madbaker | No squirrels, just mousse

This week's Resolution Recipe: La mousse chocolatée à la cannelle

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup (1/2 pint) cream
3 extra-large eggses, separated

Break the chocolate into pieces and process with the cinnamon in a food processor until very fine. Heat the cream to boiling, and feed into the running food processor in a steady stream. Continue to process for a few seconds until smooth.

Separate the eggses. Add the yolks to the hot chocolate mixture, and process for a few seconds to incorporate. Transfer to a largish bowl and cool completely.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. (The Fronch have a phrase for this - "bec d'oiseau", - the whites will hold a peak that is slightly curved like a bird's beak.) Scoop about 1/4 of the whites onto the cool chocolate mixture, and stir them in. Fold the remaining whites in quickly and gently.

Pour into ramekins, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours. The texture is best the day it is made.

What worked: This was delicious. Also pretty easy! Nice cinnamon accent to the chocolate - it wasn't overwhelming, but definitely there. (Ibarra chocolate has a stronger cinnamon flavor, for reference.)

What didn't: This was a last-minute substitution for another recipe that failed miserably; I used low-to-midgrade bittersweet chocolate (Hershey Special Dark). It tasted fine but I'd like to try it with something really good, like Scharffen Berger. Oh wait, that's Hershey too.

Will I make it again? Probably. Easy and elegant, what's not to like?