As a pastry chef, it seems only fitting that Diane Moua is a fan of chocolate — so much of one, in fact, that she serves the chocolate mousse at her Minneapolis restaurant, Diane’s Place, with both chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce. “I love mousse with ice cream, and having it with chocolate sauce? That’s the perfect trio,” Moua says. But despite her love of chocolate, she’s also aware of the need for balance in her cocoa-based desserts. “I don’t like it when it’s so rich that it sucks the life out of you,” she explains. And that’s how her five spice mousse was born.
Moua knew she wanted to incorporate a piece of her Asian heritage into her dessert menu. That included the chocolate mousse, which she also wanted to ensure wouldn’t be overwhelmingly sweet. So she created her own unique five spice blend, inspired by the Chinese line chefs she’s worked alongside throughout her career. Moua’s five spice is a mixture of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a tiny sprinkling of cayenne. “You’re getting a subtle heat from the cayenne, a little kick from the ginger, but cardamom is the winner,” she says. “Whenever you put cardamom in a dessert, people are just like, ‘Wow, what is that flavor?’”
Although Moua uses sweet and creamy milk chocolate as the base for her mousse, her recipe is extremely versatile; dark chocolate can definitely be substituted for those who want a deeper cocoa flavor. And for those who, unlike Moua, aren’t fans of chocolate overload, the chef suggests pairing the mousse with vanilla ice cream or even creme fraiche for a tangy bite that cuts through the sweetness.
One of the best parts of Moua’s chocolate mousse recipe is that it can easily be made in advance, so it’s ideal if you’re hosting a party and want a sophisticated treat to end the meal. “Just make sure the cream isn’t whipped too hard,” Moua advises. “And pipe the mousse into molds or ramekins for the best plating.”
Five Spice Milk Chocolate Mousse Recipe from Diane’s Place
Adapted from Diane Moua
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
For the five spice mix:
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon cayenne
For the mousse:
½ pound milk chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 egg
3 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons five spice mixture
1½ teaspoons salt
Instructions:
Step 1: Make the five spice mix. In a small bowl, mix together the spices until thoroughly combined. The mixture can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a year.
Step 2: Make the mousse. In a double boiler or a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate. If you’re using the saucepan, check the chocolate frequently to make sure it doesn’t burn. Once melted, set aside.
Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or, if you don’t have a stand mixer, a mixing bowl and a set of electric beaters), whip the cream on medium-high speed until it forms soft peaks. Transfer to a separate bowl (you’re going to use the mixer again), and set aside. Clean out the bowl.
Step 4: Over a double boiler, combine the egg, yolks, sugar, and five spice powder and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar is dissolved.
Step 5: Transfer the egg mixture from the double boiler to the bowl of the stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and whip the egg mixture until it’s fluffy and light in color.
Step 6: Pour the melted chocolate and ⅔ of the soft whipped cream into the mixture and fold quickly until it’s all combined, then fold in the remainder of the whipped cream.
Step 7: To serve, pipe the mousse into molds or ramekins. Chill until ready to serve.
Dina Ávila is a photographer living in Portland, Oregon.
Recipe tested by Ivy Manning
