WOW scale: 10
Skill required: Successful cook
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter, cut into bits
3 cups heavy cream
8 ounces high quality unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, about 1 1/2 cups
1. Put sugar in a heavy pan and turn heat to medium.
2. When sugar warms and begins to liquefy, add 1/2 cup water.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until mixture bubbles, then becomes foamy, then dry again.
4. Keep cooking until it liquefies again, stirring often and breaking up any chunks that form. When it is all dissolved and brown, remove from heat and stir in butter a bit at a time.
5. Standing back to avoid spattering, add 1 cup cream, then stir until blended. Let sit until cool enough to touch.
6. Heat remaining cream until it holds soft peaks; refrigerate.
7. Melt chocolate over very low heat or in a double boiler or microwave.
8. Mix melted chocolate into caramel and stir to combine.
9. Add remaining whipped cream and gently fold, just until combined.
Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
Scoop mousse with a spoon dipped in hot water. Serve atop cake or ice cream.
Yield: 16 servings
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