Chocolate Mousse Alton Brown Food

FOAM WHIPPER CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Create an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water.
• Add enough water to a 10-inch straight-sided saute pan to come 1 inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Combine the chocolate, coffee, water, and sugar in a medium metal bowl and set in the simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is almost completely melted and the sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set the bowl in the ice bath. Whisk until the mixture reaches 60ºF and is the consistency of heavy cream, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the mixture into the cream whipper. Do not fill above the maximum fill line.
• Charge the cream whipper with 1 charger. Shake vertically 16 to 20 times. Set aside for 1 minute. Invert and dispense into small bowls or martini glasses. Serve immediately.

2 NOTE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Fold a kitchen towel into quarters and place in the bottom of a straight-sided, 11-inch sauté pan and fill said pan with an inch or so of water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a bare simmerYou should see steam and tiny bubbles, especially around the edge of the pan., about 190°F.
• Place the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl - either metal or heavy glass will do - and park right on top of the towel. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the chocolate with a rubber or silicone spatula off and on until it's almost melted - 3 to 5 minutes. Then move the bowl to a dry towel on the counter and stir the chocolate until completely melted.
• Whisk the yolks into the chocolate one at a time, followed by the whole egg and the salt. The mixture will look gnarly after the first two yolks, but it will smooth out once everything is in. Allow to cool to room temperature, then...
• Beat the egg whites using the whisk attachment(s) on your stand or electric hand mixer on medium-low speed until foamy -1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and keep beating until the whites form stiff peaks - about 1 minute more. (You'll know you're there when you pull a whisk straight out of the foam, hold it facing up and the points or "peaks" of the egg whites don't fall over.) If the whites start to look dry or chunky, you've gone too far and will need some new egg whites.
• Using the whisk, stir a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Then, switch to a large rubber spatula and gently fold the remaining whites into the chocolate in two doses, rotating the bowl as you go. Stop while your mousse still has tiny streaks of chocolate and white throughout.
• Chill the mousse until it begins to stiffen, about 45 minutes, then divide between four Champagne coupes or small bowls. Allow to warm on the counter 5 minutes prior to serving.

GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Place the chopped chocolate into the bowl of a food processor.
• Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer; be careful not to allow cream to boil over. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Process by pulsing several times until chocolate mixture is smooth. Use as is for glazing. If you wish to make a lighter frosting, allow it to come to room temperature, approximately 2 hours. Once at room temperature, place in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on high for 2 to 3 minutes.

COCOA SYRUP

Steps:

• In a small pot, bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt, and corn syrup. Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Strain and cool to room temperature. Pour into squeeze bottles. Squeeze into cold milk and stir for delicious chocolate milk or serve on your favorite ice cream. And, hey, it's fat free!

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Steps:

• Add enough water to a large saucepan to come 1 inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Please the chocolate, salt, coffee, rum, and butter in a large mixing bowl and set over the simmering water.Don't get water in melting chocolate or it'll seize up. Stir occasionally until almost completely melted. Pull the mixture off the heat while a couple of small pieces are still floating around in there. Cool until just a bit warmer than body temperature (just touch the bowl).
• Pour 1/4 cup of the cream into a metal 1-cup measure and sprinkle in the gelatin. Let soak or "bloom" for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the remaining cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat to medium peaks.
• Carefully heat the bloomed gelatin by swirling the measuring cup over a low gas flame. Don't let it boil.
• Stir the cream-gelatin mixture into the cooled chocolate. Stir one quarter of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream in two doses. There may be streaks of whipped cream still visible in the chocolate, and that's okay. Whatever you do, don't over-mix the mousse.
• Spoon into bowls, mugs, or martini glasses and chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with fruit, if desired, and serve. If mousses are to be refrigerated overnight, chill for 1 hour and then cover each tightly with plastic wrap.

MOO-LESS CHOCOLATE PIE

Steps:

• Place enough water in the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan to come 1 inch up the sides. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Melt the chocolate chips with the liqueur and vanilla in a medium metal bowl set over the simmering water, stirring often with a rubber or silicone spatula. Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture and honey in a blender or food processor and spin until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the filling sets firm.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spin the cookies and sugar in a food processor until fine crumbs. Then drizzle in the butter, pulsing to combine. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom, up the sides and just over the lip of a 9-inch metal pie pan.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven until crust is set and appears dry, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, about 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Chill 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in refrigerator. Chill metal mixing bowl and mixer beaters in freezer.
• In top of a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, coffee, rum and butter. Melt over barely simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove from heat while a couple of chunks are still visible. Cool, stirring occasionally to just above body temperature.
• Pour remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream into a metal measuring cup and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow gelatin to "bloom" for 10 minutes. Then carefully heat by swirling the measuring cup over a low gas flame or candle. Do not boil or gelatin will be damaged. Stir mixture into the cooled chocolate and set aside.
• In the chilled mixing bowl, beat cream to medium peaks. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two doses. There may be streaks of whipped cream in the chocolate and that is fine. Do not over work the mousse.
• Spoon into bowls or martini glasses and chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with fruit and serve.

MARSHMALLOWS - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.
• In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.
• Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping. While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows.
• Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.
• When ready, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

BUFF SMOOTHIE- ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• 1. Combine the soy milk, juice, and fruit in a blender. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 8 hours.
• 2. In the morning or when fruit is thawed, blend fruit on lowest speed and slowly increase to medium speed.
• 3. Once medium speed is reached, blend for one minute.
• 4. Serve.
• Note: I just copied this from the foodnetwork site but gave this my own flair. I used lactose free milk but don't see why one couldn't use regular, and used black currant juice. I also added some mango and papaya, sort of omitting the peaches almost all together. You can also use blackberries or any type of dark colored berry to get the addition of the antioxidants, but I can imagine this would taste good with any fruit. If you can't find a certain type of fruit in the frozen section, just buy it fresh, cut it up or wash it, then freeze in a plastic bag.