Sinful Chocolate Mousse Dessert

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 3 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (i use oreo crumbs in the box or nabisco chocolate wafer cookies crushed in the food processor)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
• 1 lb nestle chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 cup whipping cream (to garnish)
• 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 for crust: combine crumbs and butter.
• 2 press on bottom and 2/3 up the sides of a 10 inch springform pan.
• 3 chill in freezer while making filling.
• 4 for filling: melt chocolate chips in the top half of a double boiler over simmering water.
• 5 let cool about 5 minutes.
• 6 add whole eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition.
• 7 (chocolate will stiffen somewhat, just keep beating!) add egg yolks and mix until thoroughly blended.
• 8 whip cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
• 9 beat egg until stiff, but not dry.
• 10 stir about 1/2 c of the whipped cream and 1/2 c the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, to "lighten" it.
• 11 fold in remaining cream and whites until completely incorporated.
• 12 pour into prepared crust and chill at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
• 13 to garnish: sprinkle unflavored gelatin onto remaining 1 c whipping cream to soften.
• 14 add 4 t powdered sugar and whip until firm.
• 15 this whipped cream will hold up indefinitely.
• 16 garnish top of dessert with this.
• 17 you can be fancy and pipe rosettes, or just "fluff" it around the edge of the mousse with a fork.
• 18 a dusting of cocoa powder is a nice finishing touch.
• 19 for a real "show stopper", melt about 4 oz chocolate chips and 3/4 t solid vegetable shortening together.
• 20 coat the underside of waxy leaves, such as camillas, refrigerate until firm.
• 21 peel off the leaves and place the chocolate leaves around the edge of the mousse.