Dark Chocolate Recipe

Prepare chocolate

Place the chopped 70% dark chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside.

Warm milk

In a small saucepan, warm the whole milk over medium heat just until it begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Tempering

Pour about one third of the warm milk over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds to melt. Stir gently with a spatula or whisk in small circles until smooth and glossy. Add the remaining warm milk in two increments, stirring until fully incorporated. Stir in the cubed unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt until the butter is melted and the ganache is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes).

Egg yolk sabayon

While the chocolate cools, combine the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a medium heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (double boiler), ensuring the bowl bottom does not touch the water. Whisk constantly until the mixture becomes pale, thickened, and forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted — about 4–6 minutes. Remove from the heat and continue whisking for 30 seconds to cool slightly.

Incorporate yolks

Temper the warm chocolate mixture by adding a few spoonfuls of the sabayon into the ganache and whisking to loosen. Then gradually whisk the sabayon into the chocolate mixture until fully combined and smooth. If mixture seems too warm, allow it to cool briefly to slightly above room temperature.

Whip cream

In a chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks using a hand or stand mixer (about 2–3 minutes). Take care not to overwhip; you want soft, billowy peaks.

Fold together

Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate base to lighten it, using a rubber spatula with gentle strokes. Then fold in the remaining cream in two additions until fully incorporated and homogeneous with no streaks. Do not overmix; keep the mousse airy.

Chill

Spoon or pipe the mousse into serving glasses or a serving dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably 3–4 hours, until set and chilled.

Before serving, dust the mousse lightly with cocoa powder. Add a dollop of whipped cream if desired and arrange fresh raspberries and toasted chopped hazelnuts on top or alongside.

Serve chilled. The mousse will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freshen with additional whipped cream and berries when serving.