Chocolate mousse with brioche recipe

Brioche is a slightly sweet French bread, rich with eggs and butter, and it gets a festive spin in this multi-faceted dessert from Nathan Outlaw - jam-packed with fruit, it provides a perfect accompaniment to the citrus tones in the chocolate mousse.

Ingredients

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Chocolate orange mousse

6 gelatine leaves
6 egg yolks
80g of caster sugar
460ml of double cream
300ml of whole milk
1 orange, zested
80g of 70% bitter chocolate
20g of 70% cocoa powder

Spiced fruit brioche

10 eggs
40g of dried yeast
80g of caster sugar
1000g of plain flour
90ml of water, warm
500g of unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp stem ginger
20g of Cornish sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
30g of dried cranberries
30g of dried figs, chopped
30g of golden sultanas
plain flour for dusting

Yoghurt sorbet

200ml of full-fat milk
120g of liquid glucose
100g of caster sugar
300g of natural yoghurt

Cocoa syrup

100g of caster sugar
120ml of water
60g of 70% cocoa powder

To plate

2 figs
icing sugar for dusting

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Blow torch
Food mixer
Ice cream maker

To make the brioche, put the eggs, yeast, sugar, flour and water into the bowl of a mixer and mix until a dough forms. Add the butter and mix for 6 minutes on a high speed

10 eggs
40g of dried yeast
80g of caster sugar
1000g of plain flour
90ml of water
500g of unsalted butter

Drain and chop the stem ginger, then add to the bowl along with the salt, cinnamon, cranberries, figs and sultanas. Mix for 2 more minutes

2 tsp stem ginger
20g of Cornish sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
30g of dried cranberries
30g of dried figs
30g of golden sultanas

Transfer the dough to a floured bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place to prove for 30 minutes

plain flour for dusting

Whilst the dough is proving, make the sorbet. Bring the milk, glucose and sugar to the boil. Whisk well until the sugar is dissolved, then remove from the heat and cool. Strain the yogurt then whisk in to the mix

200ml of full-fat milk
120g of liquid glucose
100g of caster sugar
300g of natural yoghurt

Churn in an ice-cream maker until frozen then tip into a freezer box. Freeze until needed

To make the mousse, soak the gelatine in cold water. Mix the egg yolks and caster sugar together in a bowl

6 gelatine leaves
6 egg yolks
80g of caster sugar

Bring 300ml of the double cream together with the milk and orange zest to a boil. Pour the mixture onto the egg yolks and sugar then return to the pan and cook over a low heat until the mix thickens a little

300ml of double cream
1 orange

Remove from the heat. Finely chop the chocolate and stir in, along with the gelatine and cocoa. Place the pan over a bowl of ice to cool. Meanwhile, semi-whip the remaining 160ml double cream

80g of 70% bitter chocolate
20g of 70% cocoa powder
160ml of double cream

When the chocolate custard mix is at room temperature, fold in the cream until fully incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and chill for 2 hours before serving

When the brioche dough has proved, knead it to knock it back. It will be ready when a dent made into the dough doesn’t pop out. Shape into a cylinder, then cover with the damp cloth and leave until doubled in size

Heat the oven to 240°C/Gas mark 9. Remove the cloth and flour the top of the brioche. Cook for 15 minutes until golden brown and the underneath sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, cut into 1.5cm deep slices

plain flour for dusting

To make the cocoa syrup, simmer all ingredients together for 2 minutes. Strain and cool

100g of caster sugar
120ml of water
60g of 70% cocoa powder

Cut the fresh figs into quarters, dust with icing sugar and lightly caramelise the sugar under a blow torch

2 figs
icing sugar for dusting

Swirl the cocoa syrup across each plate, and place one piece of brioche on top. Quenelle a scoop each of the mousse and sorbet, and place either side of the brioche

Lastly, arrange two slices of the caramelised figs between the quenelles and serve

First published in 2015

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Nathan Outlaw

Nathan Outlaw cooks with understated brilliance and passionate respect for primary ingredients.

Chocolate orange mousse, spiced fruit brioche and yoghurt sorbet

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