This was Winston Churchill’s favourite recipe. It is actually a French recipe and is called Crème Marie-Louise.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6oz dark chocolate
• 5 eggs
• 1 small coffee cup of very strong sweet black coffee
• 1oz Caster Sugar
• 5 fl oz double or whipping cream

Method

1. Take a pyrex (or similar) dish and a saucepan in which the dish can sit without its bottom touching the water.
2. Fill the saucepan with enough water so that you can boil the water to melt the chocolate in the dish.
3. Pour the cup of strong coffee (good instant will do) into the bowl, add the chocolate and heat until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
4. Remove from the saucepan.
5. Separate the egg yolks from the whites and beat them.
6. Whisk the yolks into the chocolate mixture. Leave to cool to room temperature.
7. Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites and sugar until firm.
8. Whisk a third of this into the chocolate, gently folding in the rest.
9. Whisk the cream until light and airy and also fold this in to your mixture (you can omit the cream if you’re watching the calories).
10. For individual mousses, pour into ramekins or tall stemmed glasses. For a single mousse pour into a suitable dish.
11. Place in the fridge for at least an hour or so until well set.
12. Remove from the fridge 20 minutes or so before serving, to give the chocolate a chance to soften a little.
13. Decorate with chocolate leaves or curls (see separate recipes) if required, and serve with a light biscuit such as an Amaretti.