Chilli chocolate mousse

Chocolate and chilli is a classic combination dating back to the Mayans who spiced their drinking cocoa. Chocolate and chilli is the base of Mexican mole sauce for cooking meat and seafood. Add chilli powder to your taste to this rich mousse. If you don’t have a microwave, melt the chocolate over simmering water in a heatproof glass bowl.

Ingredients

125 g	Dark chocolate, chopped (Main)
2 Tbsp	Dark cocoa powder (Main)
½ tsp	Chilli powder, use up to 1 tsp (Main)
½ cup	Milk
2	Eggs, separated
1 Tbsp	Caster sugar

Directions

1. Place the chocolate in a microwave bowl and melt in 1-minute bursts on high. When melted the chocolate will still hold its shape a little. Stir well until smooth.
2. Whisk the cocoa powder and chilli powder with the milk, until smooth. Add to the melted chocolate and mix well.
3. Beat the egg yolks and add to the chocolate mixture. Microwave on 50% power for 1 minute. stir well. Taste and add a little more chilli, if required.
4. Whisk the egg whites and sugar until stiff and glossy. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Spoon evenly into 4 ramekins and chill. Great garnished with small, chocolate-coated red chillies.

Tip:To make the chocolate-coated chillies, split lengthwise, deseed then blanch briefly. Dry well then dip into melted dark chocolate, place on a sheet of foil and chill until ready to serve.

More unusual combinations from Jan

• Sweetcorn and raspberry icecream
• Corn and dukkah nibbles