Raymond Blanc and Gary Jones are chefs at Le Manoir. Raymond Blanc stresses the importance of using the very best chocolate with around 70% cocoa dark chocolate for this recipe.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS; (4 servings)

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours’ chilling

165 g (51/2 oz) dark chocolate finely chopped (See my recommendation)

25g (1 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder (See my recommendation)

10 organic or free range egg whites

25 g (1 oz) caster sugar

1 organic or free range egg yolk

Whisking the egg whites.

With an electric beater, whisk the egg whites and sugar for 2–3 minutes, until they form soft peaks.

Adding the eggs to the chocolate.

Stir the egg yolk into the chocolate and cocoa mixture and immediately whisk in a quarter of the egg whites to lighten the mixture.

Melting the chocolate.

Place the chocolate and cocoa powder in a large bowl set over a pan of hot water and leave to melt over a low heat; do not boil the water or the chocolate will become grainy. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat. Keep warm over the pan of water while you whisk the egg whites.

Fold in the remaining egg whites with a large spatula, ensuring that you do not over mix or the mousse will be heavy. Pour into a glass bowl or individual glasses and leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours or until required.

Le Manoir aux quat’ Saisons

Church Road

Great Milton

Oxford

OX44 7PD

England

Chocolate Traveller Notes

I recommend for this recipe using Amedei, Incontro 66% dark chocolate couverture, or for a slightly more bitter finish the 72% dark chocolate minigrammes by Michel Cluizel. For a slightly sweeter chocolate then both the Valrhona 61% and 68% also. I would generally not recommend anything higher than 75% cocoa solids for this dessert as there is little additional sweetness in the way of fruits or ice cream to balance anything higher - unless of course you like your chocolate really bitter.