Mousse De Chocolate After Eight Recipe

Melt chocolate

Place the chopped dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (double boiler), making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir occasionally until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (about 3–4 minutes).

Temper egg yolks & flavor

Whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar in a small bowl until pale and slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 2 tablespoons of the warm melted chocolate into the yolk mixture to temper, then whisk the tempered yolks back into the rest of the melted chocolate. Stir in the espresso (or hot water) and the finely chopped After Eight wafers. If you want a slightly stronger mint note, stir in up to 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract (optional). Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Whip cream

Pour 300 ml of the cold heavy cream into a chilled mixing bowl and whip to soft peaks using a hand or stand mixer. Do not overwhip; you want soft, billowy peaks that still fold easily. Reserve the remaining 100 ml of cream for folding in and possible thinning.

Beat egg whites

In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until they become frothy. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue whisking to stiff glossy peaks. This can be done with a clean whisk attachment or electric mixer. Gently fold 2–3 tablespoons of the whipped egg whites into the cooled chocolate mixture to lighten it, then carefully fold in the remaining whites until mostly incorporated.

Fold in whipped cream

Fold about half of the whipped cream into the chocolate-egg-white mixture to loosen it, using a large spatula and broad folding motions to keep as much air as possible. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until homogeneous and immaculately aerated. If the mousse looks slightly thick, fold in the reserved 100 ml cold cream a little at a time to reach a spoonable mousse consistency. Taste and add up to 1/2 tsp peppermint extract total if you want extra mint (optional).

Portion the mousse into serving glasses, ramekins, or a single serving dish. Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining finely chopped After Eight wafers into or onto the mousse for flecks of mint chocolate (reserve a few whole wafers for garnish).

Cover the mousse loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably 4 hours, or overnight. This allows the mousse to set and the flavors to meld.

Just before serving, dust the tops with a little cocoa powder, add dark chocolate shavings and garnish each portion with a whole After Eight wafer or a small mint leaf. Serve chilled.