White Chocolate Legacy

The following is one favored chocolate mousse recipe from a number I’ve collected throughout the years.

This is, hands down, the best white chocolate confection ever devised. It is the kitchen handiwork of Len Allison, chef-owner with his wife, Karen Hubert, of Hubert’s Restaurant in New York City.

HUBERT’S WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

1/2 pound white chocolate

1/4 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons light rum

3 eggs, separated

1/2 cup or whipping cream

Hubert’s Dark Chocolate Sauce

Break chocolate into pieces and place in large bowl with butter and rum. Place bowl in 200-degree oven with door ajar. Chocolate must melt very slowly, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat egg yolks in large bowl of electric mixer until light and thick. Transfer yolks to top of double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, over hot water until thick. Return to mixer bowl.

When chocolate is melted, stir with wooden spoon until smooth. Slowly beat into egg yolks until smooth.

Beat cream until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into mousse. Pour mixture into lightly greased 8-inch springform pan. Cover tightly. Freeze overnight.

To serve, remove sides from pan. Run knife around sides, if necessary. Cut mousse into wedges. Place on cold plates. Drizzle small amount of warm Hubert’s Dark Chocolate Sauce over top of each wedge and place 1 tablespoon of sauce on either side. (Wedge of mousse should look like it’s floating in sea of dark chocolate.) Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Hubert’s Dark Chocolate Sauce

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup milk, room temperature

1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream, room temperature

2 tablespoons dark rum

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water. Stir in butter by bits. Stir in milk. Add cream and rum. Stir until smooth. Serve warm. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.