Chocolate Cups with White Chocolate
Raspberry Mousse and Raspberry Sauce
Chocolatier Archives

Yield: 6 servings
Preparation: 1 1/2 hours plus chilling times

Chocolate cups:
6 small round or oval balloons
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 teaspoons shortening

White chocolate raspberry mousse:
2 half pints fresh raspberries, about 12 ounces
1/4 cup water
1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin
10 ounces Swiss white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Chambord or raspberry-flavored liqueur
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Raspberry sauce:
3 cups unsweetened raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Garnish:
Fresh raspberries

Prepare the chocolate cups:
1. Inflate the balloons until they measure about 3 inches at their widest point. Tie knots in balloons to close. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
2. Melt the chocolate and shortening according to the directions in the Chocolate Key.
3. Pour the melted chocolate in a 9-inch pie plate. Place the pie plate in a
15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Carefully pour very warm water into the
pan around the pie plate to 1/2 inch depth. Do not splash water into the
pie plate.
4. Holding a balloon by its knot, place the opposite end in the mixture in
the pie plate. Tip the balloon onto its side into the chocolate mixture to
coat about 1 to 2 inches of the balloon. Bring the balloon back to an
upright position. Repeat to coat all sides, each time moving the balloon
to coat another 1 to 2 inches of surface. Place the balloons in an upright position on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining balloons. Let stand
15 minutes. Meanwhile remove the pie plate from the pan; pour out the cooled water. Replace the pie plate and add warm water to the baking
pan. Repeat dipping the balloons to add a second layer. Place them up-
right on the baking sheet. Let stand until chocolate is firm.
5. Use a scissors to snip a very small opening near the knot of the balloon. Quickly punch a hole with your fingers and slowly deflate the balloon as
you gently peel the balloon away. Repeat with all the balloons. Tightly
cover the bowls; store in a cool, dry place up to 1 month.

Make the mousse:
6. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, process the raspberries until puréed. Pass the raspberries through a
fine-meshed sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.
7. Put the water in a small, heatproof cup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the
water and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Put
the cup with the softened gelatin in a small skillet with enough water to
come halfway up the side of the cup. Heat the gelatin in hot, not sim-
mering, water. Stir the gelatin frequently for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the
gelatin granules dissolve completely and the mixture is clear. Remove
the pan from the heat, leaving the cup in the water to keep the gelatin
mixture warm until ready to use.
8. Put the chocolate into a large bowl. In a small saucepan set over
medium heat, bring the milk to a gentle boil. Pour the hot milk over
the chocolate and let the mixture stand for 30 seconds to melt the
chocolate. Add the warm gelatin mixture and Chambord; whisk until
smooth. Add the raspberry purée. Place the bowl over a larger bowl
of ice water and stir for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is cool.
9. In a chilled, medium bowl, using a hand-held mixer, beat the cream
at medium speed just until it begins to form soft mounds. (do not
overbeat or the mousse will be grainy.) Fold one-third of the whipped
cream into the raspberry mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped
cream. The mousse will still be fluid at this stage. Refrigerate the
mousse for 1 hour, or until it is firm enough to pipe.

Make the raspberry sauce:
10. In a medium non-corrosive saucepan, combine the raspberries and
the sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a
wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves completely and the berries
soften. Remove the pan from the heat. Strain the mixture through a
fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and
refrigerate the sauce.

Assembly:
11. Drizzle a little of the raspberry sauce on a dessert plate. Place a
chocolate cup on a sauced plate. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a
medium plain tip (such as Ateco #5) with the white chocolate
raspberry mousse. Pipe a mound of mousse into the chocolate
cup. Garnish with fresh raspberries.