Black forest mousse recipe

Ingredients

500g pitted morello cherries, drained, syrup reserved
300ml thickened cream
50g-piece dark chocolate, shaved
200 g dark chocolate
300 ml cream
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation  

First make the mousse. Melt 200g chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. Use a medium low setting and stir after every minute as chocolate burns easily in the microwave. You could also melt the chocolate in a bowl placed over a pot of gently simmering water.

Separate eggs. Mix egg yolks with sugar and vanilla and stir together.  Mix with melted chocolate. Gently whip 300ml cream, add to chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks.  Put ¼ of the egg whites with chocolate mixture and combine, then add rest of egg white and fold through gently until completely mixed. Do not beat or over mix or the mousse will lose its airy texture.

Chill for about 3 hours to let it set. In a separate bowl whip the remaining 300ml of cream to soft peaks. Layer the mousse, cream and cherries in individual glasses. Repeat so that there are two layers in each glass. Decorate with the 50g shaved chocolate on top, and a drizzle of cherry juice.