Mousse au chocolat et gingembre

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Ingredients

12 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (60% cacao preferred)
8 1/2 ounces heavy cream
2 ounces butter
2 egg whites
2 ounces confit ginger (available in gourmet stores), thinly minced
2 tablespoons sugar

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe

Melt the chocolate pieces, with 2 ounces of the heavy cream, in the top of a double boiler (a pan set over a pan of simmering water) on medium heat. Add the butter and stir well—until the texture is smooth. Beat the remaining heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed, then set it aside. Beat the egg whites, adding the sugar bit by bit, until they are firm. Gently fold together the whipped cream and the egg white mixture, and add 2 tablespoons of the melted chocolate. Add ginger confit to the chocolate mixture and fold in the cream/egg white/chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for two hours, minimum. Serve in individual small cups or verrines (the famous little glasses used in fancy restaurants for super-mini portions of soup, or for amuses bouche) Note: You can also make a mango coulis. Serve the mousse in the center of a dessert plate, and pour some coulis around it.