Chocolate Mousse a la Julia Child

The other day I was planning a dinner party, and I made a wonderful Braised Eye Of Round Roast from The Art of French Cooking.  It marinaded in a whole liter of Chianti, with Brandy and aromatic vegetables.  Then I braised it in the marinade and thickened it for the gravy.  It was amazing.  Long about 3ish that day, everything was cooking along and I realized that not only had I not planned a dessert, but everything else was done and I had time to make one!

I flipped through the desserts section, and kept seeing recipes that I did not have ingredients for... until I spotted Mousseline Au Chocolat.  I make it a habit to keep chocolate in my cupboard for impromptu cookies, real hot chocolate, etc.  This recipe also didn't call for any heavy whipping cream (which I never have!)  I had leftover coffee in the pot from breakfast, and orange liqueur from another recipe.  I think the orange liqueur would be the only thing that a normally well-stocked baking cupboard might not have.  I think any liqueur would work well - creme de menthe, Kahlua, even just straight vodka with a 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla or almond extract added.  I think it needs to be alcohol to make the eggs work properly but I haven't tried, so not sure - if you try it with regular coffee or something, let me know how it goes!

The recipe is made in 3 parts, but each one can sit and wait once it is complete, so if you need to make this while also doing other things it will work fine.  The yolk mixture takes the most time, so I made it first.  Then it sat there while I melted chocolate, basted my roast, got Anya up from her nap, etc, until I got around to finishing the other parts.  Worked out great.

The finished product was full of airy bubbles that made a nice popping sound when spooned into, but it melted into the smoothest cream in the mouth.  It really did not taste like orange or coffee - my guess is that no one would have thought those ingredients were in there - It just tasted like rich, creamy chocolate.  I will be making this one again, and often!!

Chocolate Mouse - from The Art of French Cooking 

by Julia Child, pg 604

The Yolks Mixture
3qt glass or stainless mixing bowl
Electric mixers or a whisk (I used a whisk - it takes a while, but you don't need to whisk fast)
4 egg yolks (save the whites for later)
3/4C powdered sugar
1/4C orange liqueur (or other liqueur)
small saucepan of barely simmering water (for double boiler - make the level of water low enough that it won't touch your mixing bowl)
a bow of cold water (I added  ice cubes) that WILL touch your bowl

The Chocolate
Small mixing bowl
same saucepan of simmering water

6 oz semi sweet chocolate (I had 4 squares of Bakers Chocolate, and I added 1/4C semisweet chocolate chips)
1/4C strong coffee (I used leftover from breakfast, espresso might have given more flavor)
1 1/2 sticks of butter, room temp (12T - yeah, its alot!)

The Whites
medium mixing bowl
electric hand mixers (unless you are super hard core... I'm not)
4 saved egg whites
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon regular sugar

1. Beat the egg yolks and powdered sugar with a whisk until the mixture is pale yellow, thick and the mixture falls in a ribbon when drizzled into the bowl.  Beat in the liqueur and place bowl over the small saucepan of hot water.  Whisk continuously (doesn't need to be super fast, just don't let it sit and cook!) until the mixture is foamy and too hot for your finger.  Then move your mixing bowl over to the cold water and mix until the yolks have cooled to room temp. and will drizzle in a ribbon again.  Set aside - it can hold for a while.
2. Place your chocolate (chop it roughly if you have baker's squares) in a small mixing bowl along with the coffee - YES you can mix chocolate and water!!  It has to do with the temperature you begin with when the water is added.  It mill melt together if you start everything at room temp, while the chocolate is still solid.  Place over your simmering water and melt - I used a rubber spatula to mix and mash as it melted - you need to keep the chocolate moving while it melts into the coffee.  
3. When it is finished melting, remove from heat and beat in the softened butter with a whisk - about 1T at a time.  When it is smooth and creamy, whisk the chocolate into the yolks - it should be room temp by now, and won't cook the eggs.
4. In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle on the sugar and beat until stiff.  WHISK in 1/4 of the mixture - this lightened the heavy chocolate to make it easier to fold.  Then, gently fold in the rest, incorporating as much of the white as you can - a few streaks or lumps may remain.  
5. Pour into a large serving dish, or into individual serving dishes.  Serve with whipped cream if you have it, but I didn't have any and it was so rich that it didn't need any!
6. Refrigerate 2+ hours, covered.  Makes about 5C of mousse - 10 1/2C servings!

Enjoy!

Alterations -

1. You may stir in extras as you add the chocolate to the yolks - the original recipe called for candied orange peel.  Other ideas might be mini chocolate chips, nuts, crushed peppermints, espresso powder, etc.
2. Lightly oil a 6C ring mold, pour in, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours until quite firm.  Dip mold into hot water for 1 second and unmold onto chilled serving dish.  Fill center with fruit or whipped cream (or both!)
3. Line a serving dish with sliced ladyfingers, pound cake, etc.  Fill with mousse and refrigerate, then unmold onto chilled serving dish. Decorate with whipped cream and fruit.

The Great Pectin Debate - liquid vs. powdered - with Jalapeno Jelly Experiment

Jalapeno Jelly - a bit too green...

So, it was inevitable - soon after starting to can, I start reading recipes that called for ONLY liquid pectin, or ONLY powdered pectin.  I checked online, in my Blue Ball Cookbook, and everyone says NOT INTERCHANGEABLE!!! 


But why?  Liquid pectin is usually well over 2x more expensive, plus you need more of it, which makes the cost go up even more.  Powdered pectin can be bought bulk in a jar, which makes it even cheaper than per box.  I wanted to know for sure whether or not I could convert a liquid pectin recipe to a powdered one.  So I did a little experiment.


Below is a recipe for Jalapeno Jelly from my friend Naomi S. - basically the one from the Ball Blue Book, but with the addition of a bell pepper to give the jelly more chunks. (I didn't have a bell pepper on hand, so my jelly is rather chunk-less)  I had enough jalapenos to make 1 batch, so I divided it into 2 half-batches.  One would use the original liquid pectin just as the recipe states, and the other I would try to convert to powder.


Short Story - both batches turned out perfectly.  Below I will list both recipes and you can take your pick!!


Longer story - it is true that you cannot just substitute liquid and powdered pectin, because they work in different ways.  You have to change the recipe.

• For liquid pectin, you bring all ingredients to a boil, boil for 10 minutes, then squeeze in the liquid pectin, boil for 1 minute, then process.
• For powdered pectin you bring all ingredients (including powdered pectin) except sugar to a boil.  add sugar all at once, boil 1 minute, then process.

 So that's what I did.

• For the original jelly recipe, I brought it all to a boil for 10 minutes, added liquid pectin, boiled 1 minute, poured into jars, processed.  Jelly set on the sides of the pan while I was pouring, perfectly stiff jelly after boiling bath.  
• For my experiment recipe I brought everything except the sugar to a boil, added sugar, returned to a boil for 1 minute, poured into jars, processed.  Jelly set on the sides of the pan while I was pouring, jelly still slightly liquid straight out of the bath, set very firm by morning.

Fini!  Code cracked, mystery solved.  I'm still not sure why they need 2 kinds of pectin, or why one would be preferable to the other.  I've heard that the powdered pectin lends a dark/muddy tint, and it certainly looked that way in the pan - darker than the liquid pectin batch.  But the processed jars look the same to me.  I did use the food coloring to help with the color on both batches.  Cooked jalapenos are not very pretty.  Think 'overdone broccoli'.


Please feel free to use the recipe below to make Jalapeno Jelly out of liquid or powdered pectin, and enjoy the fruits of your labor!! Another bonus of using the powdered pectin, is that you don't have to cook 'n' stir for 10 minutes!!

Jalapeno Jelly - using liquid pectin

8 large or 12 small jalapenos (12 oz)

1 whole bell pepper, seeded (orange or red preferably)

6 C sugar
2C white vinegar, divided

2 pouches liquid pectin 
3-5 drops green food coloring

1. Remove the tops and seeds of all peppers (keep 1 jalapeno with the seeds in for mild heat, more if you like). Grind all seeded peppers in food processor or blender with 1C of the vinegar.  Add peppers, SUGAR and remaining vinegar into a sauce pan.  
2. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes.  Add pectin and return to rolling boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.  Stir in food coloring, 1-2 drops at a time (I used like 8 drops accidentally, and it's WAAAAYYYY too green and fake looking :-(
   
3. Pour into hot jars, adjust lids and process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Jalapeno Jelly - using powdered pectin

8 large or 12 small jalapenos (12 oz)

1 whole bell pepper, seeded (orange or red preferably)

6 C sugar - pre-measured into a bowl

2C white vinegar, divided

1 box powdered pectin (6 tablespoons from a bulk jar)

3-5 drops green food coloring

1.  Remove the tops and seeds of all peppers (keep 1 jalapeno with the seeds in for mild heat, more if you like). Grind all seeded peppers in food processor or blender with 1C of the vinegar.  Add peppers, PECTIN and remaining vinegar into a sauce pan. 
2. Bring to a rolling boil, add sugar all at once, then stir until melted.  If your jelly starts to set immediately (mine did) you might find it helpful to use a whisk.  But it will all melt eventually, so don't worry.  Bring back to a rolling boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.  Stir in food coloring 1-2 drops at a time (I used like 8 drops accidentally, and it's WAAAAYYYY too green and fake looking :-(
3. Pour into hot jars, adjust lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
   

Sweet Garden Relish

Hot jars waiting for labels

I based my version on a recipe here.  I added a couple of spices, and some squash.  Otherwise, the recipe is about the same.

Utensils:
food processor (or a knife, cutting board and lots of time)

jar lifter
magnetic lid lifter
funnel
ladle/measuring cup
wooden spoon

Veggies:
6C chopped cucumbers
3C chopped yellow squash
3 red/green bell peppers
2 onions
1/2C canning/pickling salt
cold tap water

Pickling Spices:
2C apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon celery seed
1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
1/2 Tablespoon peppercorns (I used mixed colored)
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon citric acid (optional, to protect color)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

1. Wash and dry 10 half pint jars and lids.
2. Run all your veggies through a food processor until your desired dice.  Chunky or fine, it's up to you.  Place them in a large bowl and mix well.  Sprinkle salt over all, cover with cold tap water and soak for 2 hours.
3. Start your water bath canner heating on the stove - cover it to speed the process up.
4. Drain veggies in a colander then rinse well with cold water - DO NOT SKIP THE RINSING! I nearly ruined a batch by forgetting to rinse the salt out.  After the veggies taste unsalted again, leave in the colander to drain for 20 minutes or so.  We want as much water out as possible - you can press and squeeze to speed this up.
5. Meanwhile, mix together all the pickling spices in a large pot and bring to a simmer.
6. When the veggies are drained, add to the pickling spices pot.  Stir well and bring to a simmer.
7. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, turn off, and add your lids.
8. Your water bath should be boiling by now (if not, turn off your relish and then bring it back to a simmer when your water is boiling)  I like to use my water bath to sanitize my jars, so put your 10 jars down into the boiling water - it helps to hold your jar on the end of a wooden spoon, then lower it down slowly.  
9. After 3-5 minutes sanitizing, you are ready to pack.  Use your jar lifter to bring out 1 jar and pour the boiling water back into the canner.  Set it on a dry washcloth or towel near your stove, relish, lids and rings.  Use a funnel and ladle to fill your jar to about halfway up the threads - leaving 1/2" headspace.  If your relish is chunky, run a chopstick up and down the inside a few times to release bubbles.
10. Wipe the rim with a wet washcloth, use the magnetic lid lifter to bring a lid out of the hot water, place on jar and add a ring - only fingertip tight.  Set the packed jar on the counter near your waterbath.
11. Fill all jars the same way - I got 9 half-pints from my batch.  I always prep an extra jar or 2 just in case.
12. Add your jars to the waterbath, then wait for it to return to a good rolling boil.  Time it for 10 minutes.
13. Remove jars to a thick towel or cooling rack - they must not touch, and need to be undisturbed for 12 hours.
14. After 12 hours, check for seal - the lid should not pop up and down.  Any that are not sealed may be reprocessed, or just stored in the fridge and eaten first.

Eat on hotdogs, burgers, brauts, chips - anything!

Sweet Garden Relish

Hot jars waiting for labels

I based my version on a recipe here.  I added a couple of spices, and some squash.  Otherwise, the recipe is about the same.

Utensils:
food processor (or a knife, cutting board and lots of time)

jar lifter
magnetic lid lifter
funnel
ladle/measuring cup
wooden spoon

Veggies:
6C chopped cucumbers
3C chopped yellow squash
3 red/green bell peppers
2 onions
1/2C canning/pickling salt
cold tap water

Pickling Spices:
2C apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon celery seed
1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
1/2 Tablespoon peppercorns (I used mixed colored)
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon citric acid (optional, to protect color)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

1. Wash and dry 10 half pint jars and lids.
2. Run all your veggies through a food processor until your desired dice.  Chunky or fine, it's up to you.  Place them in a large bowl and mix well.  Sprinkle salt over all, cover with cold tap water and soak for 2 hours.
3. Start your water bath canner heating on the stove - cover it to speed the process up.
4. Drain veggies in a colander then rinse well with cold water - DO NOT SKIP THE RINSING! I nearly ruined a batch by forgetting to rinse the salt out.  After the veggies taste unsalted again, leave in the colander to drain for 20 minutes or so.  We want as much water out as possible - you can press and squeeze to speed this up.
5. Meanwhile, mix together all the pickling spices in a large pot and bring to a simmer.
6. When the veggies are drained, add to the pickling spices pot.  Stir well and bring to a simmer.
7. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, turn off, and add your lids.
8. Your water bath should be boiling by now (if not, turn off your relish and then bring it back to a simmer when your water is boiling)  I like to use my water bath to sanitize my jars, so put your 10 jars down into the boiling water - it helps to hold your jar on the end of a wooden spoon, then lower it down slowly.  
9. After 3-5 minutes sanitizing, you are ready to pack.  Use your jar lifter to bring out 1 jar and pour the boiling water back into the canner.  Set it on a dry washcloth or towel near your stove, relish, lids and rings.  Use a funnel and ladle to fill your jar to about halfway up the threads - leaving 1/2" headspace.  If your relish is chunky, run a chopstick up and down the inside a few times to release bubbles.
10. Wipe the rim with a wet washcloth, use the magnetic lid lifter to bring a lid out of the hot water, place on jar and add a ring - only fingertip tight.  Set the packed jar on the counter near your waterbath.
11. Fill all jars the same way - I got 9 half-pints from my batch.  I always prep an extra jar or 2 just in case.
12. Add your jars to the waterbath, then wait for it to return to a good rolling boil.  Time it for 10 minutes.
13. Remove jars to a thick towel or cooling rack - they must not touch, and need to be undisturbed for 12 hours.
14. After 12 hours, check for seal - the lid should not pop up and down.  Any that are not sealed may be reprocessed, or just stored in the fridge and eaten first.

Eat on hotdogs, burgers, brauts, chips - anything!

Garlic Dill Pickles - for 12 pints

This recipe is from Joel Johnson's mom, Debbie.  It makes crisp, crunchy dill pickles - sliced or whole!!

Helpful Utensils:
Funnel
Ladle or Measuring Cup
Magnetic lid Lifter
Jar Lifter

Stovetop:
3qt water
1qt apple cider vinegar
1 cup canning/pickling salt (or plain non-iodized)
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.  Pack jars while simmering.

Jars:
12 pint jars, lids and rings
8-12 cucumbers (depending on size) well scrubbed
12 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced in half
fresh or dried dill heads - see note in recipe

Prep:
Bring pickling liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer.


Bring water bath canner to a boil.  This recipe processes quickly, so I just used my biggest stock pot and worked in batches.

Wash jars and lids thoroughly.  Place jars in boiling canning-water for a few minutes to sterilize, then remove to a thick towel to cool.  Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, turn off, and place lids in the water to sterilize and remain clean.

For dill - Dill flowers are not as strongly flavored as dill seeds.  If you have flowering heads, use about 1 whole head per jar.  If your dill heads have already gone to seed, break off about 4 small seed-stalks per jar.

Slice your cucumbers (see below for whole pickle instructions) and be sure to discard the stalk and flowering ends.

Packing:
Place a few slices of cucumber on the bottom of a jar.  Add 1/2 the dill and 1/2 a piece of garlic (if you are using 1 whole head, try to tuck it down the side of the jar - it's pretty!)  Fill the jar to the bottom of the threads with cucumber slices.  Try to alternate the slices so they are not stuck together in stacks - there needs to be room for the liquid to circulate.   Add the other 1/2 of the garlic and dill on top.

Use the funnel and a ladle to add simmering pickling liquid to the jar.  Fill to about 1/2 way up the threads - leaving around 1/2" headspace.  Be sure the cucumbers are under the liquid - remove a slice or 2 if necessary.

Use a wooden spoon handle, chopstick, or other long thin utensil to slide up and down around the inside of the jar to remove bubbles stuck between the slices.  Press the cucumbers down to push them under the liquid again.

Wipe the rim with a hot, wet washcloth, place a hot lid on top, and tighten the ring finger-tight.  Do not over tighten.

Processing:
Place jars (as many as you can fit) into the boiling water canner.  Once water has returned to a rolling boil, time for 5 minutes.  Use the jar lifter to remove jars to a thick, folded towel or a cooling rack.  Be sure the jars are not touching, and will not get splashed by water, or need to be moved for 12 hours.  After 12 hours, check for seal by tapping the top with a spoon or your fingernail - it should have a high pitched ring, not a dull thud.  The top should be flexed down toward the jar, and should not move when pressed.  Any un-sealed jars can be re-processed within 24 hours, or just keep them in the fridge.

Curing:
Pickles should be allowed to cure for 8 weeks or longer before eating.  Mark the lid with process date and earliest opening date.

For Whole Pickles:
Follow the recipe exactly, except the whole pickles must be first soaked in ice water for a minimum of 2 hours, and up to 8 hours.  Be sure to trim off both ends (the stem is tough, and the blossom end can harbor bacteria)

NOTE - The USDA recommends processing pickles for 15 minutes.  This original recipe states 5 minutes only.  Personally, I feel confident that the amount of vinegar and salt will preserve the pickles and make them safe to eat - the processing is only to make the jar air-tight enough to prevent new bacteria from entering the jar.  If you process for 15 minutes, the pickles may or may not retain their crunch.  Proceed as your conscience dictates.