In this recipe there will be extra mousse and pecan crisps (the recipes will not work if reduced). Both elements are delicious on their own.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
For kumquat cranberry sauce
For chocolate mousse
For espresso cream
Preparation
Make sauce:
Step 1
In a small saucepan simmer sugar, water, and kumquats until reduced to about 2/3 cup and stir in Grand Marnier. Cool sauce to room temperature and stir in cranberries. Sauce may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.
Make mousse:
Step 2
Have ready an instant-read thermometer in a cup of very hot water. In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup water, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and yolks until smooth. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt bittersweet chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Stir cocoa mixture into chocolate mixture and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove bowl from pan and check temperature, tilting bowl to cover thermometer tip by a least 2 inches. If temperature is less than 160°F., rinse thermometer and return to cup. Check temperature every 30 seconds until thermometer registers 160°F. Remove bowl from pan, reserving simmering water over heat, and cool chocolate mixture to room temperature.
Step 3
Clean thermometer and put in a clean cup of very hot water. In another metal bowl stir together whites, cream of tartar, and sugar with a rubber spatula and put bowl over pan of reserved simmering water. Cook mixture, stirring constantly with rubber spatula (to keep mixture as froth-free as possible), checking temperature in same manner, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thermometer registers 160°F. and remove from heat. Beat mixture with am electric mixer until cool and meringue holds stiff peaks.
Step 4
Gently fold chocolate mixture into meringue until combined well and chill 15 minutes, or until just firm enough to hold its shape when piped. Spoon mousse into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch star tip and pipe about 1/2 cup mousse onto each of 2 dessert plates in a mound 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 2 inches high. Mousse may be piped onto plates 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
Make espresso cream:
Step 5
In a bowl with a whisk or cleaned beaters beat together espresso cream ingredients until cream just holds stiff peaks. Espresso cream may be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
Assemble desserts:
Step 6
Dollop half of espresso cream on top of each serving of mousse and lean 2 or 3 crisps against mousse. Spoon sauce around desserts.
