Peanut Butter Mousse wrapped in Chocolate with Raspberry Jelly and Chocolate Sauce with a Happy Clown Face presentation

This is based on a recipe by Lynne Johnson of Darrel & Oliver’s Café Maxx in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Special Equipment

2 x 8" lengths of plastic pipe about 1 ¼" diameter
Acetate sheet.

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Mousse
Chocolate Bands
Chocolate Sauce
Raspberry Jelly

Method

Remove the mousses from the tubes by pulling out with the baking paper. Gently peel off the baking paper. Cut the mousse into 4 x 4" (or 8 x 2" for the face) lengths and wrap in the chocolate bands. Leave the acetate on. Place in the refrigerator while wrapping the other mousses.

Assembly

For a "Happy Clown Face" presentation, stand 2 mousse towers on each of the plates for the eyes. Dip each dariole mould briefly in hot water to un-mould the jellies. Use the jelly as a nose and drizzle the chocolate sauce around as a mouth. If desired top each mouse tower with whipped cream and chopped peanuts.


Pastry Cream

250ml milk
2 tbs. cornflour
1 egg
1 egg yolk
30g sugar
1 tbs. unsalted butter
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Method

Whisk the cornflour with about 60ml milk until smooth. Whisk in the egg and yolk until blended.

In a saucepan heat the remaining milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil.

Gradually whisk about 120ml of the milk into the egg mixture until well blended. Return it to the saucepan and bring to the boil – whisking constantly. Simmer for about 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Cover the surface with plastic wrap and let cool.


Peanut Butter Mousse

1 quantity of Pastry Cream (see above)
180g smooth Peanut Butter
250ml Whipping Cream

Method

Line the plastic pipe with greaseproof paper. Cap one of the ends.

Transfer the Pastry Cream to a bowl and beat for about a minute until smooth. Gradually beat in the Peanut Butter until smooth.

Whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in 1/3 of the cream into the Peanut Butter mixture, and then fold in the rest.

Using a piping bag, pipe the mousse into the prepared plastic pipes and freeze for about 1 hour until firm.


Chocolate Sauce

50g Plain Chocolate, chopped
40ml Milk
1 tbs. Double Cream
½ tbs. Unsalted Butter, diced
½ tbs. Castor sugar

Method

Melt the chocolate. In a saucepan bring the milk, cream & sugar to the boil, stirring gently. Pour into the melted chocolate, stirring continuously. Return the mixture to the saucepan and let bubble for a few seconds. Off the heat, beat in the butter a little at a time until well mixed. Pass through a fine strainer.


Raspberry Jelly

170ml dry white wine
125g sugar
2 sheets gelatine, soaked in cold water
1 tbs. raspberry eau-de-vie
200g fresh raspberries

Method

Put the sugar and wine in a saucepan and melt the sugar over a gentle heat. Remove from heat and dissolve the soaked gelatine in the liquid. Add the eau-de-vie.

Distribute the raspberries between 4 dariole moulds and fill with the jelly. Set in the fridge.


Chocolate Bands

20g white chocolate chopped
75g plain chocolate chopped

Method

Cut out 4 squares of acetate, each measuring 4" x 4 ½" (or 8 squares 2" x 4 ½" for the face) . Place on a baking sheet covered with greaseproof paper.

Melt the white chocolate and using a small paper cone pipe thin zigzags (or whatever other patter you desire) across each of the squares. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.

Melt the plain chocolate. Spread a thin layer of the plain chocolate over each of the squares. Allow to firm up for about 5 minutes at room temperature before wrapping the mousses.