Reading Comprehension: “Chocolate Mousse”

Dear everyone,

I hope you all love cooking as much as learning English. Do you? Because today we are going to learn delicious new English words AND learn to make a delicious dish.

Ready?

Ingredients

6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 ounces (170g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup (60ml) dark-brewed coffee
4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup (170g), plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons (30ml) dark rum
1 tablespoon (15ml) water
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Heat a saucepan one-third full with hot water, and in a bowl set on top, melt together the chocolate, butter and coffee, stirring over the barely simmering water, until smooth. Remove from heat.

Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.

In a bowl large enough to nest securely on the saucepan of simmering water, whisk the yolks of the eggs with the 2/3 cup of sugar, rum, and water for about 3 minutes until the mixture is thick, like runny mayonnaise. (You can also use a handheld electric mixer.)

Remove from heat and place the bowl of whipped egg yolks within the bowl of ice water and beat until cool and thick. Then fold the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy. Continue to beat until they start to hold their shape. Whip in the tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until thick and shiny, but not completely stiff, then the vanilla.

Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder of the whites just until incorporated, but don’t overdo it or the mousse will lose volume.

Transfer the mousse to a serving bowl or divide into serving dishes, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until firm.

Vocabulary

Bittersweet – having both bitter and sweet flavors.

Unsalted – not salted or containing extra salt.

Brewed – to make (coffee, tea, etc.).

Melt – to change or to cause (something) to change from a solid to a liquid usually because of heat.

Barely – hardly or scarcely — used to say that something was almost not possible or almost did not happen.

Simmering – to cook (something) so that it is almost boiling for a certain period of time.

Smooth – having a flat, even surface : not rough : not having any bumps, ridges, or uneven parts.

Whisk – to stir or beat (eggs, sauces, etc.) with a whisk or fork.

Handheld – to hold with the hands.

Fold – to mix two things together gently.

Frothy – bubbles that form in or on a liquid.

Firm – fairly hard or solid : not soft.