Spiced Mocha Mousse with Viennese Crunch

There is something about this chocolate mousse that, no matter how many times you prepare it, still has the allure of that very first bite. This rich and silky dessert lends itself splendidly to gentle spicing with a hint of coffee to deepen the flavor.

Most mousse recipes call for raw eggs. Since some people are wary of eating raw eggs, the eggs in this recipe are cooked for thirty seconds to eliminate the risk.

The chocolate you choose is very important. Use a good-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate that you would eat out of the wrapper. My personal favorite is Rosemarie.

Even simpler: Skip the crust preparation and buy ready-made ones. This recipe will yield enough filling for two 9-inch graham cracker pie crusts.

Ingredients:

CRUST

• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 6 oz. (¾ cup) trans-fat-free margarine, melted
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

WHIP TOPPING

• 16 oz. (2 cups) non-dairy whip topping
• 1 Tbsp. coffee, dissolved in several drops of hot water
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 14 Viennese crunch bars, chopped

MOUSSE LAYER

• 7 oz. (2 bars) good-quality pareve bittersweet chocolate
• 16 oz. (2 cups) trans-fat-free margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. coffee, dissolved in several drops of hot water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 8 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. To prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a bowl, combine the crust ingredients and press onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch foil pan. Bake until lightly browned, 8–10 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. To prepare the mousse: In the top of a double boiler, combine the chocolate, margarine, sugar, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Heat over simmering water, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is completely melted.
3. Add the lightly beaten eggs, stir for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat. With a mixer, beat the mousse mixture on low speed for 1 minute to make sure the eggs are evenly incorporated. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and spread over the surface of the crust. Allow to cool for several minutes. Freeze until firm.
4. To prepare the whip topping: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the whip topping until peaks start to form. Add the dissolved coffee and vanilla and continue to beat until the peaks are stiff. Spread the topping evenly over the mousse layer and freeze until set. Once the whip topping is set, sprinkle with the chopped Viennese crunch. Freeze until ready to serve.
5. To serve, remove the mousse from the freezer and let it thaw for several minutes. Cut 16 round mousse portions using a 2¼-inch ring mold. Take a large round mug or glass that’s at least 1–2 inches wider in diameter than the ring mold and place it face down in the center of a medium sized white plate. Gently tap cocoa powder through a sieve to almost completely cover the edges of the mug and lightly cover the rim of the plate. Remove the mug or glass and place a serving of mousse in the center of the plate. Repeat for the remaining portions of mousse. After slicing the mousse, let it stand at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving so the texture is creamy and not too firm. Serves 16.