Chocolate and pistachio frozen mousse

This is an incredibly rich, luscious, dessert for chocolates lovers and haters alike...was a hit with everyone! I had tasted a similar frozen chocolate mousse with pistachios in Rome and was so excited to see Lynn Rossetto Kasper publish a recipe she was given in Parma. I had to immediately rush to the kitchen and try it out! This is one of those recipes I will cherish and recreate to top off many an Italian meal! It is pretty much unaltered and I wouldn't change a thing!























Ingredients:

Chocolate mousse:
5-1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
4 tbsp butter (unsalted)
5 tbsp Marsala
2 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
a pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped

chocolate marsala sauce:
1-1/2 tablespoons instant espresso
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup Marsala
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
5 tsp sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Method:

Chocolate mousse:
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and set aside to cool.

Combine the butter and Marsala in a bowl over boiling water until it starts to bubble then set aside to cool a little. Then beat in the egg yolks and back over boiling water and keep whisking till it thickens. Set aside to cool.

Heat sugar and water until a syrup forms. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Then beat at high speed as you pour the hot sugar syrup into the mixer, then turn to low speed and continue until it reaches room temp.

Fold the egg whites carefully into the chocolate, followed by the whipped cream and the pistachios (set aside a couple tbsp for garnish), then at medium speed until the mixture reaches room temperature. Freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

Chocolate marsala Sauce:

Stir the coffee granules in the boiling water until it dissolves. Combine Marsala, chocolate, and sugar in a bowl and stir over hot water until a smooth sauce is formed. Stir in the butter just before serving.


Serve small scoops of the mousse drizzled with the chocolate sauce and sprinkled with chopped pistachios.