Quick & Easy Chocolate Mousse

So I'll just put it out there: I'm a chocoholic!  My first job ever was at Debrand chocolatier and I've been hooked ever since.  Chocolate choices are always what I gravitate towards when ordering off a dessert menu, breakfast menu (hello chocolate chip pancakes), OK any menu!  I love baking with chocolate and the one thing I learned from my stint in the chocolate industry is: don't skimp on good chocolate.  It can be expensive, but high-quality chocolate takes your dessert from OK to OMG.  So my pantry is more Guittard less Hershey's. I have a traditional chocolate mousse recipe that I love- I learned to make it at a cooking class in Chicago. It's basically fluffy chocolate heaven. BUT it is time consuming to make, involves like a dozen eggs and is a big effort! So when I saw this recipe on Cooking Channel I was intrigued.

This is not a traditional mousse recipe and it doesn't replace my standby recipe at all. However this recipe is very tasty especially if you put nice chocolate in it. I was pretty shocked actually- seeing as one of the main ingredients is marshmallows. Anyway- just try it! I made this mousse on a weeknight and my boyfriend asked "How long did this take you to make?" I didn't tell him that it literally took 15 minutes.

Breakfast?

Instant Chocolate Mousse

Adapted from Nigella Lawson's recipe

Makes 4-6 servings depending on your craving level. When I made this I cut the recipe in half. 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 9 ounces best quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup hot water from a recently boiled kettle
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Chocolate shavings for garnish (optional) 

To make: 

1. Put the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water in a heavy-based saucepan.
2. Put the saucepan on the stove, over low heat, stirring until everything melts together. Remove from the heat. Let this mixture cool for 10 minutes or so. 
3. Whip the cream with the vanilla until thick and then fold into the cooled chocolate mixture.
4. Spoon into small dishes, top with chocolate shavings and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.