chocolate mousse with cointreau and chocolate shards

Desserts

Chocolate Mousse with Cointreau and Chocolate Shards

Back when I used to make chocolate mousse a lot for dinner parties and catering gigs, I often folded in a splash of Cointreau and some chocolate shards, which I thought gave it some extra oomph. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

10.5 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate (valhrona, etc.)
1/2 cup whole milk
pinch salt
1 tablespoon cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Roughly chop 7.5 oz. of the chocolate and put it into a medium, heavy saucepan. Refrigerate the rest of the chocolate until you're ready to use it. Add the milk and salt to the saucepan and gently heat the mixture until the chocolate melts, whisking until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
Meanwhile, grate the cold chocolate so that you have coarse shards and return them to the fridge in a small bowl. Stir the Cointreau into the chocolate mixture, combining thoroughly. Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks, and then gently fold in the cooled chocolate and the chocolate shards, just until combined. Spoon the mousse into 8 individual cups or glasses and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until set. Serve with a sip of Cointreau or Grand Marnier on the side if you like.