Double Espresso Please!
african vanielje on Oct 26 2007 at 6:45 pm | Filed under: chocolate, coffee
There are not many things my morning coffee won’t fix. The fact that I make it strong enough to sink the Spanish Armada may have something to do with it. The fact that I’m really fussy about beans and roast and fairtrade and all those coffee snob things also plays a part. But one thing caffiene, no matter how enticingly packaged, can’t fix is a chocolate craving. Especially if that chocolate craving has started in your dreams.
Now I never remember my dreams, but I know, without a shadow of a doubt that I was dreaming of chocolate last night. Not just any chocolate. Deep, dark, bitter chocolate, the kind that reaches down into secret places before unfurling it’s smoky, spicy, floral flavours. The kind of earthy chocolate that you dream of like dreams of Africa. Oh boy am I in trouble! I have work to do today and I know that I’m going to be a wreck unless I get some deep, dark African dreaming chocolate. Not the kind I normally keep hanging around, mostly because it doesn’t last long enough to make it to a cupboard.
Sipping double strength espresso in a futile attempt to stave off industrial strength cravings, I rifle through my chocolate basket. Yes, I have a chocolate basket, and guess what, it’s empty!! Okay, so it’s always empty! Well except for a small nugget of Dark Valrhona. Not enough to have any sort of real impact. But I had to check anyway. In the face of this sort of craving I need to be thorough, which is what leads me to the half -empty handbag I used last week before transferring my keys and purse to a larger version. Jackpot!
A bar of Divine (fairly traded) 70% cocoa solids chocolate. Now I like this chocolate, but it’s not quite as noir as I’d like so I’m going to have to improvise. And so my double dark espresso chocolate mousse is born. I take the last 1/4 cup of espresso in the pot and reduce it down to 2 Tablespoons. If I use the whole bar of chocolate and leave out the cream it should be just about intense enough. A woman with a mission, I have this all whipped up in less than 15 minutes, and licking the bowl will hold me off long enough to let the bulk of the mousse set.
Oh Yeah!! Sometimes it’s great being obsessive….
You’ll find the Double Espresso Chocolate Mousse here, or for all Vanielje Kitchen recipes try
I WANT SOME OF THAT RIGHT NOW PLEASE!!
Sorry, it’s finished!! I know, but I did have a lunch guest and my daughter ate two cups. Posting the recipe momentarily at Vanielje Kitchen Cook Book. It’s dead easy. Just make sure you have fresh eggs you trust and good chocolate.
mm..I can’t imagine why you would have dark chocolate on your mind….LOL!
Ooohhh…I can tell how sinfully rich that mousse is just by gazing at the photo, Inge! It would be just the thing to help lift this blue mood I’ve been in lately. I see from your above comment that its now long gone though…I can see why. It wouldn’t last long around here either.
Marye, I would say it’s my one true vice, but truth is it’s one of many…
Belinda, it’s so easy to make so go ahead and lift the blues
Can I come to your house for breakfast please, Inge! This would definitely wake me up in a good mood ..though the rest of the day would be downhill all the way after that!
I wouldn’t have any chocolate lurking uneaten in the house - would have to drive 30km to the shops to satisfy this craving.
You crack me up! A woman on a mission, indeed. Unlike you, I don’t have much of a sweet-tooth, but like you, if I have sweets it is always excellent dark chocolate, usually taken with my espresso in the afternoons (like I just did!)
Inge, my profile got temporarily messed up and “yogini” is also me - Jeni.
Now look what you’ve done - I’ve got to go and dig in my store cupboard to see if I can find any dark, thick, aromatic chocolate lurking in there. I know there’s a bar somewhere, I know there is…
Kit, I always have chocolate in my house, unless of course I’ve ..erm..eaten it! But you are always welcome.
Jeni, it’s not so much of a sweet tooth as a love of baking and a true addiction to coffee and chocolate. Actually, like you I prefer the dark unsweetened chocolate.
Vanilla, good luck and may the force be with you!
Oh YUM! I’m not nearly as committed a chocoholic as you, but I can’t say no to the coffee and chocolate combo, especially not in mousse form! My favourite winter indulgence is bicerin from Carluccio’s - a cup of espresso plus two little jugs of cream and chocolate sauce respectively. You just mix them together as you see fit. Mmmmmmm.