Instant chocolate mousse for everyone!

What child (or grown up for that matter )would not enjoy this?

Ready to sit and chill in the fridge until later

I first spied this recipe for Instant chocolate mousse in a Sunday supplement quite a few years ago when they were obviously promoting Nigella Lawson's latest book of the time Nigella Express (2007) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nigella-Express-Lawson/dp/0701181850/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354017518&sr=1-1 (this link I've added is to the paperback, you can still get the hardback version which is what I've used). At the time I duly stashed it away in one of my many folders of collected recipes from magazines and then promptly forgot about it! It wasn't until passing a second hand book shop a few weeks ago that I spotted a copy of the book in the window for a fiver and thought 'bargain, I've only got three other Nigella books!'. So after a quick flick through I was once again reunited with this recipe that looked so appealing years ago. One of the great things about this mousse recipe is that it has a lack of raw egg so there is none of that worry about giving it to small children.

 I may also add I have yet to cook anything else from this book. On reflection there are without doubt some very tempting offerings. Take the Doughnut French toast on page 188 (looks like a sublime sweet treat) or the Juicy beef skewers with horseradish dip (perfect for a standing up buffet). Every single recipe is accompanied by a beautiful photograph of the finished article so you know what you've got to aim for. Like my previous blog entry, this is another fast food book- offering; something we are all grateful for with our eternally busy lives.

A great recipe to do with the kids

Instant chocolate mousse (copyright Nigella Lawson 2007)

Serves 4-6
150g mini marshmallows
50g soft butter
250g good dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
60ml hot water from a recently boiled kettle
1 x 284 ml tub double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melting the ingredients

A good quality vanilla extract is so much better than an essence

Whisking the cream

1. Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
2. Put the saucepan on the hob over a gentle heat to melt the contents, stirring every now and again. Remove from the heat.
3. Next, whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick and then fold into the cooling chocolate mixture until you have a smooth, cohesive mixture.
4. Pour or scrape into 4 glasses or ramekins, about 175ml each in capacity, or 6 smaller (125ml) ones, and chill until you are ready to eat.

Incorporating cream and chocolate mixture

Spooning into bowls

Tips: This mousse is delicious but also very rich! The smaller portion (125ml) seems plenty. Also, don't over whisk the mixture as it will still set after and hour or so in the fridge even it it seems quite runny in the bowl.