Chocolate Mousse with Mascarpone Crème Brûlée

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the crème brûlée:

2/3 cup/150 ml whipping cream
1/3 cup/65 ml whole milk
1/2 teaspoon/about 1.5 g unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup/55 g superfine sugar
1/3 cup/75 g mascarpone cheese

For the chocolate mousse:

5 ounces/150 g dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs
1/4 cup/55 g superfine sugar
1 cup/230 ml heavy whipping cream
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Method:

To make the crème brûlée:

Place the cream and milk in a heavy small saucepan.  Sprinkle the gelatin over the cream mixture and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the gelatin to soften. Scrape the seeds from vanilla bean into the cream mixture and add the bean. 

Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring until the gelatin dissolves, about 10 minutes.  Whisk the yolks and sugar in a medium bowl to blend. Whisk in the mascarpone.  Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture.  Return the cream mixture to the same saucepan.  Stir constantly over medium-low heat for 6 minutes, or until the foam subsides and the custard thickens enough to coat a spoon.

Transfer the custard to a clean bowl and set the bowl over a large bowl of ice water.  Stir the custard until it is cold but not set; discard the vanilla bean.  Set the custard aside. Reserve the bowl of ice water.

To prepare the mousse:

Stir the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot water until melted.  Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until medium peaks form, about 8 minutes.  Whisk in the chocolate mixture.  Set the bowl of the chocolate mixture over the bowl of ice water.  Whisk the cream in a medium bowl until very thick.

Fold about 1/2 cup/55 g of the cream into the chocolate mixture to help lighten it.  Continue whisking the remaining cream until soft peaks begin to form.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

To assemble the desserts:

Spoon half of the chocolate mousse into each of four 10- to 14-ounce/290- to 400-ml wine glasses.  Refrigerate the mousse in the glasses for 15 minutes and keep the remaining mousse in the bowl over the ice water.

Pour the custard over the mousse in the glasses. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set.  Spoon the remaining chocolate mousse over the custard and spread the tops to create a smooth even surface.

Cover and refrigerate until the mousse is cold, at least 2 hours.  Sift powdered sugar over the raspberries then set the raspberries atop the desserts and serve.