White Chocolate & Rhubarb Mousse Pots

What better combination than rhubarb and white chocolate? If you're looking to experiment a bit in the kitchen then give these mousse pots a try.  A layer of Harbinger Rhubarb Preserve topped with a light white chocolate mousse, then sprinkled with amaretti biscuits for a little texture.  This recipe is a bit more advanced than some of our recipes, due to white chocolate being extremely unstable in nature. Do make sure you follow the instructions precisely to ensure your mousse pots do not split.  Well worth a try if you like experimenting in the kitchen! If you do want to make something a bit simpler, try our Rhubarb & Custard Tart recipe, and use a ready made pastry case.

MAKES 6

INGREDIENTS:

200g good-quality white chocolate

300ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla essence or paste 

2 large free range egg whites

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

1 jar Harbinger Rhubarb Preserve

TO SERVE

White chocolate shards (or simple grated)

6 amaretti biscuits

YOU WILL NEED

6 ramekins or small glasses

METHOD

1. First, break the chocolate into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour in 150ml cream and place over a very low heat. Allow the cream to warm just enough to melt the chocolate before removing from the heat and leaving to cool.
2. In the meantime, pour the remaining cream in a bowl along with the vanilla and whisk to soft peaks.
3. When the chocolate mixture is cooled, add two large tablespoons of the mixture to the whipped cream and stir to fully combine. Add the chocolate into the cream in a further two stages trying to keep the cream as light and fluffy as possible.
4. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks are achieved. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until well combined and glossy.
5. Take two large spoonfuls of the egg white mixture and gently fold into the chocolate cream mixture trying to not to knock out too much air.
6. Then in three additions, add the chocolate cream mixture into the remaining whisked eggs whites using a folding technique being very careful not to over stir - overtiring will cause the mixture to split. Stir only until all the ingredients are combined*.
7. Spoon a tablespoon (or two!) of rhubarb preserve into the bottom of each ramekin then gently spoon the mousse mixture over the top being careful not to disturb the rhubarb.
8. Place the ramekins in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, remove the ramekins from the fridge 5 minutes before. Sprinkle with chocolate shards and crumble over the amaretti biscuit.

• Please follow all directions precisely when it comes to combining the mousse mixtures! White chocolate is extremely unstable in nature and therefore to ensure your mousse does not split, it is extremely important to follow the method.
• *If when all the ingredients are folded together and your mixture appears to have split, whisk 50ml double cream to the ‘ribbon’ stage and gently fold through the mixture until it returns to a smooth, frothy consistency.