Chocolate Mousse

Years ago, when we lived in Santa Cruz, I received this recipe from a lady in the church we attended. Chris was one of the best cooks I had ever met, next to my mom. Thankfully, she was generous in sharing her recipes and her cooking skills with me. This delicious mousse was served the first time we were invited into her home for dinner. Chris and her husband had the gift of hospitality, and made our years in Santa Cruz feel much more like home than they otherwise would have felt. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz.)
1/2 tsp. instant coffee
pinch salt
2 tbsp. Grand Marnier (or 1 tsp. orange extract and 1 tbsp. brandy)

1. Whip heavy cream stiffly and set aside.
2. Put eggs, chocolate chips, coffee and salt in a food processor or blender.
3. In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil.
4. While processing, pour syrup in through feed tube and process until smooth. Stop processor and add Grand Marnier; process a little longer. Scrape down sides of bowl.
5. Add whipped cream and process until thoroughly combined.
6. Pour into dishes and chill until set.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
4 servings = 618 calories each
6 servings = 412 calories each