Chocolate Mousse -- The Quiet Heart of a Yule Log, Made by Hand

December and the holiday preparations begin again. The daycare is being decorated and this year I convinced Mrs. Holloway to let me do a small cooking project with the older toddlers as part of our holiday curriculum. We made simple sugar cookies on Friday morning, which required more flour on the floor than strictly necessary and one child who got icing in his hair and considered this a success. The parents came at pickup and tasted the cookies and their children explained with great authority which ones were which and it was one of the genuinely perfect days at this job that I hold onto.

I am making Debbie's Christmas casseroles this year for the first time: she has shared her squash casserole and her broccoli casserole and her corn casserole recipes with me over the course of the fall and I want to make them for Gloria's Christmas table as a gesture toward the convergence of the two kitchens that are now mine. Gloria will taste things she does not know yet. I think she will like them.

I have also started the Yule log cake practice run. Year four. I no longer need to practice but I still do it, once, the week before, because the practice is part of the respect for the thing. Gloria taught me to practice even what you know. She said knowing how is not the same as doing it right. That is a lesson I have been learning in every area of my life all year, not just the kitchen.

The Yule log is the anchor of December for me — the thing I build the whole season around — and the mousse is where it starts, the layer that holds everything together before the cake even gets rolled. Chocolate mousse on its own is also just a very good thing to have in the refrigerator in December, when people drop by and you want to offer something that feels considered. I made a batch during this year’s practice run with a little extra, and Gloria and I ate it out of small glasses the next morning with coffee, which felt exactly right.

Chocolate Mousse

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 2 hrs 30 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 oz dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Flaky salt or shaved chocolate, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt the chocolate. Combine the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir gently until completely smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk the yolks. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk the warm melted chocolate into the yolk mixture until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract and set aside.
3. Whip the cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cold heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft, billowy peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overwhip. Set aside.
4. Beat the egg whites. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt on medium speed until foamy. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Fold the cream. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in two additions, using a wide rubber spatula and a light hand. Work in broad strokes from the bottom of the bowl up, rotating the bowl as you go. Stop when just combined — a few faint streaks are fine.
6. Fold the egg whites. Add the beaten egg whites in three additions, folding gently after each. The goal is to keep as much air as possible. The mousse should look uniform and lightly airy when finished.
7. Chill and serve. Spoon or pipe the mousse into six small glasses, ramekins, or dessert cups. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. Garnish with flaky salt or shaved chocolate before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 318 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Carbs: 20g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 62mg