MILK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE MUFFINS

Milk Chocolate Mousse Muffins image

Categories Candy Chocolate Dessert Bake Vegetarian Chill Pastry Boil

Yield makes 12 muffins

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

Chocolate Choices:
E. Guittard dark and milk chocolate, or Amadei dark and milk chocolate
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1 whole large egg
1 tablespoon agar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons bourbon or dark rum (optional)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Steps:

Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups.
Melt the two chocolates together in a stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream for 3 to 5 minutes to form stiff peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator.
Rinse out the mixer bowl and the whisk attachment and return them to the mixer. Combine the egg yolks and whole egg in the bowl and mix on low until the eggs are frothy. Mix in the agar.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Bring to a full boil over medium heat. Boil for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 235°F on a candy or digital thermometer. Carefully add just a tiny splash of the hot syrup into the eggs, then turn the mixer on to low speed and beat for 1 minute. Add another small splash and beat for 30 seconds or so, then another, carefully and slowly incorporating all the hot sugar syrup into the eggs. Whip on medium speed for another 3 minutes.
Take the bowl off the mixer and gradually fold in the chocolate mixture with a big rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Once the mixture is smooth, gently fold in the whipped cream, bourbon, and vanilla. Blend gently until the mousse is smooth with no streaks.
Using a big pastry bag with a big star tip, pipe the mousse into the baking cups until they look like big ice cream cones. Chill until you are ready to serve or freeze them, then wrap them up to present as a gift.