MILK CHOCOLATE RHUBARB MOUSSE

Quick to put together, this make-ahead dessert is a surprisingly delicious blending of flavours. By using milk chocolate rather than dark, the mousse will have a rich chocolate flavour without overpowering the subtlety of the rhubarb. The colour of the mousse may be quite light or a darker shade depending on the brand of chocolate you use (in testing, Lindt was lighter, and President’s Choice was darker). When whipping the cream to fold into the chocolate, don’t overdo it—the cream should be barely whipped and still quite fluid. This dessert looks lovely in a clear dessert glass, and for added texture, serve it with a crisp cookie or wafer on the side.

1 batch Roasted Rhubarb (recipe on page 111)

MILK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

4 1/2 oz (125 g) milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces

4 tsp (20 mL) rhubarb syrup (from

Roasted Rhubarb recipe above)

4 tsp (20 mL) water

3/4 cup (175 mL) whipping cream

GARNISH (OPTIONAL)

About 1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream Sugar to taste

1 Strain the rhubarb, reserving the syrup, then place a few pieces of rhubarb in the bottoms of six dessert glasses. Set aside.

2 Place the chopped chocolate, 4 tsp (20 mL) rhubarb syrup and water in a medium heatproof bowl. Reserve the remaining syrup from the Roasted Rhubarb for another use.

3 Place a pot with a few inches of water in the bottom over high heat and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and place the bowl of chocolate mixture over top, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and cool until just warm to the touch.

4 In a medium bowl, whip 3/4 cup (175 mL) cream just until it starts to thicken. It should still flow when you tilt the bowl and barely hold its shape. Add all the cream to the bowl of chocolate, and quickly and carefully, fold the two together just until they’re incorporated, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as you fold. The mousse should still be quite soft but will set upon refrigeration. Be careful not to overmix at this point or the mousse may develop a grainy texture. Divide the mousse among the six dessert glasses, cover and chill until set, about 1 hour. The mousse can be prepared and spooned into glasses up to 1 day ahead.

5 If using the optional garnish, whip the cream to soft peaks with sugar to taste, and dollop onto the mousse. Top with a few pieces of Roasted Rhubarb and serve with a crisp cookie if you like.

Serves 6