Chocolate Cup Recipe

What is the perfect dessert for a romantic evening?
A cup made from chocolate filled with mousse and topped with a vanilla foam.
According to a study done in a bookstore in Belgium the smell of chocolate made customers browse for longer. Interest in cookbooks and romance novels increased as did the interaction with staff. Customers were not as interested in history or crime thrillers when the smell of chocolate was around.

For 4 chocolate cups you will need:

* Rectangle of plastic acetate for chocolate work can be purchased from chef supply stores or you can buy acetate from craft stores or use clear plastic from overhead projector sheets. My rectangle was 26cm (10.24 inches) x 10cm (3.94 inches)

* a saucer, the one I used was 15.5cm (6.1 inches) in diameter

* 500g (17.64 ounces) Tempered Chocolate (or you can use fake/compound chocolate see this post on what chocolate to use and tempering) The amount of chocolate that you need will vary with cup size and the thickness you make your chocolate.

* a little oil and some plastic wrap

* handle template

Watch the video below for instructions on how to make the cup:

White chocolate mouse filling recipe enough for 4 cups:
for video instructions on making the mousse see the instagram cake post
300g (10.58 ounces) or 1 cup plus 3 Tbsp and 1 tsp milk (4%)
100g (3.53 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp and 1 tsp cream
1 tsp vanilla
6 egg yolks or 90g (3.17 ounces)
80g (2.82 ounces) or 1/3 cup plus 1 tsp sugar
20g (0.71 ounces) or 3 Tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
28g (0.99 ounces) or 2 Tbsp gelatine powder
125millilitres (4.23 fluid ounces) or 1/2 cup water
260g (9.17 ounces) white chocolate
additional 600g (21.16 ounces) or 2 1/2 cup of cream

Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until smooth.
In another bowl mix together the water and gelatine and set aside.
Place the milk, cream and vanilla into a saucepan and heat until it boils, then add it a little at a time into the egg yolk mixture, stirring well after each addition. Once it is all combined pour it back into the saucepan. Return it to the heat and stir continuously until it thickens, then keep stirring over the heat and let it bubble for at least 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat and stir in your gelatine until it is dissolved. Melt your chocolate, it does not need to be kept in temper just melt it carefully so that you do not burn it and mix it together with the custard. Leave it to cool to room temperature.

Whip the remaining cream and then using a spatula fold the chocolate custard into the cream.

Vanilla Foam Recipe
1 1/2 cups or 375millilitres (12.68 fluid ounces) milk (4%)
2 tsp gelatine powder
2 tsp sugar
optional – vanilla essence

Place one cup or 250ml of milk into a container. Put the remaining 1/2 cup of milk in a cup with the gelatine and sugar, mix well, then heat until just boiling. Mix into the cold milk and refrigerate until it starts to set around the edges. Then whip using electric mixers until you have plenty of foam. Spoon some over each cup and place in the fridge to set.

Sprinkle with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Resource: howtocookthat