Three Year Blogiversary

This month marks the third blogiversary of Hungry Cravings. I can hardly believe it's been that long. Trust me when I say I'm as motivated as ever to share my foodie adventures with you, dear reader, despite the fact that time has been in short supply. I look forward to reporting on my kitchen exploits whenever I find a few minutes to spare.

For the last three months, I have been training a new class of culinary students. I've already covered history of the foodservice industry, food safety and sanitation, nutrition, starch cookery, and stocks and sauces with them. Last week we focused on white stock, brown stock, mother sauces (including every culinary student's favorite, the arm-cramping hollandaise), demi-glace, beurre blanc, and consommé.

When I'm not extolling the virtues of classical French cuisine to my class of budding professional cooks, I'm doing freelance recipe development and continuing my work with the wonderful home cooks at Clark College. And speaking of Clark College, the summer class schedule just came out. I'm excited to offer Hands-On Fresh Pasta, A New Kind of Pie: Galettes and Crostatas, and How to Pack the Perfect Picnic Basket—I hope you can join me for a class.

To celebrate three whole years and 212 recipes (but who's counting?!) of blogging, can I offer you some Chocolate Mousse?


Chocolate Mousse
Printable Recipe

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or 1 ¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 room temperature large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup heavy cream

Combine the chocolate and butter in a large bowl, place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water, and heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Whisk in the salt, vanilla, and egg yolks. In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip the egg whites on medium to soft peaks. With the motor running on high, gradually add the sugar. Continue to whip on high to stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture. Divide the mixture among 8 dessert cups. Refrigerate for about an hour, or until set.

Serves 8. Serve topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream.