Espresso martini chocolate mousse recipe

1. Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water so it fits snugly but doesn’t touch the water, or in a microwave in 30-sec bursts, stirring between each burst. Set aside.
2. Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk in a non-plastic bowl until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and whisk again to stiff peaks.
3. Add a large spoonful of the whisked egg white to the melted chocolate; mix well. Stir in the hot espresso until fully combined, then add the vodka or water, if using, and mix until smooth and shiny. Gently fold in the remaining whisked egg white with a large metal spoon.
4. Set aside 2 tsp mousse mixture and divide the rest between 4 small Martini glasses or tumblers. Chill for 3 hrs or until set.
5. Add the reserved mousse to the cream and whisk to very soft peaks. Spoon over the chocolate bases, then tap the glasses gently to level; chill for 30 mins. Decorate each glass with 2-3 coffee beans to serve and a sprinkle of espresso powder, if you like.

Tip: You can make the bases up to 24 hrs ahead and spoon over the cream up to 4 hrs ahead. The leftover egg yolks can be added to cheese sauces for extra richness, or used to make custard or curds.

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