Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Pear and Fig Chutney

Name: Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Pear and Fig Chutney
Yield: makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 10 dried pear halves (10 ounces/280 g), cut into 1/2-inch (1.5-cm) dice; 8 to 12 dried figs (12 ounces/340 g), stemmed, halved, and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) slices; 1 cup (250 ml) water; 2/3 cup (140 g) packed light or dark brown sugar; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar; Four 1-inch (3-cm) strips lemon zest, preferably organic; 1 cinnamon stick; Pinch of ground cloves; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) whiskey or Cognac; 10 ounces (280 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped; 3/4 cups (180 ml) whole milk; 2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar; 4 large egg yolks; 2 teaspoons rum or Cognac; 1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream

December 9, 2011

The surprising zip of fruit chutney counters the richness of mousse au chocolat and adds a whole other dimension to this unconventional dessert. I don’t know if it’s a combination the French would approve of, but when I made it as a pastry chef on a cruise line, a few thousand people gave their consent. Each plate that came back to the kitchen was scraped clean. Unlike traditional chocolate mousse that uses uncooked eggs, this one has a cooked custard base. So, there’s no reason for anyone with concerns about consuming raw eggs to jump ship rather than dive into this dessert full-steam ahead.

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