The French red chili pepper Piment d’Espelette is not the first thing you’d associate with a chocolate mousse recipe. But this spice from the Basque region of France is used in both savory and sweet dishes. Its delicate aromas will jazz up any classic recipe with chocolate.
Here’s an easy recipe for Chocolate Mousse with Piment d’Espelette. It will take only 5 minutes to make and 20 minutes in the freezer before serving.
Chocolate Mousse Recipe with Piment d’Espelette
Serves 4. Prep time: 10 min. Chilling time: 20 min.
Ingredients:
200 grams / 7 ounces of Dark Chocolate
100 grams / 3.5 ounces of Unsalted butter
4 eggs
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp of Piment d’Espelette powder
1/4 tsp of salt
Instructions:
1. Chop up the dark chocolate into pieces. Melt the chocolate with the butter either in a Bain Marie (double boiler) or on medium in the microwave. Stir together until the mixture is smooth and unified.
2. Separate the egg yolks and egg whites. Add the egg yolks into the melted chocolate mixture, then add the Piment d’Espelette powder.
3. Add the salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff. Add in the sugar. Blend 1/3 of the egg whites delicately into the chocolate mixture. Add the remaining amount until all the egg whites are mixed in with the chocolate.
4. Divide the mixture into 4 cold-safe ramekins and place them in the freezer for 20 minutes before serving. You can also leave them to chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Conclusion:
Piment d’Espelette will give your regular chocolate mousse recipe an edge without overwhelming it. It’s not as powerful as other chili peppers so it won’t drown out other flavors.
Here’s a savory recipe of roasted butternut squash and potatoes with Piment d’Espelette and a list of online shops that sell Piment d’Espelette powder.
Learn how to choose the best Piment d’Espelette powder here.
And now you: Do you add spices to classic chocolate recipes to jazz them up a bit? If so, which ones? Have you ever tried Piment d’Espelette?
Leave a comment below and let me know!
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How to choose the best Piment d’Espelette
