Chocolate Mousse With Puff Pastry Hearts Food

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PUFF PASTRIES

Steps:

• 1. The Pastry: 1. Lay out the two sheets of Puff Pastry. 2. Cut circles out of each sheet of Puff Pastry with a Biscuit/Donut cutter or favorite glass. (about 12 circles or 6 on each sheet) 3. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. 4. Bake at 350 until puffed and lightly golden brown. (Approx: 15 minutes) 5. Pull out of the oven and allow to cool completely. Note: The left over Pastry Dough will be in shapes of triangles as you cut out your circles. You can bake these and place them on the Pastry as added decoration. (Notice photo)
• 2. The Topping: 1. Whip the Cream Cheese until light and fluffy. 2. Add the dry Pudding Mix slowly to the whipped Cream Cheese. This will make it very thick as the Pudding will be setting up. 3. Add 1/4 cup of the Powder Sugar (save the other 1/4 to sprinkle on top of the Pastries) 4. Add the Vanilla, Cocoa and pinch of salt. 5. Slowly add the Cream while whipping on low. Add just enough of the Cream that the topping is stiff enough to pipe onto the Pastry. It should have the consistency of Butter-cream Icing. 6. Fill a pastry bag with the topping and pipe onto the cooled Pastry Shells in small pretty mounds. You only need a couple tablespoons of topping on each Pastry. *You may gently spoon it onto the Pastries but obviously a beautiful effect - if piped. (Notice photo) 7. Top with 1/2 sliced Maraschino Cherry. 8. Sprinkle lightly a little Powdered Sugar!
• 3. Chill until Served. Note: You may add any flavor of Pudding. Vanilla, Banana Cream or Custard. Use your imagination. Me? I am partial to the Chocolate. I just love the Fudgy Chocolate Mousse on the Crunchy Puff Pastry. Enjoy!

MOUSSE-FILLED CHOCOLATE HEARTS

Steps:

• For Hearts:
• Turn two 15x10-inch baking sheets bottom side up. Dab butter on corners. Cover each pan bottom with parchment paper; press paper into butter to anchor.
• Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted. Spread white chocolate over 1 sheet of parchment. Stir semisweet chocolate in clean top of double boiler over simmering water until melted. Spread semisweet chocolate over second sheet of parchment. Chill both sheets until chocolates are dry but still slightly flexible when edge of parchment is lifted, about 3 minutes for dark chocolate and 5 minutes for white chocolate (do not let chocolate harden completely).
• Press heart-shaped cookie cutter about 3 inches long by 3 inches wide into chocolate, forming 12 hearts on each sheet (do not move or lifts hearts). Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• For Mousse:
• Combine both chocolates and butter in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly.
• Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons water and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until candy thermometer registers 238°F, tilting pan if necessary to submerge bulb of thermometer and brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add boiling syrup to whites, beating until firm peaks form and meringue is completely cool, about 5 minutes. Gradually fold lukewarm chocolate mixture into cooled meringue.
• Beat cream and vanilla in small bowl until firm peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Chill until cold, about 1 hour. (Hearts and mousse can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; keep chilled.)
• Turn 1 sheet of hearts out onto work surface. Peel off parchment. Cut around hearts, if necessary, to free from sheet of chocolate. Place on baking sheet and chill; transfer trimmings to small saucepan and reserve. Repeat cutting out hearts from second sheet, reserving trimmings in another small saucepan.
• Arrange 12 hearts on baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup of mousse over each, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top each with another chocolate heart. Refrigerate.
• Using fork, stir dark chocolate trimmings over very low heat just until melted. Using another fork, stir white chocolate trimmings over very low heat just until melted. Using another fork, stir white chocolate trimmings over very low heat just until melted. Dip tines of fork into dark chocolate; wave fork over hearts to form pattern. Repeat with white chocolate. Chill 1 hour to 8 hours. Serve cold.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT MOUSSE CUPS

Steps:

• Bake pastry shells according to package directions. Cool completely., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form., In another bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, Nutella and cinnamon until blended. Fold in whipped cream and chocolate chips. Spoon into pastry shells. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Refrigerate until serving.