Chocolate Raspberry Mousse

Raspberries are in season and plentiful now – they are sweet and delicious on cereal in the morning or on ice cream for a night snack. There are a variety of desserts that can be made using this wonderful fruit. One of my favorites is this chocolate raspberry mousse. For the mousse, frozen or fresh raspberries can be used. This recipe is featured in our From Oma’s Kitchen Cookbook along with many other good raspberry ideas.

You can replace raspberries with any fruit in season. Examples are: strawberries, blueberries,peaches, blackberries, or pineapple. Prepare a day ahead of your special occasion in a 9 - 10"(22 - 25cm) spring form pan.

Chocolate bottom:

½ cup/125 ml butter

3 square semi-sweet chocolate

1 ¼ cups/310 ml sugar

1 tsp/5 ml vanilla

3 eggs

2/3 cup150 ml all-purpose flour

½ tsp/2 ml baking powder

½ tsp/2 ml salt

Filling:

1 pound/450 gm crushed berries

1 Tbsp/15 ml gelatin (1 envelope)

½ cup/125 ml sugar

11/4 cups/310 ml liquid, juice drained from berries plus water

2 Tbsp/30 ml lemon juice

11/4 cups/310 ml whipping cream (whipped)

3/4 cup/150 ml whipping cream - to decorate

Fresh berries - to decorate

To make the cake - Melt the chocolate with the butter at low heat until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture - blend. Spread into a greased spring form pan. Bake @ 350E F (180EC) for 25 minutes.or until set. Cool in the pan.

Gelatin filling:- Drain berries - add enough water to the juice to make 11/4 cups(310 ml) of liquid. Combine gelatin, sugar, liquid juice and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring this mixture to a boil. Stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and chill. Mixture should be the consistency of egg whites when ready to beat. Beat 11/4 cups (310 ml) whipping cream to form stiff peaks. Beat gelatin mixture separately, until light. Fold together and fold in crushed fruit. Line 9" (22 cm) spring form pan with strips of parchment paper. Pour filling mixture over cake base in the pan

Refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

To decorate - Beat remaining whipping cream and use the fresh berries to enhance the appearance. A few mint leaves can be added.

Triple Chocolate Loaves

Made in four small loaf pans, these loaves make wonderful hostess gifts when wrapped in pretty colored foil or placed in a small tin. This recipe is not in the From Oma's Kitchen Cookbook.

½ cup/ 125ml butter, softened

1 cup/ 250ml brown sugar

3 eggs

1 cup/ 250ml chocolate chips, melted

2 cups/ 500ml applesauce

2 tsp/ 10ml vanilla

3 cups/ 750ml all-purpose flour

1 tsp/ 5ml baking powder

1 tsp/ 5ml baking soda

1 tsp/ 5ml salt

¾ cup/ 180ml chocolate chips

Glaze: ½ cup/ 125ml chocolate chips

2 Tbsp/ 30ml butter

1 tsp/ 5ml corn syrup

½ tsp/ 2ml vanilla or peppermint extract

Pinch salt

Preheat oven 350F/ 180C.

Grease four small loaf pans.

In the mixer, cream butter with sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add applesauce and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into greased loaf pans. Bake for 35 – 40 min. or until toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 – 15 min. Remove and glaze when still warm.

For glaze: Melt chocolate chips, syrup and butter in microwave. Add vanilla and salt. Drizzle over loaves. Cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!