Chocolate Cinnamon Mousse … Life is certainly a bowl of cherries, Chocolate Makes it Better!

Deeba @ PAB

16 years ago

“I just clipped 2 articles from a current magazine. One is a diet guaranteed to drop 5 pounds off my body in a weekend. The other is a recipe for a 6 minute pecan pie.”

Erma Bombeck

Sweet bowl of cherries…

…& Cherries atop a Chocolate-Cinnamon Mousse. Can it get any better?

Coincidentally, my dessert’s set out in Red, White & Blue!! Have a great 4th of July to all of you in the U.S.!!

When summer came round the corner, the first flood of fruit hit us. Amongst them were cherries, a fruit I have always connected with an immensely funny book, ‘If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?’ by Erma Bombeck, an American humorist who achieved great popularity for a newspaper column that depicted suburban home life in the second half of the 20th century. Oft referred to the ‘enchanting lady of laughter’, Erma pens a hilarious account of the domestic dilemmas of life; this book taking swipes at husbands, honeymoon, marriage, tennis elbow, lettuce…”Marriage has no guarantees. If that’s what you’re looking for, go live with a car battery.” LOL!! … Back to the cherry of the matter then…

Luscious, sublime, decadent, luxurious, silken…

…a Gastronomical Treat!

A while ago I was exploring Food Blogga ( a delicious pass time ) & I tripped on this precious recipe….A Quick Chocolate Cinnamon Mousse with Cherries. One look & I was sold! It had everything I was looking for…primarily cherries that I wanted to use in a dessert; was quick, had chocolate & cinnamon too! Susan @ Food Blogga is one of my fave bloggers, & the number of fruity summer sensations stepping out of there are beckoning the ‘Envy Police’…in Ann’s words!! I’m scared of going there because I’m terrified of adding to my already bursting bookmarked folder. Having said that, am just back from there again, with the folder even bigger & my taste-buds happily tantalized. Check out her blog (if you haven’t already…it’s nirvana!!)

Quick Chocolate-Cinnamon Mousse with Cherries
Adapted from Dave Lieberman’s recipe from the June 2007 issue of Bon Appetit.

Cherries:
Fresh cherries – 350 gms, pitted
1/3 cup – Black cherry conserves ( or other cherry preserves)
1/3 cup – cherry juice (or ruby Port ) … I used a squeeze of lime as I had neither
Almond Essence – 1 tsp ( I added this coz I think it enhances the flavour of cherries)
Mousse:
Chilled heavy whipping cream – 2 cups / divided
Ground cinnamon – 2 tsp (generous)
Dark chocolate – 200gms / choppedFor cherries:

Combine cherries, cherry preserves, and juice in heavy small saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium and boil until juices thicken to syrup consistency, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Transfer to small bowl and chill until cold, about 3 hours. ( Can be made 1 day ahead.) Cover and keep chilled.

For mousse:

Combine 1/2 cup cream and cinnamon in small saucepan; bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat remaining cup cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 1/2 of whipped cream into lukewarm chocolate mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture in 3 additions just until incorporated.
Divide mousse among 8 glasses or bowls. Chill until set, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)
Cover; keep chilled.
Spoon cherries with syrup atop mousse and serve. Garnish with chocolate flakes & a sprig of mint. I also added a couple of cherries dipped in melted chocolate on top (which I set earlier on baking parchment).

C’est Magnifique !!

Was busy browsing & found a ‘berry’ event… Waiter, There’s Something in My… the popular monthly foodie event hosted in rotation by Johanna, Andrew and Jeanne. Jeanne @ Cook Sister is hosting it this month, & her theme is ‘Berried Treasure’ – “absolutely any recipe in which berries take centre stage”. Off to Jeanne this ‘berried treasure’ goes!!

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