Just desserts!

Just a couple of recipes and photos of some sweet treats that were made this weekend. The bread pudding was tasty even though I couldn't stick to the recipe exactly. The chocolate mousse was divine!!! And so easy to make. I went to bed Sunday dreaming about the leftovers. We have all of my freetime and the Food Network to thank.

Chocolate Mousse a la Bobby Flay or "What clouds taste like in Chocolate Heaven"

5 1/4 ounces chocolate
3 egg whites
14 ounces heavy whipping cream
1 ounce sugar

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or bain marie. Set aside. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Set aside. Whip the egg whites until stiff and then add the sugar (I have no scale so simply added a tablespoon). Fold the egg whites a little at a time to the melted chocolate. Fold in the whipped cream. Allow to set in the fridge for an hour. Enjoy your decadent, chocolaty treat!!


Bread Pudding a la Nigella

6 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup golden raisins (I used cranberries)
3 tablespoons dark rum (subsituted orange juice)
10 slices brown bread
Approx. 10 tablespoons ginger jam (had to use orange marmalade)
4 egg yolks plus one whole egg
3 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp ground ginger (left this out)
2 tablespoons Demerara of granulated brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a small baking dish, about 1 1/2 quarts, with butter.

Pour raisins and juice in a bowl and microwave for one minute. Let stand.

Make butter and marmalade sandwiches. You'll end up with 5 (duh!). Leave some butter for smearing on top of the assembled dish. Slice each sandwich into two triangles. Arrange the triangles in the dish, alternating point up, point down. Squeeze one, triangle down, on each side if you can. Sprinkle with the raisins and juice.

Whisk the egg and egg yolks together with the the sugar and pour in the cream and milk. Pour this custard over the sandwiches. Allow to absorb for about ten minutes. Smear exposed bread with butter. Sprinkle the sugar over any points or edges and any remaining sugar over the rest of the pudding.

Set pudding dish on a baking pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes. Chow down!