Chocolate and Wattleseed Mousse 

by Ben Shewry + Attica restaurant

Ingredients

Method

Chocolate and Wattleseed Mousse

170g Dominican Republic 70% Buttons

240g egg whites

40g caster sugar

3g wattleseed, roasted, ground

1g sea salt

1 tub of cream

3 finger limes


Mandarin Caramel

130g caster sugar

30g apple cider vinegar

130g mandarin juice

30g thickened cream

20g canola oil

30g unsalted butter, diced

40g mandarin juice



Method


Chocolate and Wattleseed Mousse
1. Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Mix the chocolate with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted.

2. Take the bowl off the heat and incorporate the sea salt and the ground wattleseed into the chocolate.

3. Grab a stand mixer and whisk the egg whites on the highest speed. After one minute add the sugar. Continue to whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks can be formed.

4. Place ⅓ of the egg white mixture with the melted chocolate mixture and stir with a rubber spatula, stir quite vigorously until completely incorporated and the mixture has a shiny coat (the chocolate temperature must not be over 45°C before you add the egg whites, check with a digital thermometer). 

5. Once the mixture is incorporated and looking cohesive, add the remaining egg whites but this time incorporate the egg whites more gently by doing big round movements/folding motion with the spatula until all egg whites are evenly incorporated.

6. Divide the mixture up evenly into 4 small bowls and set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.


Mandarin Caramel
1. Place a medium-sized saucepan over a moderate heat on the stove. Add a little bit of the sugar to the saucepan and begin to caramelise the sugar, once the sugar has melted continue to slowly add the remaining sugar in small batches until all the sugar has been added and you reach a deep golden brown caramel, stir the caramel occasionally to incorporate all the sugar by using a spatula.

2. Once we reach a deep golden caramel, deglaze the pan by adding the vinegar and let it cook out, continuing to stir using a spatula for 30 seconds (be careful as this process will produce a lot of steam when the vinegar is added).

3. Add the mandarin juice (130g) and then the cream, continue to cook on medium heat until the mixture reaches a temperature 106°C (use a digital thermometer) this process may take a few minutes.

4. Once the temperature reached, take the pot off the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes

5. Using a whisk, add the butter and oil at the same time, whisking to incorporate. Continue until the mixture becomes shiny and both ingredients are incorporated. 

7. Add the final amount of mandarin juice (40g) to the mix and season to taste with sea salt

To Serve:
Take the mousse out of the fridge. Garnish the top of the chocolate mousse with a teaspoon of finger lime pearls.


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