Chocolate & Cardamom Mousse

Dense with bittersweet chocolate, lifted with cardamom, and finished with the glisten of olive oil, crushed pistachio, and cherries drunk on syrup.

There is something ceremonious about bringing a mousse to the table. Perhaps it’s the way the spoon sinks in — unresisted — before lifting out a cloud streaked with chocolate’s indelible richness. Here, cardamom drifts gently through the darkness of good cocoa, smoothing edges and lending the faintest recall of spice markets. It has quickly become a family favourite, newly claimed since we discovered that mousse could be made without gelatine’s weight, leaving only chocolate, cream and air. The recipe makes enough for ten small glasses: perfect for a late summer evening, best eaten languidly, with spoons clinking against chilled glass.

Serves: Makes 10 small portions – perfect for small glasses or ramekins.

Time: 25 minutes prep + 3 hours to overnight chilling

Ingredients

For the mousse

• 135g dark chocolate (70% cocoa if possible), chopped

• 25g salted butter

• ⅓ tsp ground cardamom

• 250ml double cream

• 1 tbsp boiling water

For the egg yolks

• 3 large egg yolks

• 25g caster sugar

For the egg whites

• 3 large egg whites

• 25g caster sugar (or a little less, for a drier mousse)

To finish (optional, but wholly worth it)

• A drizzle of grassy extra virgin olive oil

• A small handful of pistachios, roughly crushed

• Cherries soaked in simple syrup (or in brandy, if the evening calls for it)

Instructions

1. Place the chocolate, salted butter, and ground cardamom in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water (making sure the bowl does not touch the water). Stir slowly until smooth. Remove from the heat, stir in the boiling water, and let it cool slightly — just warm to the touch.

2. In a separate bowl, softly whip the double cream until it just holds its shape. The texture should be luxuriantly soft — think of the cream folding lazily over itself.

3. In a clean bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 25g caster sugar until pale, thick, and creamy — reaching the ribbon stage. Fold this gently into the cooled chocolate mixture.

4. In a spotless, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 25g sugar while whisking, continuing until you have glossy, soft peaks.

5. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until combined. Then fold in the whipped egg whites in two or three additions, taking care to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.

6. Spoon into small glasses or ramekins. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight, to allow the flavours to deepen.

7. Take the mousse out of the fridge about 10 minutes before serving. Just before it goes to the table, top each portion with a few syrupy cherries, scatter with crushed pistachios, and let a fine thread of olive oil drizzle across the surface.

Note: If cherries aren’t in season, blackberries  with a whisper of sugar work beautifully. The olive oil may seem unexpected, but it brings an aromatic, fruity depth that plays perfectly against the dark chocolate.