of inches to allow the scents to co-mingle, the four seemed to calm down so I could talk while they listened till the action began, outdoors. But I still felt there was more to Cesar's “calm and assertive” that I was not doing. I am always a student.

Cesar's advice to "not touch, speak or look at” our dog when it is in an agitated state, with other dogs or humans nearby rang true. We were inviting confrontation, perhaps giving them permission to be unruly. Me? We must never give affection or food during these rousing trials of dominance. (And they need rules, boundaries and limitations.) ... It was a green light to continue. Sound advice. Cesar was definitely the master of all.

On a visit for one of many re-dressing appointments, last year, Sally and I walked up the outside ramp, quickly, before entering the clinic. Through a window, near the entrance, I noticed an elderly canine waiting in the examining room. He turned towards the distraction, - us - as we walked towards the front door. Immediately, he began his 'song'. The 'look' was all that was needed by this majestic elderly canine to unleash his displeasure. He became unwound. His relenting, piercing bark would not end. As we entered the facility, he was still at 'it'. Had he not heard of Cesar? Could his master not control him? It was 'music' to my ears, a laughable poignant moment, courtesy of another dog, not mine. Today, the technicians, other patients and doctors, on duty, knew it was not my Sally kicking up a fuss. It was comical relief, at another's expense. I understood what the other owner must have felt. My problem 'child' was not the only one capable of unsettling the ambiance of the clinic's waiting room. I guess neither of us pack leaders had been 'calm and assertive'. Our pets had other plans. Cesar might have laughed, too, with a solution at hand, however.

On another occasion, as I was about to leave the animal clinic with my girl, I soon realized we had to walk by a giant dog, patiently seated, poised and magnificent, near her master. Would Sally walk calmly by without her usual low level in your face woof-woof directed to all who came near? She had been an outpatient, twice weekly, in the last 9 months for surgeries performed and getting mighty tired of it all. She would shake visibly with every visit, as we waited. Wondering if this calm giant 'cousin' of hers would remain quiet as we walked by, I simply walked out of the examining room, 'calm and assertive', with a stern, leash relaxed, 'Let's go girl'. The approach worked. Neither animal noticed the other as Sally and I exited the waiting room. Cesar was on my mind. Clearly I had been rehabilitated.

We must never lose sight of the qualities of good behaviour in us, our children and pets as we enter the outdoors or Mother Nature's world. For me, Cesar Millan is near as I mingle with the animals I hold dear. We can be both the distraction and the pack leader. I know that now because Cesar tells me so!

Thank you, Cesar, for  helping to make me calm and assertive.