Salted Caramel Chocolate Mousse Cups with Crisp Chocolate Shells
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
60 min
Cook
20 min
Total
440 min
Servings
6
This is a delicious treat to serve as part of a Valentine's Day meal or dessert course․ These cupcakes contain layers of homemade chocolate mousse and salted caramel in a chocolate cup․ These cooled cupcakes are garnished with coarse salt and shaved chocolate․
The shells are composed of melted chocolate molded into muffin tins․ The mousse consists of cooked egg yolks‚ sugar‚ cream‚ vanilla‚ salt‚ and chocolate․ A second mixture of whipped cream is added to cooled chocolate to create a lighter mousse․ Caramel consists of sugar‚ corn syrup‚ salted butter‚ cream‚ salt‚ and vanilla‚ which are mixed to form a dark‚ pourable caramel topping․
The primary component of a mousse is a type of custard that is cooked at a temperature of 170ºF‚ as measured with a thermometer‚ to prevent scrambling․ Techniques to prevent scrambled eggs in a mousse include slowly stirring hot cream into eggs․ Cooled chocolate mixture should be gently folded into whipped cream to prevent melting the whipped cream and other mousse defects․
Drizzle caramel into shell cups and add mousse․ Garnish with more caramel‚ kosher salt‚ and chocolate curls or shavings․ Shell cups can be eaten right away‚ though the recipe recommends refrigerating them for four more hours to firm up the filling․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Individual chocolate cups are a good dessert choice for date night or other occasions because each person can have a serving of mousse and caramel topped with other ingredients․
- Fans of chocolate can appreciate the different textures in bites of this candy‚ including a firm chocolate shell and light mousse center and a dark‚ salty-sweet caramel finish․
- Regular muffin liners can be substituted for jumbo muffin liners to make more petite cups using the same muffin mix ingredients․
- The longer preparation time benefits home bakers‚ as the mousse takes time to cool before it is served․ While the mousse chills‚ other desserts can be completed.
- Guests with different chocolate preferences will appreciate having the mousse prepared with dark‚ milk‚ or semisweet chocolate‚ as suggested in the recipe․
- Unused prepared cups are useful for serving․ Individual servings of mousses are prepared in hardened chocolate cups․
Ingredients
- •muffin liners (jumbo or regular)
- •1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (about, 6 oz.)
- •4 egg yolks
- •¼ cup granulated sugar
- •1 cup heavy cream
- •1 tsp vanilla
- •⅛ tsp salt
- •1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (dark chocolate chips were used; milk or semi-sweet chocolate may also be used)
- •1 cup heavy cream (additional)
- •½ cup white sugar
- •2 tbsp light corn syrup
- •3 tbsp salted butter
- •⅓ cup heavy cream
- •¼ tsp salt
- •1 tsp vanilla
- •chocolate curls or shaved or chopped chocolate (for topping)
- •kosher salt or coarse salt (for topping)
Instructions
- 1
Melt the chocolate for the cups, using 50% microwave power and stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
- 2
Place 6 jumbo muffin liners into a muffin tin.
- 3
Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted chocolate into each liner and spread it about three-quarters of the way up the sides, making sure there is a thick coat everywhere.
- 4
Allow the chocolate cups to harden completely, using the refrigerator or freezer if desired, then peel away the liners.
- 5
Whisk the egg yolks together and slowly add the sugar, whisking until well combined.
- 6
Heat 1 cup cream with the vanilla and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not boiling.
- 7
Slowly stir at least half of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, then stir the whole egg and cream mixture back into the pot.
- 8
Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly but does not boil; it should reach 170ºF if using a thermometer.
- 9
Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips until melted.
- 10
Cover and refrigerate the mousse mixture for about 1 to 2 hours, just until chilled.
- 11
Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- 12
When the caramel begins to brown, stir constantly and continue cooking until it reaches a rich dark caramel color.
- 13
Add the butter and cream and stir until well combined and smooth.
- 14
Add the salt and vanilla; if the caramel is lumpy, return it to the heat and stir until the lumps melt, then set aside to cool.
- 15
Once the mousse mixture is cool, beat the additional cup of cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- 16
Whisk one or two spoonfuls of whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in all of the remaining whipped cream.
- 17
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of caramel into the bottom of each chocolate cup, warming the caramel slightly if it has become too thick without getting it too hot.
- 18
Spoon the mousse into each cup.
- 19
Drizzle the remaining caramel over the tops and sprinkle with kosher salt and chocolate curls or shavings.
- 20
Eat immediately or refrigerate for another 4 hours so the mousse sets and thickens.
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